On May 10, 1996, more than 30 climbers became stranded high on the world’s tallest mountain by a powerful and unexpected storm. Oxygen-starved, exhausted and lost in the darkness, their story became a fight for survival against 70mph winds and -40 degree temperatures.
Eight people lost their lives in what was then the deadliest 24 hours on Everest. But it was the media attention that followed, led by Jon Krakauer’s bestselling first-hand account “Into Thin Air,” that turned the disaster into a cultural phenomenon.
Everest was no longer solely the domain of mountaineers. With a little training and a lot of cash, the average person could be guided every step of the way up the 8,849-meter (29,032 feet) peak to stand on top of the world....