Into+Thin+Air+-+Home+Page

==This unit will explore the events of May 1996 when 10 Mt Everest climbers died on the mountain during a particularly vicious and unexpected storm. These events have been documented by a number of people including an IMAX film team, Anatoli Boukreev (a climbing guide) and Jon Krakauer. It is Krakauer’s version of the events – a book called //Into Thin Air// - that we will study and use as a springboard for understanding the incredible story of climbing Mt Everest.==

**In this unit we will**:

 * ==Investigate the geography of the Kumbu region of the Himalayan mountains;==
 * ==Find out some of the history of Mt Everest climbs, including the Irvine and Mallory expedition of 1920’s through to the first successful summit in 1953;==
 * ==Read large portions of //Into Thin Air (click here for reviews)//;==
 * ==Complete a range of multiple choice, short answer and extended response questions;==
 * ==Complete a number of activities to help enhance our understanding of the events and the account;==
 * ==View the films //Everest,// and the PBS documentary film PBS documentary==
 * ==Complete a report that looks at what caused the tragic events as described in the book (Summative Task)==



Spark Notes - Into Thin Air
 * An invaluable Spark Note Resource - we will use this during the unit.**

Pinterest - Into Thin Air
 * This is an excellent Pinterest Page with lots of other links to resources on //Into Thin Air// and Mt Everest climbing in general.**

Chapter Summaries - this is a long book. Chapter abstracts are short descriptions of events that occur in each chapter. They highlight major plot events and detail the important relationships and characteristics of characters and objects.

Everest Summit: May 10, 1996 - 29,028 Feet Abstract * Krakauer is at the top of the summit of Mount Everest.

* Krakauer takes photos of Boukreev and Harris.

* The story jumps to the end of the disaster, with Krakauer's articles about the events. * The author begins his descent, worried that his oxygen tank is running low.

* On his way down, the author has to wait for other climbers who are ascending.

Dehra Dun, India: 1852 - 2,234 Feet Abstract * Krakauer gives some background information on Mount Everest.

* The first climbers to get to the summit of Everest were Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

* The authors talks about his growing fascination and development as a climber.

* Krakauer proposes to Outside Magazine to write an article about the commercialization of Mount Everest. * The magazine balks at first, but then agrees to send him with a team led by Rob Hall.

Over Northern India: March 29, 1996 - 30,000 Feet Abstract * Krakauer is greeted at the airport by Andy Harris.

* At the hotel, Krakauer meets Hall.

* Hall's group takes a helicopter to Lukla from which they will hike to Everest Base Camp. * Krakauer is nervous about the climbing abilities of his fellow climbers.

Phakding: March 31, 1996 - 9,186 Feet Abstract
 * * From Lukla, the group hikes to Phakding to spend the night.
 * * Next, the group hikes to Namche to meet up with the Sherpas.
 * * The group stops at a Buddhist monastery for tea and blessings.
 * * The groups hikes to Base Camp, slowly so as to acclimatize to the altitude.
 * * The group stays at Pheriche for the night.
 * * The group then reaches Khumbu Glacier.
 * * Hall is told to rescue one of the Sherpas who has fallen and broken a leg. *

Lobuje: April 8, 1996 - 16,200 Feet Abstract > > * At camp, Hall and Scott Fischer meet. > > * Fischer is described as a bit of a wild child climber. > * Fischer had already approached Krakauer to write the article for Outside, but Krakauer turned him down. * Hall received cash and advertising space in return for Krakauer's place in his group. > > * Doug Hall is experiencing headaches. > > * Krakauer is having troubles with the altitude.
 * * The Sherpa has been retrieved and the group will leave Lobuje to head to Base Camp. * The group arrives at Base Camp.

Everest Base Camp: April 12, 1996 - 17,600 Feet Abstract > > * The climbers use static ropes instead of roping themselves to each other. * The group travels to Camp One. > > * Krakauer calls his wife who was not happy about him climbing again.
 * * Krakauer details the method of climbing Everest.

Camp One: April 13, 1996 - 19,500 Feet Abstract * Krakauer talks about the pull of Everest and about various climbers who have tried.

* Some of the people on Fischer's team are experienced climbers, but no one on Hall's team is.

* There are other teams on the mountain who are worried about the presence of Hall's and Fischer's teams.

Camp One: April 16, 1996 - 19,500 Feet Abstract * The group rests at Base Camp for two days before going on.

* Krakauer helps Ang Dorji with digging out platforms for their tents.

* A snowstorm leaves a foot of snow on the mountain.

* The group climbs to Camp Two, seeing the body of a dead Sherpa along the way.

* The group then returns to Base Camp.

* A Sherpa becomes ill with HAPE.

* The Sherpa dies from this illness a few weeks later.

* Pittman is a wealthy journalist who is climbing, reporting the news of deaths along the way.

Camp Two: April 28, 1996 - 21,300 Feet Abstract * Krakauer is at Camp Two and they are to hike to Camp Three.

* It is very cold and the men don't want to leave their sleeping bags.

* The group has to call off the climb and return to Camp Two because of bad weather. * Hansen is having health issues.

* Tension between the groups grows at Camp Two.

* Superstitions abound from the Sherpas on the climbs.

Lhotse Face: April 29, 1996 - 23,400 Feet Abstract * Krakauer and the group head to Camp Three again.

* HACE is another problem for climbers, although rare. Dale Kruse was affected the day before. * The group descends to Camp Two and then to Base Camp to rest for the ascent to the summit. * The target date for the ascent to the summit is May 10.

Base Camp: May 6, 1996 - 17,600 Feet Abstract * The group arrives at Camp Two.

* They encounter Goran Kropp who is descending, even though he didn't make it to the top. * Fischer has been going back and forth between camps, and letting his group do the same. * Boukreev, though paid as a guide, is not acting as one.

* The group begins to climb Lhotse Face toward Camp Three.

* The group rests in Camp Three without Sherpas.

* At Camp Three, the climbers receive oxygen tanks for the rest of the climb. * The Taiwanese team also plans to reach the summit on May 10.

Camp Three: May 9, 1996 - 24,000 Feet Abstract * Krakauer and the group continue the climb.

* The author struggles to get ahead of everyone else.

* Krakauer makes it to South Col, the location of Camp Four.

* The weather is getting worse and worse.

* But then the wind dies down and the group heads out at night to reach the summit. * Some climbers decide to descend back to Camp Four.

* Krakauer makes it to The Balcony and waits for the rest of the group.

* Lopsang has short roped Pittman for unknown reasons.

Southeast Ridge: May 10, 1996 - 27,600 Feet Abstract * Hall needs to put up fixed ropes to guide the group to the summit, while usually Sherpas do this. * The group is backed up at The Balcony.

* Krakauer and others wait for the rest of the group to catch up.

* The Sherpas are not putting up the ropes, so Krakauer offers to do it. * Krakauer begins to worry he doesn't have enough oxygen.

* Krakauer arrives at the summit, almost unexpectedly, but instead of being excited, he is worried about descending.

Summit: 1:12 p.m., May 10, 1996 - 29,028 Feet Abstract * Krakauer was going to pose with some pictures at the summit, but decides against it.

* The author does take some pictures of Harris and Bourkeev and then starts hiking down.

* At Hillary Step, the author must wait for others to pass.

* Krakauer's oxygen runs out after a mixup in turning it down really turned it up, causing it to run out quickly.

* There is a mixup with the oxygen tanks and the tanks were actually full the whole time.

* It begins to snow as Krakauer leaves the South Summit.

* Beckwith is having troubles with his eyesight and instead of going down with Krakauer, decides to wait for Groom. * Krakauer's oxygen runs out again and he begins to hallucinate.

* Krakauer sits down and doesn't want to get back up.

* 'Harris' slides toward Camp Four, seemingly all right.

* Krakauer slowly makes his way to Camp Four.

Summit: 1:25 p.m., May 10, 1996 - 29,028 Feet Abstract * Other climbers get to the summit after 2:00pm.

* There is confusion about where everyone is and who is behind whom.

* Fischer apparently has a liver condition that no one knows about.

* Beidleman decides to leave the summit after 3:00pm.

* Groom and Namba get to the Balcony around 5:00pm.

* Groom short ropes Weathers, sending Namba ahead, but she runs out of oxygen. * Beidleman takes over and pulls Namba behind him.
 * * Beidleman chooses a less steep path to Camp Four, but the darkness and winds slow them.
 * * Beidleman is so confused he nearly walks off the edge of he Col.
 * * Beidleman tells the group to huddle together to wait out the storm.
 * * Beidleman and the others finally reach the camp in 20 minutes.
 * * Bourkeev decides to attempt a rescue effort. *

South Col: 6:00 a.m., May 11, 1996 - 26,000 Feet Abstract > > * Krakauer finds out that Adams was the climber he mistook for Harris.
 * * Krakauer is told that Harris is not in the tent, which makes him sick as he realizes he told everyone Harris was safe. * Fischer is now missing - Weathers and Namba are dead.

Summit: 3:40 p.m., May 10, 1996 - 29,028 Feet Abstract > > * Hall helps Hansen to the top. > > * Hansen runs out of oxygen and nearly collapses. > * Harris takes off to take oxygen tanks to Hall and Hansen. > > * The storm worsens. > > * Fischer convinces Lopsang to leave him. > > * Lopsang hikes past the camp, so he needs to climb back up. > > * Lopsang notifies Bourkeev that Fischer needs help, then collapses. > > * Cotter tried to convince Hall to leave Hansen, but he said he would not. * Hall sends a transmission that his regulator is frozen. > * Hall and his wife talk briefly. > > * Hall says he will descend, but stays on the South Summit. * Sherpas leave Camp Four to bring oxygen to Hall. > > * The weather makes the Sherpas have to turn back. > > * Hall has one more conversation with his wife.
 * * Fischer radios that his whole group reached the summit and he was tired. * Fischer does not use his mask on the way down.

Northeast Ridge: May 10, 1996 - 28,550 Feet Abstract > > * The Indian climbers took the wrong path, and their bodies are found the next day, near death, but still alive. * Other members of the Indian team found them, but were too tired to help
 * * Climbers from an Indian group also read the top when Hansen and Hall do.

South Col: 7:30 a.m., May 11, 1996 - 26,000 Feet Abstract > > * Weathers is found to still be alive, as is Namba, but barely. > > * Hutchison is told by a Sherpa to leave the climbers up on the mountain. * Beidleman takes a team to Camp Three to rest. > > * Other teams try to help Fischer and Hall's teams. * Groom begins to lead the remaining climbers down, except for Weathers. *
 * * More search parties are created to find Harris.
 * * Weathers stumbles into camp, after spending the night exposed.
 * * Fischer's body is found.

=The Geneva Spur: 9:45 a.m., May 12, 1996 - 25,900 Feet Abstract= > > * Krakauer reaches Camp Two that afternoon. > > * A helicopter comes in and takes Gau away. > > * Another helicopter comes in and takes Weathers away.
 * * Krakauer leaves South Col on May 12.

Everest Base Camp: May 13, 1996 - 17,600 Feet Abstract > > * Groom and Fox are evacuated because of their frostbite. * Krakauer is haunted by the events which took place. > > * Krakauer speculates on reasons why things went wrong. * Others die trying to reach the summit that year too
 * * Krakauer reaches Base Camp and is given a beer.

Seattle: November 29, 1996 - 270 Feet Abstract > > * The author details what happens to various climbers after the climb to Everest. Mt Everest - Geography and History
 * * Krakauer talks about reactions the climbers have experienced since the event. * Some of the letters Krakauer has received are excerpted.