Peak Experiences

If it sometimes seems as if the human spirit is flat-lining, that people are as selfish and sappy as “reality TV” suggests, it might be a good idea to look up.

Last month’s activity on Mt. Everest was astounding. The 29,035-foot summit, the world’s highest, was climbed by a blind man, by the youngest person ever and by the oldest. Some dude even slid off the top of the world on a snowboard. But the real heroes of Mt. Everest this year never made the top.

Tremendous bursts of activity often come in short stretches on Everest because of the weather. Poor conditions prevented anyone from summiting until near the end of May. June 1 usually marks the end of the spring climbing season--the onset of the monsoon. In that brief window, nearly 100 people scrambled to the top.

The notable ascenders included Erik Weihenmayer, 32, of Golden, Colo., who has been blind since age 13. Teammates provided Weihenmayer with a running description of the route ahead and wore small bells for him to follow. Sherman Bull, 64, of New Canaan, Conn., became the oldest person to reach the summit, and Temba Tsheri, a 15-year-old Sherpa, the youngest.

The heroes were members of an American expedition led by Eric Simonson of Ashland, Wash., that was searching for further clues to the fate of Britishers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, who disappeared en route to the summit in 1924. A Simonson-led team discovered Mallory’s body in 1999, but the search continues for Irvine and the pair’s camera, which might indicate whether they reached the summit.

Andy Politz of Columbus, Ohio, and five others were preparing to leave for the summit late May 23 when they got word of a Guatemalan climber and his guide in trouble within 500 feet of the top. On the way to help, the team came across three Russian climbers in desperate condition. The team revived four of the climbers and led them to safety. One Russian died as Politz struggled to assist him. Members of the Simonson team gave up their own chance for the summit to effect the rescues.

Simonson said that day “epitomized everything that is best and worst about mountaineering.” The best, of course, was the unselfish action of his own team to aid stranded climbers who without help almost certainly would have died.

More than 800 people have reached the summit in the last 48 years. And while recent events again demonstrate that no one really conquers Mt. Everest, there’s solace to be gained from the continuing efforts.