Dead Lucky: Life After Death on Mount EverestLincoln Hall's breathtaking account of surviving a night in Everest's "death zone." Lincoln Hall likes to say that on the evening of May 25, 2006, he died on Everest. Indeed, Hall attempted to climb the mountain during a deadly season in which eleven people perished. And he was, in fact, pronounced dead, after collapsing from altitude sickness. Two Sherpas spent hours trying to revive him, but as darkness fell, word came via radio from the expedition's leader that they should descend in order to save themselves. The news of Hall's death traveled rapidly from mountaineering websites to news media around the world, and ultimately to his family back in Australia. Early the next morning, however, an American guide, climbing with two clients and a Sherpa, was startled to find Hall sitting cross-legged on a sharp crest of the summit ridge. In this page-turning account of survival against all odds, Hall chronicles in fascinating detail the days and nights that led up to his fateful night in Mount Everest's "death zone." His story is all the more miraculous given his climbing history. Hall had been part of Australia's first attempt to reach the top of Everest in 1984 but had not done any major climbing for many years, having set aside his passion in order to support his family. While others in the team achieved their dream during this 1984 expedition, Hall was forced to turn back due to illness. Thus, his triumph in reaching the summit at the age of fifty is a story unto itself. So, too, is Hall's description of his family's experience back in Australia, as sudden grief turned to relief and joy in a matter of hours. Rarely has there been such a thrilling narrative of one man's encounter with the world's tallest mountain. |
Contents
Four KATHMANDU | |
Six TENT CITY | |
Eight EAST RONGBUK | |
Ten SKY BURIAL | |
PART TWO DEATHS OWN COUNTRY | |
Thirteen THE ROOF OF THE WORLD | |
Sixteen TIME TO KILL | |
Seventeen CLOAK OF DARKNESS | |
Nineteen THE WHITE LIMBO | |
TwentyOne RUNNING ON EMPTY | |
Twentythree POSTMORTEM | |
SUMMITSCLUB EVEREST EXPEDITION | |
Index | |
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Common terms and phrases
able Advance Base Camp Alex alive already altitude Andrey arrived asked Australian Barbara Base Camp became began Christopher climb climbers close cold continued dangerous darkness dead death descender Dorje dropped Dylan Everest expedition face fact feel feet felt final fixed followed four friends frostbite glacier hands happened Harry head huge Kathmandu keep knew Lakcha Lincoln longer looked managed Mike mind morning Mount Everest mountain moving needed night North oxygen pack passed peak Pemba pulled radio reached realized rest returned Richard ridge rock rope Second seemed sense Sherpas side Simon sitting sleep slope snow soon stay steep Step stop story summit talk tent Tenzing thanks thought Tibetan told took turned voice waiting walk wanted watching wind