224 “focused on the rescues” Pemba Gyalje interview with Padoan, Nick Ryan, and Pat Falvey at Pemba’s home in Kathmandu, January 2009.
224 rescues involved Western lives Freddie Wilkinson was a notable exception to the media focus on Westerners. By November 2008, Wilkinson had broken the story, investigating and writing the first article about Chhiring’s rescue of Pasang. See “Heroes in Fine Print,” The Huffington Post, November 12, 2008. Wilkinson followed the article with a longer piece: “Perfect Chaos,” Rock and Ice, December 2008. He also wrote the first book about the tragedy from the Sherpa perspective: One Mountain Thousand Summits (New York: New American Library, 2010).
226 little else but listen That is only true of this particular meeting. Nazir continued to do a great deal for the families. He coordinated a fundraising effort for the support of the families, contributing his own money, and ensured that they were treated fairly by insurance companies.
Selected Bibliography
BOOKS
Biddulph, John. Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh. Calcutta: Superintendent of Government Printing, 1880.
Bonatti, Walter. The Mountains of My Life. New York: Modern Library, 2001.
Bowley, Graham. No Way Down: Life and Death on K2. New York: HarperCollins, 2010.
Clark, John. Hunza: Lost Kingdom of the Himalayas. New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1956.
Confortola, Marco. Giorni di Ghiaccio. Milan: Baldini Castoldi Dalai Editore, 2009.
Curran, Jim. K2: The Story of the Savage Mountain. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1995.
Douglas, Ed. Tenzing: Hero of Everest. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2003.
French, Patrick. Younghusband: The Last Great Imperial Adventurer. Hammersmith: HarperCollins UK, 2004.
Gregson, Jonathan. Massacre at the Palace: The Doomed Royal Dynasty of Nepal. New York: Talk Miramax, 2002.
Hopkirk, Peter. The Great Game: On Secret Service in High Asia. London: John Murray, 1990.
Houston, Charles S., and Robert H. Bates. K2, The Savage Mountain. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1954.
Hunt, John. The Ascent of Everest. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1953.
Isserman, Maurice, and Stewart Weaver. Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2010.
Jordan, Jennifer. The Last Man on the Mountain: The Death of an American Adventurer on K2. New York: W. W. Norton, 2010.
Kauffman, Andrew J., and William L. Putnam. K2: The 1939 Tragedy. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books, 1992.
Knight, E. F. Where Three Empires Meet. London: Longmans, Green, 1918.
Lacedelli, Lino, and Giovanni Cenacchi. K2: Il prezzo della conquista. Milan: Mondadori, 2004.
Leitner, Gottlieb. The Hunza and Nagyr Handbook. Calcutta: Superintendent of Government Printing, 1889.
Norgay, Jamling Tenzing (with Broughton Coburn). Touching My Father’s Soul: A Sherpa’s Journey to the Top of Everest. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2001.
Norgay, Tenzing (with James Ramsey Ullman). Tiger of the Snows: The Autobiography of Tenzing of Everest. New York: Putnam, 1955.
Ortner, Sherry B. Sherpas Through Their Rituals. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1978.
———. Life and Death on Mount Everest: Sherpas and Himalayan Mountaineering. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1999.
Peissel, Michel. The Ants’ Gold. New York: HarperCollins, 1984.
Schomberg, R. C. F. Between the Oxus and the Indus. Lahore: al-Biruni, 1935.
Skog, Cecilie. Og De Tre Polene. Stavanger, Norway: Wigestrand, 2006.
Tenderini, Mirella, and Michael Shandrick. The Duke of the Abruzzi: An Explorer’s Life. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books, 1997.
Tenzing, Tashi. Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest. New York: Ragged Mountain Press, 2001.
van Rooijen, Wilco. Overleven op de K2. National Geographic, 2009. (Published in English as Surviving K2. Diemen, Netherlands: G+J Publishing, 2010.)
Viesturs, Ed, and David Roberts. K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain. New York: Broadway Books, 2009.
Webster, Ed. Snow in the Kingdom: My Storm Years on Everest. Eldorado Springs, CO: Mountain Imagery, 2000.
Wilkinson, Freddie. One Mountain Thousand Summits: The Untold Story of Tragedy and True Heroism on K2. New York: New American Library, 2010.
Younghusband, Francis. The Heart of a Continent. London: John Murray, 1896.
———. Wonders of the Himalaya. London: John Murray, 1924.
PERIODICALS
DeBenedetti, Christian. “The Savior and the Storm on K2,” National Geographic Adventure (December 2008/January 2009).
Kodas, Michael. “A Few False Moves,” Outside (September 2008).
Power, Matthew. “K2: The Killing Peak,” Men’s Journal (November 2008).
Sabir, Nazir. “K2: A Letter from Nazir Sabir,” The Alpinist (August 2008).
Wilkinson, Freddie. “Perfect Chaos,” Rock and Ice (December 2008).
FILMS
Disaster on K2 (The Discovery Channel, March 2009).
Hillary and Tenzing: Climbing to the Roof of the World (PBS, 1996).
K2: A Cry from the Top of the World (Mastiff AB, Stockholm, Sweden, 2010).
Murder Most Royal (BBC Panorama, 2002).
Index
Page numbers in italics refer to maps.
Ab Maas, 138, 250n
Abruzzi, Duke of the (Luigi Amedeo Giuseppe Maria Ferdinando Francesco di Savoia-Aosta), 32–33
Abruzzi route, 119, 129–36, 142
Camp 1 of, 120, 121, 135, 250n
Camp 2 of, 120, 121, 131–34, 136, 138–39, 250n
Camp 3 of, 120, 121, 132, 135, 144, 250n
description of, 121
on maps, 120, 121
Abruzzi Spur, 33, 45
acclimatization, 115–17
drugs and, 127, 128
Advanced Base Camp, of Everest, 44
Afghanistan, xiv, 10, 78
Aga Khan, fifty-first anniversary of coronation of, 110–11
airlifts, emergency, 96, 101, 109, 113, 211
cost of, 210, 216, 256n
air pockets, 201, 202
air pressure, 116, 130
Aishwarya, Queen of Nepal, 50–51, 242n, 243n
Ajak, 56
Ajak Bhote language, 56, 122
Alaska, 108–9, 196
Alexander the Great, 79, 83, 247n
Ali, Didar, 214
Ali, Nadir, 106, 110
memorial plates and, 209–10
in rescue of Shaheen, 120, 133–36, 138–40, 207
Wilco’s location and, 207–8, 256n
Ali, Nisar, 209–10
Ali, Rehmat, 96
Ali, Sabir, 123, 139
Ali, Zaman, 100
Al Jazeera, 107
Allah, 79, 97, 98, 110, 126, 134
Nadir’s praying to, 135, 139, 140
Alpha Insurance, 100, 218, 257n
Alpine Club, Pakistani, 108, 218
alpine-style climbing, 127, 128
Al-Qaeda, 107–8
altitude adjustment, see acclimatization
altitude illness, 30, 31
alveoli, 130
Aman, Ashraf, 219
Aman, Merza, 214
American K2 International Expedition, 1–7, 45–47, 102–6, 112–14, 120, 122, 183
see also K2, 2008 disaster on
amnesty, 16
Amnesty International, 53, 243n
amputations, of Marco, 222, 223
Amundsen, Roald, 38
anchor point, 196
anchors, 148, 167, 194, 196
Andes, 65
anemia, 65
animals:
dormouse, 77
gold-digging ants, 79, 247n
horses, 82
slaughter of, 69, 106, 110, 245n
snow leopards, 15, 86
yaks, 69, 71, 80–81, 172
Annapurna, 59–60, 228
Antarctica, 222, 257n
anthropologists, 14, 55, 246n
antibiotics, 132, 139
ants, gold-digging, 79, 247n
apocalypse, 15, 20–21
apricots, 84, 86
Archimedes (barge), 138, 207
arteries, 117, 163
Arun region, 10
see also Upper Arun Valley
Ascending Path guide service, 196
Asia (cruise ship), 40
Askari Aviation, 101, 210, 218–19, 256n
Askole, 78, 94, 96, 97, 213
asphyxiation, 201–2
assimilation, 66, 68, 76
Associated Press, 215
astrologers, royal, 52
A-Team, 39–41
Austrian Embassy, 85
Austrians, 39, 238n
autographs, 75
avalanches, 35, 104, 125, 187, 188, 194, 198–205, 219
air pockets and, 201, 202
in Bottleneck, 1–5, 162
camps and, 101, 131
description of, 199, 200
Fearless Five and, 96
flow speed of, 199–200
forms of, 199
Gilkey and, 38
Jehan and, 88, 109
Pasang’s dream of, 56
Pasang’s fear of, 171–72
prediction of, 199
of rock, 95
Rolf killed by, 162, 168–69
triggering, 129, 130, 199
axes, see ice axes
Aymara, 65
bacterial gastroenteritus, 131–32
Bae, Rolf, 114, 115, 126, 149, 159, 166
death of, 5, 162, 168–69, 222
Baig, Asam, 225–26
Baig, Haji, 85
Baig, Jehan, 78, 88–89, 90, 109, 126
fall and death of, 147, 152–54, 213–14, 225–26
insurance of, 218, 257n
weather prediction and, 118, 119, 136, 137
Baig, Khanda, 77, 87
Baig, Nazib, 154, 214, 225, 226
Baig, Shaheen, 77–79, 87–88, 144
Al-Qaeda bombing and, 107, 108
blaming of, 144–45, 218
as climbing instructor, 78, 88
illness and rescue of, 120, 131–36, 138–40, 144–45, 207, 213, 218
K2 deaths and, 213–14
mountaineering quit by, 226
in Serbian K2 Expedition, 86, 90, 107–12, 115, 122, 123, 129, 131–36, 138–40, 144–45, 207, 218
shaving of, 87
Baig, Zehan, 226
Balti language, 29, 99, 122, 239n, 249n
Balti milk tea, 131
Baltis, 29, 147
Baltit, 82, 85
Baltit Fort, 81, 84, 85
Baltoro Glacier, 78, 97, 98, 158, 213, 214
Bannon, Banjo, 112
Barclays Capital, 216
barley, 86, 155, 237n
Bates, Bob, 37
batteries, 188, 193, 208
Bauer, Paul, 72
Baz, M. Bashir, 101, 218–19
Beall, Cynthia, 244n
Beatles, 31
Beding, 10, 12–14, 17–20, 23, 26, 27, 172
Chhiring’s childhood in, 17–18
chorten of, 12
clans in, 68
description of, 13
Gauri Shankar summits seen from, 238n
German tale in, 19
getting to, 12
mortality rate in, 238n
population of, 26, 239n
power of money in, 25
“being washing-machined,” 200
Bengal, Bay of, 31
beyuls (sacred valleys), 14, 16, 237n
Bhote, 56–57, 67–70, 147
discrimination against, 57, 63, 68, 71–72
foreigner descriptions of, 69–70
genetics and, 164
Sherpa compared with, 57, 68–70, 106
Tenzing’s Everest climb and, 75–76
Bhote, Big Pasang, 61–62, 125, 143, 185–88, 228, 255n
death of, 162, 200, 203, 205, 209, 221, 255n
earnings of, 221
Jumik found by, 198
Marco offered oxygen by, 194
Marco’s offering of chocolate to, 194, 198, 254n
Bhote, Dawa Sangmu, 209, 216, 224
Bhote, Jen Jen, 209, 216, 223, 224
Bhote, Jumik, 61, 105, 122, 125, 159, 179, 187–88, 223
Big Pasang’s encountering of, 198
in Bottleneck, 148
death of, 162, 200, 203, 205, 209, 221, 224, 255n
del Missier’s friendship with, 216
help promised to, 190, 254n
linguistic confusion and, 122, 123
and Pemba Jeba’s fears about films, 224
photos of, 196, 200, 205, 254n
rope system created by, 162, 164–65
in Shoulder, 144, 145
son’s birth and, 209, 216
tangled in ropes and tied to Korean clients, 162, 167–68, 189–90, 193–98, 252n, 254n, 255n
Bhote, Ngawang, 61, 104, 106, 209
Bhote, Pemba Jeba, 221, 224
Bhote, Phurbu Ridar, 56, 57, 58, 61, 63
Bhote, Tsering, 143, 185–88, 194, 195, 198, 255n
in avalanche, 202–3
Marco’s offering of chocolate to, 194, 198, 254n
Pasang Lama’s meeting of, 203
Bhoteni, Gamu, 223, 228
Bhoteni, Lahmu (Pasang Lama’s cousin; Big Pasang’s wife), 62, 69, 220–21
Bhoteni, Phurbu Chejik, 57, 58, 60, 125
Bhotias (Tibetans), 68, 75, 76, 246n
bhuti, 124–25, 172, 178
Biange, 98
bicarbonate ions, 116
binoculars, 146, 207
bin Qasim, Muhammad, 79
birds, 103
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah, King of Nepal, 49–51, 53
Bite, Hoselito, 108, 120
at Camp 2, 133–34, 136
at Camp 3, 137–38, 140–41
climbing problems of, 133–34, 138
daughter’s photo carried by, 125
destruction of tent of, 120, 140–41
Dren’s fall and, 149, 251n
sardines spilled by, 133
Wilco’s problems with, 133–34, 137–38, 141, 207
Bite, Maya, 125, 134
“black hash,” 242n
Black Pyramid, 121, 132
blasphemy, 19
blogs, 96, 111, 127, 216
blood, 168, 182, 205
acute vasospasm and, 163, 164
circulation of, 65
red cells, 65, 116–17, 244n
blood clots, 37, 65, 116–17, 210
blood pressure, 117, 194
blood sacrifice/human flesh, 15, 16, 33, 69, 245n
blood vessels, leaking of, 194
body parts, insuring of, 249n
body remains, Hugues and, 109–11, 249n
body temperature, 182, 188
Bonatti, Walter, 39–40, 223, 241n
Booth, C. P., 238n
boots, boot tracks, 167, 169, 170, 186
Jumik’s loss of, 193, 196
Marco’s sighting of, 194, 254n
too small, 39, 241n
Borat (film), 114, 115
Bottleneck, 34, 40
as Death Throat, 146
delay in, 147, 147
eclipse in, 154
on maps, 120, 147, 162
ropes severed in, 162
2008 disaster and, 1–7, 78, 121, 122, 132, 146–52, 147, 155, 156, 157, 164, 166–78, 180, 187, 190, 194, 195, 198, 204, 237n, 252n
Wiessner in, 34
Boudhanath stupa, 22, 104, 105
brain, 116, 117, 163, 170, 182
asphyxiation and, 201, 202
swelling of, 194
brain damage, 64, 118
Braldu River, 78, 97, 98
brand recognition, 160
bribery, 83–84
“Bride, the,” 79
bride abduction, 69
British expeditions:
to Everest, 17, 70–75, 245n
to Gauri Shankar, 19
British Gurkha Academy, 57
Broad Peak, see K3
Brokeback Mountain (film), 99
Buddha, 12, 13, 79
Buddhism, Buddhists, 29, 56, 98, 145, 238n
animal slaughter and, 69, 245n
conversion to, 14–16
cremation and, 103
in Hunza, 79
meat eating of, 245n
pujas and, 104, 105, 115
as refugees, 14, 22
sky burials and, 103, 249n
sonam and, 174
Buhl, Hermann, 39, 85
bus travel, 57, 214, 220
cameras, 143, 151, 159, 166, 167, 180, 195, 213
campylobacteriosis, 131
capillaries, 117
caravan raids, 81, 82, 83
carbon dioxide, 130
carbon monoxide, 118
cartoons, Islam satirized in, 107–8
Caucasians, Sherpa compared with, 64–65
celebrities, 249n
Central Asia, 66
see also specific places
central nervous system, 202
cerebral edema, 117, 163, 184, 211
Cesen route, 112, 119, 121, 131, 136–39, 142, 190, 207, 250n
Camp 1 of, 120, 121, 250n
Camp 2 of, 120, 121, 133–34, 136, 143, 250n
Camp 3 of, 120, 121, 136, 137–38, 140–41, 207, 208, 250n, 253n, 256n
description of, 121
Cha-chu, 245n
Chamonix, 103, 118, 136, 137
charms, 124–25, 172
chicken, Bumble Bee, 126
childbirth, 80
death in, 18, 44, 238n
China, 29, 158, 165, 170, 189
eclipse in, 251n
on maps, xiv, 10, 78, 94
Safdar’s exile in, 84
sky burial in, 103
Tibet invaded by, 22, 76
Xinjiang in, 78, 79, 80–81, 94
chocolate, 74, 133, 135, 194, 198, 204, 254n
Chogo Lungma Glacier, 16, 238n
Chogori, see K2
cholesterol, 49, 242n
Chopi Drinsangma, 16
chorten (sacred mound), 104, 105–6, 210
Cipro, 132
civil war, in Nepal, 48, 52–54, 58, 60, 243n
clans, 66–70, 103, 244n, 245n
climbing community, high school compared with, 111–12
climbing industry, 19–20
Kathmandu as base for, 22
clothing, 17, 26, 61, 74, 99, 127, 160
Cold Avenger face masks, 160
Colorado, 45–47
coma, 51, 52, 197
Combined Military Hospital, 113, 215
commerce, Maoists and, 61
Communists, in Nepal, 53–54
Compagnoni, Achille, 39–41, 155, 241n
compass, 164
Compazine, 132
Concordia, 97, 98, 158
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