Into Thin Air By Jon Krakauer

The book Into Thin Air is a documented disaster by climber Jon Krakauer. Published in 1997, Jon wrote about the devastating summit attempt by several different groups. This climb was stopped by a disastrous storm above the death zone killing eight people, including Rob Hall. Rob Hall was Jons respectable leader and a guide who was a very experienced climber bringing 39 climbers to the summit between 1990 to 1995. He was once again trying to keep his business booming by bringing more and more climbers to the summit. This year he was more so under pressure because he had failed to bring one client to the summit last year and he was trying his hardest for that to not happen this year but in that triumphant push he himself, was killed. On that
Ang showed everyone that he is a very selfless man. Even though he was exhausted from climbing up the mountain and then climbing down through the eye of the storm he would do anything to help Rob out. After getting back down to camp, Ang would go back up trying his hardest to rescue Rob and Doug. This climb would be very difficult to do, including the several hours it would take to get up to the stranded men. Ang, the type of guy he his just kept on going through. Just think of it, he was risking his life, risking to never see his loved ones, his friends to save a couple of mountain climbers. Ang, unfortunately, failed this climb and had to get back down. That day, Ang showed everyone why he is a selfless man and climber. He may not get as much respect as some other selfless climbers like Rob for trying to save Doug, but Ang Dorjee is still a very good and selfless man. I think the decision Ang made could be looked at in different ways. One way is that it was a good selfless move and he showed everyone who he is loyal to. The way I would’ve looked at it though is why risk your own life to go see a couple of soon to be dead bodies? I would not start climbing up that mountain again, especially when I’m already exhausted! If the great Rob Hall is in trouble then no one can do anything about
Rob also made some selfless decisions but made some selfish ones too. I’ll be looking at the selfish part of Rob Hall. If mountain climbing was a sport then Rob Hall would definitely be inducted into the ‘Hall’ of Fame. Reaching the summit several times while also bringing 39 climbers between 1990-1995 there as well, he was taken as one of the best, if not the best guide. Unfortunately, Rob failed to bring a climber to the top of the world last year and he did not want that to happen again in ‘96. Why he doesn’t want this to happen again is because of his business. If he gets all of his climbers to the peak, then his business will be booming with people wanting to climb with him. The business doing goes with making as much money as possible and I’m sure since the disaster was documented and filmed, (even though it was canceled because of David Breashears selflessness) Rob wanted to look as good as possible by showing everyone how good of a climber he is. Although he did make some good decisions he made another bad one costing his life. Doug Hansen, a climber struggling to reach the top two years now was in trouble once again. Rob would not let Doug give up and told him to keep going. I think that the decision Rob made was a bad one because if he would’ve said to Doug to go down to camp four and rest then the whole death thing between Rob and Doug may not have