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Krauker introduces the members of his expidition. He also explains why he is climbing Everest and gives some background information on the subject. (40 pages)
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Members of the climbing group are introduced. Rob Hall is the expidition leader. They arrive at Base Camp. (32 pages)
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The expidition continues on to Camp One. They cross the Icefall, a considerable difficult area in a climb that, "typically have vertical or even overhanging passages that demand considerable expertise with ice ax and crampons". (19 pages)
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Krakauer disscuses mistakes of previous expiditions, speciffically Ian Woodall's. They climb to Camp Two and one of the experienced sherpa's, Ngawang, gets a severe type of altitude sickness called HAPE, High Altitude Pumonary Edema. They rush him down the mountain hoping the lower altitude will help, but it doesn't. (26 pages)
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Team climbs from Camp Two to Camp Three. Ian Woodall's expidition, for South Africa, causes problems again when his sherpas refused to help wet up ropes for the climbers.Krakuaer ges to know the lead sherpa of the Mountain Madness expidition , Lopsang. (37 pages)
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They make the final trip from Camp Four to the summit on May 10. There are many setbacks, including ropes not being ready and too many people trying ti climb the mountain at the same time. Krakauer reaches the summit and breifly describes it (he didn't stay long on the summit because he was tired). He starts the desent ahead of most climbers. (42 pages)
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Krakauer starts to start down from the summit to Camp Four. He gets stuck in the storm and finds Andy Harris. They make it to Camp Four. (33 pages)
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Krauker tells the sotries of Hall, Fischer, and Hansen. Hansen dies and they lose contact with Fischer. Hall gets stuck the south summit after helping Hansen. Hall sisn't follow through on his turn around time so a lot of people get stuck high on the mountain. (32 pages)
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Kraukauer describes what happened to the rest of the expiditions on Everest on May 10. By the end, only 6 people form the origonal Moutain Madness Expidition are still alive. He describes Beck's miraculous recovery. Post Script talkes about the effect this had on his life and what he's done to forget it. (72 pages)