"Into Thin Air" Test: Study Guide Questions

What magazine did John Krakauer work for?

Outside

What was the original arrangement Krakauer had with the magazine?

He would remain at Base Camp the whole time.

What was the article Krakauer was writing about?

The commercialization on Everest

Where is Krakauer at the beginning of the book?

He is at the top of Everest with one foot in China and the other in Nepal.

Who was with Krakauer at the top of the mountain? Who arrived first to the top, and who arrived after Krakauer?

He was with Andy Harris and Anatoli Boukreev. Anatoli was the first to arrive at the top and Andy Harris arrived shortly after Krakauer.

What country was Andy Harris from?

What country was Rob Hall from?

New Zealand

New Zealand

When did John Krakauer reach the summit and when did he start heading down?

He reached it at 1:12 and started heading down at 1:17, 5 minutes later.

Why were people confused by the actions of the Himalayan guides?

Because the guides had continued to keep the amateurs moving up the mountain, which had killed so many people, i.e. "death trap".

What was Krakauer's main concern as he began his descent?

His oxygen was depleting.

What are the seven summits?

The highest mountains on each continent.

What is the Hillary Step?

It is a notch in the Southeast Ridge of Everest named after Edmund Hillary.

"some rock step...forty feet high"

When Krakuer tries to get down the mountain what does he find?

He finds a bottleneck of people at the base of the Hillary Step.

What does Krakauer ask Andy Harris to do as he is descending from the mountain?

Turn off the valve on his oxygen, but Andy had cranked it to full flow and Krakauer ran out of oxygen.

What was the original designated name for Everest?

Peak XV

When was it discovered that Everest was the highest mountain in the world?

1852

Who discovered Everest was the highest in the world?

a computer named Radhanath Sikhdar

How tall is Everest?

around 29,000 feet

Who named the mountain "Everest"?

Sir Andrew Waugh, in honor of Sir George Everest, his predecessor as surveyor general

What did the Tibetans call Everest?

"Jomolungma" = goddess, mother of the world

What did the Nepalis call Everest?

"Deva-dhunga" = Sea of God

Which government was the first to allow people to climb Everest from within its borders?

Tibet

Who were George L. Mallory and Andrew Irvine?

Two mountaineers who are rumored to have reached the top but never returned to tell the tale. Mallory's body was found in 1999.

What reason did George L. Mallory give for wanting to climb Everest? What happened to him on his expedition?

He said "Because it is there". He disappeared.

Why was Tibet closed to foreigners later, and when?

1950, because the communist regime in China closed it.

When did Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay summit mount Everest?

May 29, 1953, right before noon

What happened at the same time Hillary and Norgay sumitted Everest?

Queen Elizabeth's coronation

What are "free-soloists"?

People who went up the mountain alone and without rope or hardware.

What did Dick Bass do before anyone else?

He was the first to scale the seven sumits.

What was the Nepalese government's plan for limiting the number of expeditions to Everest?

They raised the fee for climbing permits.

Who is to be the leader of Krakauer's expedition?

Rob Hall

How does Krakauer describe Rob Hall's personality?

He was "cherubic" but his face looked old, he was friendly, generous, and had a good sense of humor, "kiwi wit".

Why was Edmund Hillary upset with Hall & Ball for leading people to the summit of Everest?

He thought that it was implying disrespect for the mountain when guides led people who weren't skilled at mountaineering to the top of Everest for money.

Why is Krakauer drawn to Dough Hansen more than any of the other people in their expedition?

Doug Hansen and Krakauer have the same financial situation.

Who is Mike Groom? How does Krakauer describe him?

The expedition's third guide, he is Australian, has red hair, and doesn't have any toes. He sometimes works as a plumber, and is very quiet and conserved.

What are Sherpas?

Buddhist mountain people who migrated from Tibet and are adapted to the high altitude.

What makes Sherpas so valuable?

They are physiologically adapted to the high altitude and can carry large loads.

How does Krakauer describe the current social & economic state of Khumbu?

It is linked to the seasonal influx of climbers each year.

What is acclimatization? Why is it so important?

It is adapting to the climate, i.e. sea level, thinner air, air pressure. It is important because medical problems like altitude sickness can arise.

How does Krakauer describe the conditions at Lobuje?

He says it is "grim" and crowded, and the toilets are so overflowing that people go to the bathroom on the open ground and a river of human feces flows through the camp.

Why does Hall stress the importance of respect for the Sherpas?

They work very hard for very little money (at least to Westerners) and without them none of them would be able to climb the mountain.

Where is the expedition heading when they leave Lobuje?

Base Camp

Who is Scott Fischer?

He was the leader of the Mountain Madness expedition and had attempted Everest four times but only reached the top once. He and Rob Hall were rivals but they were friends. He has a blond ponytail, smokes a lot of weed, and has endless energy.

What is the importance of the 8,000 meter mark in climbing?

There are only 14 8,000 meter marks and when you summit one it comes with prestige as a mountaineer.

What is K2?

The world's second highest mountain.

Describe the difference in the styles of Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness?

Adventure Consultants were more thorough, safer, and stricter.

Name at least four symptoms of altitude sickness as described by Krakauer.

-vertigo/headaches

-insomnia

-cuts and scrapes won't heal

-no appetite

-weight loss

What is the area called on a mountain when the altitude extends beyond 25,000 feet?

Death Zone

What does Krakauer see as his strengths in climbing Everest? His biggest weaknesses?

He is good with ice and rock, but he is not used to high altitude and is older.

How many camps will the Sherpas establish on the mountain?

4 camps, each 2,000 feet higher than the last.

What is a "crampon"? How are they useful in mountaineering?

Crampons are things you put on boots, a grid of 2-inch spikes used to secure foot in the ice. They are useful because they keep you from slipping.

Why is the Khumbu Icefall referred to as a "toll road"?

The teams that had established a route through it were paid $2,200 from the other teams to pass through.

Why did Rob Hall insist that everyone turn around at 10:00 during the first acclimation climb up the Icefall?

The Khumbu Icefall would be even more unstable in the sun, melting.

Who is Linda? What is she concerned about?

She is the Krakauer's wife, concerned about his health and that he might be killed.

Who is Maurice Wilson? How is he different from Earl Denman?

Wilson didn't know when to turn back, but Denman knew when to turn back and when it wasn't safe. They were both persistent though.

Why do members of the South African team quit on Ian Woodall?

Because he was a control freak, and he lied a lot about his mountain experience, saying he had trained in the Himalayas but he hadn't. He also didn't register the black woman on the climbing permit even though he said he was bringing her to base camp. He also wasn't South African, he was British.

What is a Sirdar?

The head Sherpa on an expedition.

During his climb to Camp Two, what does Krakauer find wrapped in blue plastic sheeting on the side of the trail?

A body

After reaching Camp Two, to where do Krakauer and his expedition return?

Base Camp

Why does June Ngawang refuse to acknowledge his altitude sickness when it is originally feared he has it?

Sherpa culture is "macho", so admitting it would be like admitting weakness, and he could lose future jobs.

What is the result of Ngawang's stubbornness?

He contracts HAPE (High altitude pulmonary edema), and becomes delirious while coughing up bloody froth. He is brought down the mountain and dies in a coma in a hospital.

How is Sandy Pittman different from other climbers?

She has more luxury, she brings gourmet food and a television with her to the mountain. She is famous. She climbs mountains for attention.

During the ascent to Camp 3, why does Doug feel that his climb is over?

He is coughing and has a frozen larynx from a surgery he had that made it more vulnerable.

What explanation do the Sherpas give for Ngawang's death?

They said that one of Fischer's climbers (Sandy Pittman the slut), by having sex on the mountain while married to another man, had angered Everest (Sagarmatha, goddess of the sky) and the goddess was taking her revenge on Ngawang.

What religion is practiced by most Sherpas?

animistic Buddhism - they also worship nature dieties

How does Krakauer characterize Lopsang Jangbu?

Very strong, very confident, young, has a gold tooth, good looking, the "Deion Sanders of the Khumbu", he didn't smoke or drink, and he was athletically gifted.

What was a puja?

A mandatory religious ceremony practiced by climbers before they were to enter the Khumbu Icefall.

How does Krakauer's attitude toward Beck Weathers and some of the others on his expedition begin to change?

At first he looks at Beck as a guy who wants to "buy" Everest for his trophy case but then he sees Beck hobbling along painfully in his boots without complaining. He also gets to know the others' motives better and realizes they have valid reasons for climbing the mountain and aren't just doing it because they're rich.

Why does Krakauer begin to feel guilty about being a journalist on this expedition?

His teammates never signed up to be written about or gain media attention.

According to Weathers, what effect does Krakauer have on Rob Hall as the guide?

Hall wanted the article to be favorable so he didn't want anyone injured.

What is the significance of May 10, 1996?

That was the day they were to summit Everest.

What problems do the expedition leaders run into when they gather to discuss their summit days?

The South Africans didn't provide a definite date and said they would "probably" go on May 10th, and Rob Hall didn't want them summitting the same day as the Adventure Consultant mission.

Who is Goran Kropp and what feat was he attempting to pull off?

He is a 26 year old Swedish soloist, and he was trying to bike all the way from Sweden to the top of Everest without Sherpa support or bottled oxygen.

What does Rob Hall admire most about Goran Kropp?

Kropp knew when to turn back, even when he was only an hour from the top, he knew he would be too tired to make a safe descent from the top.

What does Dale Kruse admire most about Anatoli Boukreev?

He was a very strong and very skilled technical climber.

What comes tumbling down the mountain and slams into Andy Harris just before Camp 3?

A boulder knocks the wind out of him.

Why do clients not share Camp 3 with the Sherpas?

The ledge was too small to accommodate the Sherpas too.

Why is drinking water so important at higher altitudes?

The body dehydrates quicker because you are breathing so much dry air.

Describe peoples' reactions to the death of Chen Yu-Nan.

Makalu Gau and the Taiwanese continue their ascent and say "O.K." when they hear Chen has died.

What do climbers find scattered all over the ground at Camp 4?

Empty oxygen canisters

What reason does Krakauer give for believing that they might not be able to make a summit push at the scheduled time?

He saw the Montenegrins heading toward the South Summit and that they were struggling in the wind, and then the Montenegrins reported they had turned around.

Who talks Doug into continuing when he wants to quit?

Rob Hall

What is Rob Hall's main rule for the team until they reach the crest of the Southeast Ridge?

They stick together, within 100 meters of each other.

Define "short-roping" and explain how it fits into the events of the summit attempt.

It's tying someone to your back and dragging them up/down a mountain. Lopsang short-roped Sandy Pittman when she felt tired.

What is the main source of Krakauer's frustration when he reaches the crest of the Southeast Ridge?

His oxygen is running out because he is wasting time waiting for the other climbers.

According to Hall, what was the main concern that arose because no team had been to the summit yet that year?

There were no ropes installed over the terrain.

Why is Ang Dorje nervous about the summit?

He had seen ghosts after getting drunk on chhang beer.

How did Yasuko Namba almost cause Neal Beidleman's death?

She tried to step forward while he was still stringing the ropes.

What are some of the concerns Krakauer expresses about Anatoli Boukreev?

He had no first aid kit, no backpack, and no oxygen, and he is supposed to be a guide.

Where is Krakauer at the end of Chapter 13?

He is at the top of Everest.

What does Krakauer take from the summit as a souvenir?

Some small rocks

In addition to lack of oxygen, what problem does Krakauer find at the Hillary Step after starting down from the summit?

He finds a bottleneck of climbers heading up the single rope, and then Andy Harris turns his oxygen valve up and he uses all his oxygen in 10 minutes.

Why is Rob Hall disappointed when he passes Krakauer at the Hillary Step?

5 out of the 8 clients had abandoned the summit, while Fischer's crew was still going.

What condition is Beck Weathers in when Krakauer finds him on the way down? Why is he just standing still?

He couldn't see because he had surgery on his eyes and the low barometric pressure caused his eyesight to fall. He was waiting for Rob Hall to come back because Hall had allowed him to wait for 30 minutes to see if his eyes got better.

What happens to Krakauer's mental state after going without supplemental oxygen for some time? What "symptoms" does he report?

He sees himself outside of his body dressed in a green cardigan, he also feels warm and dizzy.

Where is Krakauer at the end of Chapter 4?

He is at Camp 4 in his tent.

What is the significance of 2:00?

It was the designated turn-around time, and by 2:00 Beidleman was still waiting at the summit for Fischer and his other clients.

Who was the last to to reach the summit at 4:00?

Doug Hansen

What explanation does Krakauer give for Scott Fischer's fatigue on the summit day?

He was sick with a gastrointestinal parasite that he had picked up earlier and had never gone away and had emerged from dormancy.

What does dexamethasone do for Sandy Pittman?

It prevents her from going into a state of delirium from altitude sickness.

Explain what happens to the group being led by Neal Beidleman after they get off track on the South Col.

They stumble around, exhausted, trying to find the camp in the blizzard, and eventually huddle up and wait for a break in the storm.