Summary

In “Gear of the Dead,” Peak sorted through the gear Josh bought him in his hotel room. Two hours later, a teenager named Sun-jo appeared at Peak’s door. He came to accompany Peak to the monastery where they would meet up with Zopa before heading to Base Camp. The boys examined Peak’s equipment and discussed climbing. Sun-jo’s dad had been a Sherpa and died climbing K2, “the second peak” surveyor T. G. Montgomery reached on Everest (54). After his dad’s death, Sun-jo dropped out of his school in India because his family could no longer afford it. He hoped they now had enough money for his sisters to finish their education.

Sun-jo and Peak went to the monastery and met Zopa, “a frail old holy man” of few words (57). Afterwards, they sorted through Peak’s...