Chapters 4-5 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 5 is called "The Trail to Everest." In March, 1996, Boukreev arrived in Kathmandu in advance of the expedition and met with Henry Todd to obtain the oxygen Mountain Madness had agreed to purchase from him. To Boukreev's dismay, he learned from Todd that the shipment of oxygen was being delayed at the Russian border because of customs problems with another shipment in the same container.

Boukreev met with Fischer in Kathmandu and learned that Fischer had hired Ngima Kale Sherpa as the "sirdar," or leader of the Sherpas at Base camp and that Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa would be the climbing sirdar. Sherpas, natives of the Himalayan region, are commonly hired to assist climbing expeditions by fixing rope lines, hauling equipment, and setting up advance camps. Boukreev was pleased that Fischer had hired Ngima, who was an experienced sirdar, but...