Chapters 10-11 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 10 is entitled "The First Delays." By April 21, the Mountain Madness climbers had fallen behind in their acclimatization schedule. Resting at Base Camp, Boukreev had a chance to evaluate the recovery of the climbers he was guiding, and his reservations remained over the fitness of some of them.

Bad weather delayed the establishment of Camp III, and a sudden onset of high altitude pulmonary edema or HAPE struck one of the Mountain Madness Sherpas, Ngawang Topche. Brought down from the mountain through the Khumbu Ice Fall at night by Beidleman, Ngawang was taken quickly to a lower altitude where he could be rescued by helicopter, and transported to a hospital. This added to Fischer's stress, not only out of concern for Ngawang but also the potential expense for his rescue and care.

The Mountain Madness climbers made their way...