VERTIGO – Part 5 – The Mountaineers

I think on the summit of Everest, we are looking for something within ourselves. It's a journey. The summit is only the destination. There is something that affects you mentally, spiritually and physically on a climb, where you transcend the moment. And everything blends together in a timeless way; you and the snow and the rock and the view and the truth -- because you can't hide from the truth up there; that is, yourself, your strengths, your weaknesses and how you deal.

– Charlotte Fox, Professional ski patroller and EMT, the first American woman to climb three 8,000-meter peaks.

It all started with rereading Krakauer’s Into thin Air.  I became fascinated by the character of Jon Krakauer and his brave, determined companions who worked in post offices and doctor’s offices by day, training their bodies and saving for years to attempt the summit of Mount Everest.  I was inspired by the scrappy expedition leaders and guides and the Sherpas and the unflinching, devoted support at base camp. 

I became fascinated by that story when Everest took twelve climbers in the spring of 1996.  I knew all the characters by heart; Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, two seemingly indestructible, hot shot guides who died, Andy Harris, assistant guide who died, too, Doug Hansen, a postal worker, whose dream was to summit Everest, (died), Beck Weathers, physician, who came back from the dead twice, the socialite, Sandy Hill Pittman, who made all the Sherpas carry her computer gear, Lopsang Jangbu, Scott’s fiercely loyal Sherpa . . .oh, you probably don’t care about all of their names.  But just typing this brings it all back and makes me feel emotional; a sense of yearning.

I have this lotion from Trader Joes I was using at the time.  I’d put it on my face at night and get into bed and read about my climbers.  All I have to do today is smell it and it brings me back.  They discontinued it so I use it sparingly.  That smell is sacred. . .the smell of hope.

What does this have to do with vertigo?  I wasn’t sure.  All I knew is that I was hungry for their stories; I loved reading about those grand mountains and those who lived to climb them.

I gazed at those pictures over and over; I’d read a page; flip back and look at the pictures again.  I looked deeply into the eyes of those who died.  I studied the list of people in all of the expeditions; I knew all of their names and all of their fates.  I googled the PBS Frontline story, Storm Over Everest, check it out, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/everest/stories/lifeafter.htm.

I cut and pasted their stories and made a Word file.  I read them over and over and gained strength from them.  I was interested in these peoples’ characters. What kind of person climbs mountains?  I didn’t necessarily want to climb mountains, but I wanted to be that kind of person.  I wanted to be strong, courageous, smart and able to withstand extreme physical discomfort. I wanted to be persistent.  I wanted fortitude.  I wanted great endurance.  I wanted to be intrepid.

In these conditions people are stripped of their ability to be anything but their true selves, and that is one of the undercurrents in the film. You find out if you're a person who gives help, asks for help, or just gives up and lies down to die. 

-- David Breashears (Produced IMAX large-format film Everest).

This was me post-vertigo; stripped, exposed, unable to be anything but my true self.  Was I going to just lie down to die, or was I going to move forward?  With the help of my angels; the doctors, physical therapists, and you, my sweetie, colleagues and dear friends, my fellow mountain climbers, I moved forward and continue to do so to this day.