Into thin air details the effects leading up to the 1996 disaster on Everest. The book follows Jon Krakauer and starts with him on meeting up with his team Adventure consultants. The team includes Doug Hansen a mailman, Helen Wilton base camp manager, Andy Harris a guide up Everest. Rob Hall the leader of the group, Yasuko Namba climber of six of the seven summits, and Beck Weathers a Texan. When they arrive at base camp the all have one night of fun before the next morning of climbing. For the next couple weeks the go up and down the mountain getting acclimatized to the higher altitude. During these climbs Jon becomes friends with Doug Hansen the mailman, who you can see is having trouble getting acclimatized. After reach 21,000 feet at camp two the rest for while. Jon is stuck in his tent for a while feel weak and unable to do anything. He manages to recover slightly and climb up higher to accelerate the acclimatize process. Well Jon goes higher he see a dead body laying near the path. After the many trip up and down the mountain the group is ready for a summit push on May 6. On the way up they run into Scott Fisher and Boukreev. Boukreev and Fisher have been fighting because Boukreev keeps climbing faster then the clients. This has left Fisher with no rest days and he is exhausted. Both the teams still push on after resting at camp two on May 8. As they get closer to the summit Doug's health worsens and he has not eaten in days. They reach the death zone but its slow going and Rob is trying to decide on one or two for the turn around time. The mountain is crowded and due to no ropes being put up its even slower. Jon reach the summit but is low on oxygen and feeling out of it. The turn around time is not enforced and the group ends up staying in the death one till 4.00pm. The start to descend but Fisher is very ill and Yasuko oxygen runs out and she has to be dragged down the mountain. The storm is in full effect now and winds have reached hurricane speeds, the visibilty is low two making it impossible for the group to find camp four. Three of the member are lost in the storm, and are unable to be found. The storm finally breaks and they recover the three but Yasuko has froze to death and Beck Weather gets blown off the mountain. The next morning Andy Harris is now where to be found and they see footprints leading off the mountain. Rob hall has also been lost somewhere on the mountain. Jon and a few other go out to try to find any survivors and find Beck weathers still breathing. Half of the group reaches camp two and doctors and supplies are waiting for them. Beck weather is some how alive and is taken down by Sherpas. Jon finally reaches base camp and breaks down in joy.
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