The Most Controversial Death in Mount Everest History
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- Опубліковано 7 бер 2024
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The controversial story of David Sharp on Mount Everest.
Edited by: @LeviSpangler
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Hey folks... I screwed up. I now believe that photo at the beginning is NOT real, it's from a re-enactment for a documentary. I genuinely thought it was real and throughout my research I missed it 😠Not pleased with myself. The actual story itself is real however. First time I've made a mistake like this and I don't plan on letting it happen again. Thank you to those who pointed this out to me in the comments.
Don’t worry! ❤
Then put a note in the video please
wow, shame on you.
how dare you do this to us?
Looks like a still photo from the video game, The Long Dark.
How to die : 1. Undertake an extremely risky and life threatening activity 2. Join a team which has an opening because someone died 3. Fight with the team leader 4. Climb Solo 5. Refuse oxygen at 8000 metres 6. Don't inform anyone of your plans so they can send help if you don't return on time 7. Don't pack a satellite phone 8. Don't let frostbite stop you
It’s like he had a death wish. So much for intelligence…he needed common sense.
@@cathytauscher6760 Common sense. Not so common apparently.
@cathytauscher6760 Oftentimes the smartest people have the least common sense.
@marcusm. I laughed at the first two points you said. Yeah that's right though, all your points. Number 7 is hilarious too.
@@cathytauscher6760 I think people are assuming he was desperately trying to survive.
I actually think he got it in his head at some point that he was going to summit, or try again and again. He was never going to give up on the summit. And I actually think he wanted to die on the mountain.
Why stop at the Green Boots cave?
I think it's because he knew he wasn't going to make it all the way back, and picked his place to die. Somewhere where he would become an Everest icon. Known at least somewhat to everyone who climbs the mountain.
I know this is strange, but I think he kind of wanted to become the new Green Boots.
The original climbers said he was going through his pack, I don't think they would lie about that. I think he might have been doing that, and by the time the next group climbed past, he had been stationary long enough to freeze, at least his hands and feet. By this time he's done, if he can't walk then that's it.
That's why I think he went solo, without telling anyone, without oxygen, letting everyone pass him, not asking for any assistance, stopping at Green Boots, having a seat and calling it quits.
I think he wanted to create a legend. He certainly did.
Climbing for 15 hours, suffering from sleep deprivation and altitude sickness sounds like pure torture. I honestly can't imagine.
It sounds mean . But its a self inflicted trial
They all Accepted the risks
@@jilujoilujiut2165truth
I'd rather play golf..lol
Summit pushes start between 8-10pm the day before, and summit turn around time is usually 2pm. Those are some gnarly hours.
I tried climbing Mt Everest (failed) in April of 1984. I was 24 years old and in excellent physical condition. I was the least experienced climber but did have some experience in the U.S., we had a full team, oxygen, guides, well equipped. We didn't make it far into the "death zone" before realizing some of us couldn't continue, our leader decided to turn back as a group, and we all made it back relatively unscathed. It was a wonderful experience but one I never thought to retake. It is akin to drowning is the only way I can think to describe the lack of oxygen, you can never catch your breath. I cannot imagine someone doing this without enough oxygen and soloing it. I stick to hiking these days.
I cannot imagine how terrifying that would be.
You can experience the lack of oxygen at sea level, if you have asthma! Even short of breath trying to swim! Awful (and despairingly frustrating), feeling. Definitely limits your experiences! 🧓🏻🙆♀️😢
We all sit in our chair in out home and most people have no clue how hard this is. So many get summit fever because it looks like you are so close but may have hours to go and if you do not turn around on time you are not getting back. I heard of some guy who had like 2 hours left to the summit and it was already 2pm and he was experience. He summit before but refused to turn around. It also tells you how anyone brain may not be working right at all. But I think just getting to base camp would be a feat. Glad you got home to tell then the tail.
All people who complain that they didn’t take him probably couldn’t carry this man 50 feet. If you climb Everest you know very well what the risks are.
…and if you climb, or if you sail, there’s another tradition that conscientiousness people use to conduct themselves with honour: you aid those in distress. The people who go up Everest these days are not real climbers. Real climbers know that Everest is a tourist’s walk-up.
@@mangore623 there’s not much you can do for someone above 26k ft if they can’t actually walk and plus his hands are frozen so no chance getting down second and first step. All the climbers accept the risk and dangers of climbing that mtn.
Since so many people have gotten into trouble on this dangerous, mountain why isn’t there a policy that hiking groups bring with them a lightweight sled to carry a person safely down with them? You mean nothing like this has been invented yet? Then maybe they should cancel all mountain climbing until one is invented!
@@mangore623 for normal mountains. this is everest. you have no concept of extenuating circumstances.
Yes and no. When Beck Wethers survived the 1996 storm and stumbled into Camp 4, he was largely treated as an inconvenience and please just die already. He said he was put on a tent, where occasionally someone looked in to see if he died already, and was screaming as winds flattened the tent over his face, as he had no water and was so thirsty, and his frostbitten arm painfully swelled against his metal watch band, which he could not remove with his frozen fingers.
So yes, it’s risky, and yes some people cannot be saved by others at that height, but some use the “they just can’t be saved” to be fairly awful to fellow climbers who are stricken. There have been cases where people left as “they are already dead, why bother” later revived and were able to be helped. M
It blows my mind that so many people can afford ONE attempt at Everest, much less multiple.
That's exactly what I was getting on here to say!! He tried THREE TIMES?! That's crazy
Total idiots with way too much money. They could do a lot of good with the money they piss away risking their lives for fun.
This is a world of haves and have nots, and the haves mostly just drew the long straw at birth
even worse. he did it with blood money from the american defence industry.
Single teacher here. I hear you.
The $ could have fed so many!
I just wanna hang out at base camp drinking hot chocolate growing a beard congratulating others coming back to base camp for summiting
I think if a Dr did that, I would find another Dr because it shows his lack of respect for another humans life.
LOL. I used to think the same thing. If I could make it to base camp I would be doing pretty good. Why not hang out there and celebrate with those that returned successfully from the summit.
Screw that. 1. It's really expensive just get that far. 2. I don't want to take a dump in the cold. 3. They'll probably make me do chores.
Include me, all but the beard. I’m female!
Wait what? @@shandelebroyles1099
Even David’s family came out and stated they do not blame those who walked by David that night/day, because David had put himself in that position by not preparing himself well enough to put him in a position to succeed and survive. It’s sad and unfortunate what happened to the man, but it’s indicative of what happens when you try to accomplish something outside of your abilities without the gear that would make it easier and safer to accomplish… or simply survive.
I don't think that Hillary would have chosen Sharp as a climbing partner either. Sharp's climbing history and delusional beliefs were definite signs of a disaster waiting to happen.
Would Donald Trump have chosen him even if Hillary wouldn't have?
what about Nixon?
Plus, David Sharp wasn’t born yet.
Doesn't change the fact that he at least would have tried and modern mountaineers don't.
Absolutely. I agree 100%
They call it The Death Zone for a reason. It sounds like attempts to rescue him would not only have been futile, but also suicide for the rescuer. My guess is he understood and accepted that. Still a sad story.
Nope. People have been rescued from that point.
@@mangore623 People have attempted rescue from that point and died too. So what's your point?
@@user-pe4bv7vm2yhis point is that he wants to be right and feel like he dominated someone ^.^
Climbing without oxygen is not a wise decision. I read that climbing without oxygen increased the risk of death to 25%. My heart goes out to his family.
Pretty much, this has nothing to do with morals. Some people don't realize there are situations where you need to triage priorities, the first of which being your own safety first. Can't help people if you're dead and if you're already pushing beyond your means then any slowdown or sacrifice can very well mean death for everyone instead of one.
I still can't believe the person who received the most flack for not saving Daniel Sharp was an amputee who would not have been able to save him.
that is because you do not understand what happened... the "amputee" had a whole team with him, when they first found david they were on their way up towards the summit, they had just started their day fresh from high camp between one and two hours earlier, they were on the easiest part of their climb and as fully rested as you can be, and they were loaded with oxygen!
the "amputee" and his climbing partners were the first to find david, they did not stop for long, they saw he was alive but very soon decided that there was nothing they could do and left him for their summit attempt, they did not even waste a single breath of oxygen on him... they just left!
they did not even bother to wait and tell the other 30 or so members of the group going for the summit that day that were coming up behind them... resulting in most of them not even seeing him or even consider he might be alive.
they did later claim to have radioed base camp and informed them about david and where he was located... however this was a total lie as there was no radio communication from them to base camp at this time!
now... some 9+ hours later this group is coming back down from having summited, and now they find him again... still ALIVE!
the amputee and his team did not bother, but one of the guys that never saw the guy on his way up now stops and talks to david, david tells him his name and what group he is with. he gives david oxygen and radios base camp... well, now it is really too late, they have spent all their resources and they have to leave him behind as told by base camp!
no one is blaming the "amputee" for not carrying david down on his back, they are blaming him and his team for doing absolutely nothing and never even considered to try to help him! and on top of that lying about radioing base camp to inform them!
9 hours after they found him the first time david was still alive, he was even awake and able to communicate!
imagine what he could have done 9 hours earlier if given oxygen, they may have been able to talk him into walking down to high camp and safety.
if not, one of them could have gone down to high camp and get a sleeping bag up to try and warm him, they could have made three trips up and down from david to high camp in the time it took them to summit and find him again!
they could have actually radioed base camp that would then have options to help out!
high camp and tents with sleeping bags, food, water and cooking supplies were only an hour and a half to two hours away, and it is the easiest part of the route!
at the very least they could have stayed for a couple of minutes to inform the other people of their group about him, they guy that actually tried to help him on the way down would also have done so on the way up!
it is very likely that with some oxygen and a couple helping hands he would have made it down, 9 hours later of sitting still in the same position... not so much!
like i said, no one is blaming the "amputee" for not carrying david down... and david did get himself into this situation!
but the "amputee" expected a heroes welcome after summiting everest, he did not get one because he prioritized summiting over trying to help a dying man!
the "amputee" claims there is nothing he/they could do and the conditions were horrible, and they did radio base camp... NONE OF THIS IS TRUE!
the fact is that they cared more about summiting everest than a mans life!
and many climbers do, they are a selfish bunch... and that is fair enough, but then be honest about it, dont tell lies and pretend there was nothing you could do when people calls you out for NOT being the hero you expected to become!
Majority of what you just said was found to be false info.
@@ralphbooger4756 I dont think you fully comprehend how Hypothermia and High Altitude Pulmonary Edema and High Altitude Cerebral Edema work.
If he had hypothermia when they found him and had both HAPE and HACE or even either or... He wouldn't have made it the moment they tried to move him he likely would have died. You cant give hot liquids to someone with Hypothermia... It will kill them. You cant move someone very quickly or abruptly with hypothermia it will kill them.
He had no oxygen for hours even if they had gotten him up and talking he would not have been able to descend without passing out or possibly wandering off.
The guy didnt even have a bed roll... No oxygen no ice axe no sat phone no walkie... He had already been in the dead zone for too long and would have likely died even if they had gotten him back to camp.
@@davidbiagi2932
found to be false by whom...?
the majority of what i said came from the people that were there!
@@ralphbooger4756very good summary, thank you.
The “death zone” could just as accurately be called the “reality zone.” It’s a harsh truth but such places are completely unforgiving.
Shit just got real zone
Even David's own family holds no animosity towards the other climbers for David's demise. They understood that others should take care of themselves first.
It was all about dubble amputee that day. The tv crew and people helping him to rich the top ! He, not only didnt learn his lesson although older man, but didnt want to stay in dangerous place for too long
With that kind of attitude mankind would get nowhere.
It's our ability to realize that helping each other makes us all stronger that has allowed us to succeed as a species.
And the cause of our demise will be that we forgot this fact and became selfish morons.
Well it's not just that, it's also about accountability. David knew the risk of climbing Mount Everest. There are no babysitting Services out there
@@thefinalboss2403 Exactly
@rayjackson1414 we don't do the right thing because it's convenient.
I don't care how accountable he should have been. I'm stopping and doing everything in my power to save a life.
How empty would you feel once you reached that peak? Knowing you left your humanity below?
I don’t think they bury them. They have started throwing them into crevasses. If it were me I’d be ok with it. Why should someone else jeopardize their safety because of me if it’s clear I’m deceased?
Or thrown off the side into the valley of rainbows.
Agree. Sadly multiple people have died trying to retrieve bodies of other climbers, which is just making a bad situation even worse.
Burial in the mountain is better than someone dying to retrieve you. Plus to be climbing that mountain you must love climbing so I can't think of a better final resting place.
Currently and becaue of the global warming (ice melting), some corpses are slowly going down moutnains and reappear ...
When, "yeet me into a hole when I die," takes on completely new meaning.
DS was not left for dead.
He committed suicide by mountain
That’s what I thought! Maybe he was “intelligent” but very short on common sense.
Good point.... sad.
to be honest that’s usually how it goes…I know some “stupid” people who I would trust with my life if faced with a physical threat or utilitarian problem, and I know some genius level academics who I wouldn’t trust to put a nail in a wall.
That's what I thought as well I was thinking he went on that last one wanting to die up there. His body was already all chewed up from failed attempts. Sounded to me like he was planning on making it up but not down!
@@cathytauscher6760 No I don't think you know what suicide means. I actually think he wanted to die on the mountain, which is what suicide is.
After reading Into Thin Air my eyes were opened to how brutal it is to climb Everest. So sad he died but he really took many chances that put him in even greater danger....
It's a great read, and it does a fantastic job explaining how unforgiving the mountain and the Death Zone can be/is.
Yes people really have no understanding of how brutal it is up there or any mountain period. I recently watched a docudrama of an incident in the Andes that happened in the 80's and man..... Brutal. It's called Touching the Void
Fantastic book!
Everyone who climbs Everest knows they could die doing it. David Sharp knew it, and did it anyway. And went solo, which is just another layer of danger and potential to die. He knew that. And he died. People *did* try to help him, but they can only do so much without putting their own lives at risk.
I think Everest should be closed. There is so much rubbish up there, and so many dead bodies it's beyond ridiculous now really.
Good luck with closing it, as it provides a decent percent of national income, and Everest climbers are the livelihood of many citizens in Nepal. So Nepal would need to decide to restrict their own income and to destroy many jobs.
@@Itried20takennames I understand that. And yes, it's a huge tourist industry. But at what cost?
@musingwithreba...so agree. Darn stupid. Should be stopped.
@@musingwithreba9667they will go other mountains. Some are even more dangerous than Everest
@em84c and Kyle will have more content because people...
Sooooo he ignored every safety rule
Intentionally.
There aren’t really “safety’ rules in the death zone. The name is not an exaggeration, and going to the summit it is never promised to be safe. You can be the world’s fittest climber, with tons of support and oxygen, and be incapacitated by HAPE/HACE a couple hours later, and in need of aid.
Sharp took ridiculous risks, and may not have been salable, but it is surprising that no one thought that attending to someone dying for awhile was more worthwhile and impressive than being the 2,376th person to summit.
@@Itried20takennames
Attempt to someone? Did you not read what you wrote? They leave because attempting to help anyone is pointless in such in environment and could put their own life in danger.
Everybody knows the deal before laying one foot on that mountain ⛰️! It ain't Disney World!!! 😳
@@Itried20takennames Sadly, he thought that getting to the summit was worth his life. To help or not is a fraught topic with complex moral issues that many of us would not think that prize worth having to face tham.
In the end, however, everyone who decides to climb a mountain with a "death zone" must be held responsible for their own decisions. It may be morally nice to think that someone might have sat with him until he died, but that took a long time. Would that have been worth another life?
Personally, I don't think that any activity that essentially requires you to put your humanity in abeyance is one worth pursuing, so this is a decision that I will never have to make. Others feel differently, however, and it is certainly reasonable to expect that everyone who does so has accepted that they may be left to become a macabre sign post stuck to the side of a mountain.
It does not seem reasonable to expect others to risk their lives to save the one you have deliberately, with full fore-knowledge, put on the line.
@@Itried20takennamesthere are still safety rules to minimize deaths, nobody credible has ever said that risk can fully be eliminated. In fact discipline is one of the absolute most important things when it comes to mountaineering, especially at such extreme altitudes
So very heartbreaking for his family & friends.
Kyle, if you see this, I just wanted to say that the reasons I enjoy your channel were all on full display in this video. You are obviously a very experienced outdoorsman, but you retain your precious humility. You might understand that poor choices can have disastrous results, but you still maintain human empathy and compassion for everyone whose choices result in calamity or even tragedy. You understand the ethical dilemmas of survival in the wilderness, but you are never cold or callous about it. I will never understand the urge to limit one's chances of survival in these extreme situations (e.g. by eschewing sat phones, oxygen cannisters, or skilled and trustworthy companions) but if someone makes these decisions, you are never mean-spirited about it. Now that you are fundraising for the rescue organizations, I'm even more impressed with your core ethics. Thank you for retelling this story, which is not nearly as awful as the original press, despite the tragic outcome. Bless his mother for her kind and forgiving words, despite her unbearable loss.
Well said. I've never climbed a mountain (unless we're counting the 300 foot hill at the edge of my town lol), but I watch every single video this guy makes as soon as possible. He's a passionate hiking/climbing educator and I wish more people spoke about important topics and events like Kyle ❤
Not just Kyle's experience and humanity but he is one hell of a story teller; very engaging
YES! I came here to say exactly this! Recently subscribed to Kyle's channel! LOVE his videos, he speaks clearly, is expressive & has compassion for the fallen. Thank you, Kyle, for your informative, interesting videos.
I've heard that...if you're in "the death zone"...everyone's body is in the process of dying due to lack of oxygen and the elements. The speed of the process depends entirely on the health of the individual, but yes, your body is dying. Any delay in this zone or extra exertion hastens this process.
That correct & high altitude cerebral edema can slowly creep in too.
Some people can’t take a hint. This guy had a death wish.
💯
Some learn the hardest way
It seemed that way considering how reckless he was.
This is not a sad story any more than a drug addict dying.
@@latetotheparty184 Correct
@@latetotheparty184 I know empathy is reallyyyy hard for people like you, but maybe try it once in your pathetic life.
Paradoxical undressing when a person feels hot when they’re cold. Similar to running cool water over frozen hands feels hot
Yeah, Lincoln Hall was found in a state of undress and delusion (I should note I'm halfway through the vid and it's possible he'll be mentioned later in it), completely convinced he was on a boat. He'd been involved in one of the most dangerous and difficult ascents of Everest in the past, too. I feel for Sharp but know more about Hall's experience, including some abuse from those that did eventually get him down. The morality of high altitude climbing in such a 'popular' dangerous place is really muddy for some.
@@darsynia👍🏼 I just read about him because of this comment. Found this from his rescuers...."He had his down suit unzipped to the waist, his arms out of the sleeves, was wearing no hat, no gloves, no sunglasses, had no oxygen mask, regulator, ice axe, oxygen, no sleeping bag, no mattress, no food nor water bottle. 'I imagine you're surprised to see me here', he said. Now, this was a moment of total disbelief to us all."........
Wow. And he was "two feet from a 10,000 foot drop..... changing his shirt". AFTER a night in that position, with basically temporary brain damage and hallucinations!
Blimey.
When circulation to the extremities shuts down, having the remaining warm circulating blood shunted to the core and the brain feels like a sudden warmth. People can still recover at that phase, but they're pretty dang cold.
I feel bad for the man who cried descending after finding him. Even though he couldn't do anything, I'm sure the guilt still weighed on him knowing he was leaving him there to die.
From the documentary, he was the only one who seemed like he cared
My mom's former Doctor passed by David when he was dying. Said David was too far gone and Sherpas could not even save David. Lack of experience and equipment.
But when the first team saw him he probably could have been saved. He was still alive and even conscious NINE hours later.
saved how though? without putting their own lives at risk. It`s hard enough climbing for yourself, how can you help someone that is frozen stiff and unable to help themselves? if you want to climb then great, but don`t be selfish enough to put other ppl at risk. @@Celisar1
@@Celisar1 yep, no excuse. It's called respect for other's.
Did they even get him down?? Did it say??
But when?? The first one's or later?? It doesn't help his defense just making that comment, especially being a Dr.
Yeah, there shouldn't be any controversy over this. David was too high on the mountain and too big to try to carry him down. They tried to revive him so they could get him down on his own steam, but he was too far gone already.
The company he climbed with "asian trekking" was the main ones at fault, and it was partly Davids own fault too . But asian trekking had faulty o2 gear, and no radios for their climbers. And Davids guide just abandoned him to save himself. Clearly, its mostly asian trekkings fault , what happened to David was.
Everyone who realized David was still barely alive - tried to assist David. There was nothing anyone could have done to save David by the time the next days climbers were on their way up. He was too far gone and too cold by the time anyone found him, to rescue him. Plus He would at least have to be able to walk and climb a little to be rescued, and david couldn't do anything in the condition he was in.
His guide / asian treking failed him. It was a case of negligent homicide what happened to David. There shouldn't be any controversy over it... Most of the climbers that passed david , thought he was already dead - the ones who realized be was just barely still alive , did do what they could do for David, but he was already too far gone.
David knew the danger of what he was doing. Mark Inglis was not to blame for leaving him there. He couldn't do anything to help him. I don't think it was fair that Sir E criticized him.
Absolutely foolish to point the blame to Mark. Mark had to be carried down part of the mtn himself
@@_nick_dI know, Right!!
It's perfectly fine for people to sit at sea level and say they should have done more. The only ones who are in any position to criticize what happened are those who have been in the death zone themselves.
And I agree it wasn't fair of Sir Hillary to be so critical of just one group or person, perhaps he could have said that without naming anyone.
I do not understand the allure of climbing Mt Everest and with all the trash and dead bodies along the way, I do not think it should be allowed anymore. Especially when done in such a reckless manor as this dude did.
I with you buddy. I have found plenty of fun ways to risk my life without leaving my the area. 😎✌🏻
I agree. I don’t understand the appeal when there are SO MANY people in line waiting to go up the mountain - at that point you know it’s not even rare or exclusive anymore. Plus you run the risk of never coming back down. No thanks!!
For bragging rights
That’s right, “you don’t understand it”. So just do what you do and we’ll not try to understand it.
I would rather sit on a beach with a pina colada!!
I love what you said about the other mountaineers and how even removing deceased is pretty impossible up there. I can’t imagine seeing someone needing help like that and having no choice BUT to leave him because you can’t save him. It’s insane to me that people say he was “left to die”. I cannot imagine the difficulty of even attempting to summit that mountain let alone saving someone else on it. The people who think the other hikers are disgusting or blame them for “leaving him to die” are so naive and need to do some research and get real. I actually feel very sad for the passing hikers, too. Their memory of summiting that mountain is also a memory now of someone passing and they probably have a lot of guilt as well.
Well said. And I agree, they don't just remember their summit trip, they remember who they saw and had to leave behind on the way.
It's insane to me how many people don't understand that. They seem to think you could just carry him down. Yeah good fucking luck.
There's a terrific book about this and other tragic deaths on Everest in 2006, called Dark Summit. The night that David Sharp had spent in the death zone before the 40 climbers went passed him, was one of the coldest nights of the season. Importantly, David Ingles, the double amputee excoriated in the press for passing Sharp, himself suffered terrible frostbite during his climb. He ended up having significant parts of both stumps amputated.
Jon Krakauer's book "Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster" is the story of the season of 1996 when an early storm trapped climbers on Everest, resulting in eight deaths. Krakauer had joined an expedition as a reporter, not as a climber.
The book also recounts the terrible toll preparing for the climb takes. Climbers spend 2 months on the mountain moving up from camp to camp, trying to acclimatize the the cold & altitude. By the time they make the one final climb to the summit, they are already exhausted. Krakauer was suffering from constant cold and barely eating and sleeping. The climbers who passed by Sharp were nearly in the same depleted condition that he was and were in no condition, and did not have the equipment, to help a totally disabled person down to base camp.
Stumps!
Imagine your only company being the infamous Green Boots.
Seems like better company than some of my exes.
a good listener at least
He will always be there for you at least. Or there…
Didn't they move Green Boots recently, or am I thinking of someone else?
😢😢😢
What would you have had these climbers do? They were in the Death Zone, it's not like they can put him in a golf cart and drive him down the mountain. He climbed 1. Alone (dumb) 2. No radio (stupid) 3. Without any oxygen of his own (negligent). So.....everyone is supposed to risk THEIR lives, their safety, their oxygen in the death zone to try and....man handle him down the ropes? Unrealistic.
Exactly!!! Some of these comments must have never seen that the climbers have to climb ice walls. There are paths , if you can even call them paths, where only 1 person at a time can get through it. Not to mention they need all their own oxygen. And they’re barely moving by themselves. Blizzard conditions where temps can get to -40 for the high. Climbing vertical . So many things. Its very difficult to help another person. I don’t understand why edmund hillary blamed the guy who is a double amputee.
@@butterfliesarefreetofly6964the double amputee wasn't on the mountain alone. He had over 8 people with him. He didn't leave oxygen. He didn't radio base. After the group reached the summit, the guy was still alive 9 hrs later. People can say the same thing about drug addicts. Should we just let em die while I get my fentanyl? One would be jailed! Hypocrisy. What about those going to war? Why not attempt a base jump? I'd rather die that way. There should be a better medal/record for those who can save someone. I bet they don't even get a certificate.
It's fucking asinine how many people are upset with the other climbers. These people probably have never even been in the wilderness let alone a 20,000 ft mountain.
Well said, using up all your oxygen and then having to descending the mtn at night while trying to haul some “dead” weight down, that’s a true death wish for all trying to attempt that feat.
There seems to be no end to idiots who think you can carry the dead weight of an unconscious climber out of the Death Zone.
A lot of people especially those who don't climb mountains such as Everest, don't realize how intensely dangerous it is to try and bring someone who is unable to navigate under their own power, down or off of a mountain.
Very true. I'm one of the few who understands it & have never been up a mountain. Hell I doubt I could carry a man for 3 miles along the beach, I'd have no chance at 8,000 meters up.
The long lines of people waiting in a queue to climb Everest is now longer than waits at Disney World.😢
Fun fact: Previous cold weather injuries are make you more susceptible for additional cold weather injuries…(Frostbite)
Same with heatstroke. You get it once and you're more susceptible to get it over and over.
@@sonder2164Oh crap. Is *that* why I get heat exhaustion so easily? (Had heatstroke as a kid, and have been hypersensitive to heat ever since.)
Yep. Know a high altitude rescue paramedic. His fingers and toes got frostbite once climbing. He’s said how extra careful he has to be now. And how quickly his hands and feet will start to hurt in the cold.
Most likely. @thing_under_the_stairs
Same with overdosing. Happens once it just keeps happening. Like a wall was broken and not properly repaired. I’ve seen it happen to a few people. 😎✌🏻
Sounds like everyone who came across him knew he was already at death's door. There wasn't anything anyone could have done for him. He chose this path. He knew it was risky. Nobody is at fault here except David himself.
Yea right, for 2 days and nights he was alive
@@sladjanabon everest, that's death's door
@@sladjanab if you can’t walk they can’t rescue you off ice/rock walls that high up. More people would die tryin to help someone who’s doomed to die.
@@_nick_d This is exactly right. Most people don't have the stores of energy at that altitude required to assist someone who probably isn't even ambulatory.
Maybe , but maybe not. I listened to Beck Wethers book, and he described, without naming people, how he was repeatedly left for dead in the 96 storm. Some of that was understandable….the few climbers rescuing people freezing together near Camp 4 in the full storm were exhausted. But when he woke up the next day…..he stumbled himself into Camp 4, where he was put alone in a tent alone that later collapsed flat in the wind, and with him screaming for help as his frost bitten arm swelled around his metal watch band, that he could not remove with his destroyed fingers. And with no water. Those were simple things others just ignored.
Occasionally, a person would stick their head in the tent….to see “is he dead yet?” and pulled it back out when they saw he was annoyingly still alive.
I am sure people have been in the death zone and other climbers simply can’t save them, but also fairly sure this has been used at times as an excuse not to help those that could be saved. And as Wethers said, it’s not a small thing to stay with a dying person a short time, but many did not do even that.
Kyle, you should learn the story of Rob Hall, who died just above the Hillary Step about 25 years ago. It will give you chills. Read “Into Thin Air” by Jon Kraukauer for the story.
Left for Dead by Beck Weathers same expedition is another good one
The Everest Disaster of 1996. Green Boots died that same night.
The movie “Everest” that tells the story about these men is on Tubi every few months for free, but is on HBO Max right now.
You can also just watch “Everest”, Hollywood made a really great movie about it, and there’s even a documentary by David Brashear called “storm over Everest” - he was there during the disaster filming an IMAX documentary about the mountain and knew Rob and all the other people. I highly recommend both.
David just passed away.
I'm a lifelong lover of climbing. The first time I went climbing I was 6, it was 1975 and my parents took me to climb Mt. Rainier. I was excited about my mom's "gorp" a trail mix we took climbing, which she made by mixing nuts, raisins and m&m's. (I guess you couldn't buy trail mix back then?) I love being in nature. The images I've seen of Everest don't cause me to want to go there at all. Barren, garbage and even corpse-strewn, and lines to the summit! Lines! Nope nope nope. That said, there was a time when climbing Everest was an almost mythical achievement. What the Hell is it now? I'm not sure, a tourist attraction? There is said to be tons of human feces, along with discarded oxygen bottles and abandoned gear. A very undignified condition for this highest point on Earth. As regards David Sharp, I don't think anyone else could take credit for his summit, had he succeeded; no one should take blame for his loss. He was testing himself, and that was between him and the mountain.
Wierd, I grew up in Northern New Hampshire in the 80's.
A lot of great camping, hiking and swimming. My buddy Joel's hippy mom would give us bags of "gorp", we loved it and I have always remembered those hikes fondly. And the "Gorp".
Good Old Raisins and Peanuts- the hiking food of the ‘70’s!😊
What I'm curious about is how people like him can afford multiple trips to Everest! From what I hear it costs like 50 or 60 grand just for one attempt! Where did he and others like him get that money? Mountaineering must be a rich man's sport.
You can cut your climbing Everest budget by not being part of an organized commercial expedition. A strong enough climber can save substantial $ by foregoing being part of such a group, while hiring sherpas directly.
Super strong climbers can go it even without sherpa porters/guides, and bringing in their own food and gear. This takes extremely careful planning regardless of how strong a climber you are
Sharp was a literal rocket scientist, he more than like made good income. Other climbers get commercial sponsorships or just well off financially.
Or go with a budget expedition company for a one way trip to the summit!@@Jose_Hunters_EWF_Remixes
It is rather expensive passion/hobby. You can do just bouldering in climbing gyms spending just 60-80$ on shoes and enjoy it as a sport, but if one wants to do more advancing climbing, alpine climbing, also in winter which we can call mounteenering than the amount of the money needed to be spent on gear, clothing and courses goes into thousands
He was an engineer. Living frugally, he could save that in less than a year.
You can't help people up there far past the summit and past the Hilarystep. It is understood by the mountaineers. If people don't know anything about being at that altitude, it is understandable that they would assume these people are being "selfish." It is the risk you take.
If it's extremely clear to everyone that if you try everest and get in trouble, you're probably dead, and you climb knowing that, then that is the risk you take. that it would probably mean death for anyone trying to rescue you, then nobody can be blamed for 'not helping" any climber in trouble. Hillary is armchair quarterbacking. if he'd run into sharp on a later expedition, he would have passed by,,,,or passed away.
He had the knowledge. He was so so reckless
You can't go past the summit... That's the end.. That's the top of the mountain.
Something a lot of non-climbers or even newbie hikers often don't know is that it can be MUCH HARDER and/or RISKIER coming down from a climb than it was going up.
Yeah because on the way down it's too easy to rush, many accidents happen during the descent due to fatigue or lack of concentration.
I'd die for sure. I barely survived pikes peak, and we drove up there!
😂
Good one!😂😂
You know what's INSANE? The double amputees team was somehow the main one blamed for Sharp's death. He was called out by Edmund Hilary specifically and it devastated Woodward. There is a great documentary here on UA-cam with interviews from people that were on the mountain that day, it's "left for dead on everest - the David sharp story"
I'm wondering if the reason why is because it was a team put. Whereas the others there was only one or two people and they might not have been able to help him down the mountain especially if he couldn't walk. But when you have a team along with some Sherpas I don't think there is any excuse for them to leave him there. It was a group! Not an individual.
Sir Ed gave the guy some much flack bcuz he was from NZ. Just silly to think a double amputee would help. The amputee had to be carried down part of the mtn himself
@@_nick_d yeah he had to be carried down then ended up having his legs re-amputated a few cms shorter bc he did so much damage
@@resinartbycatherine6314 a lot of the other people that passed also had teams and sherpas. People dont normally climb everest like sharp was doing by himself. They have teams of people. For him though his team was there just to support him and he really needed it or he would have died too. He ended up needing to be carried down the mountain part way. I super reccomend that documentary though! There were a lot of things that could've changed his outcome but I don't think it was Woodwards team who could have done all the work to save him
Best post in this comment section
Couldn't have said it better myself
This guy was clearly wildly wreckless and irresponsible. For anyone to judge anyone who came across him is outrageous. Basically carrying him down would in all likelihood result in 2 dead people instead of 1.
Generally agree, plus add in that many plodding their way up the route, fatigued and oxygen deprived even with supplemental O2, may not have seen him in the pitch dark outside their headlight, or that some thought that the new guy in Green Boots cave WAS Green Boots, and therefore already dead.
And many passing did stop and attempt to help….by rousing him, giving oxygen, etc. But when that had little response, and it’s important to keep moving or to have more risk themselves,,,,there was nothing more they could do.
The experts I’ve seen have all said it would take a team of at least 12 people, with other experts saying up to 20 people, to try and bring someone down in this situation. There simply were not that many rested and acclimated and ready people on the mountain at that moment who could’ve gotten to Sharp, not even within 24 hours. One person alone can’t bring another person down from that height, especially not an incapacitated person. There have been deaths on Everest among teams of people who are doing body recovery for families of deceased climbers, and there is no sense of urgency for medical sake in those cases, but they are deadly nonetheless.
It’s heartbreaking, but David Sharp’s mother is absolutely correct that there was nothing anyone could have done, nor should they be expected to have done. Unfortunately David seems to have succumbed to summit fever, and he was spotted still headed *up* the mountain late in the day, when most teams have a turnaround time around 1pm, no matter where you are on the mountain. The lack of ability to think clearly and make hard decisions at that elevation is why teams are so important. The best expedition teams are monitored from base camp and they will tell you when you are in danger and they’ll turn you around, along with having climbers with more experience with you high up on the mountain. David didn’t have the expertise needed to do what he did, and even if he had, he wasn’t in a state to be able to make good choices, and sadly it cost him his life.
@@Itried20takennames
he was only given oxygen 9 HOURS after he was first found, this was when the same group that found him came back down and one of the guys that did not see him on the way up tried to help him!
at this time he was still alive and able to communicate, he told him his name and which company he was with!
the "amputee" team that first found him 9 HOURS earlier did see that he was alive, but they did not give him any oxygen...
they just left, they did not radio base camp as they lied about later, they did not even wait to inform the rest of the 30 man or so group they were summiting with coming up behind them, they just left... that is why so many of them thought david was dead or did not see him!
the one that helped him on the way down would have helped him on the way up.
also they were about two hours into their day after starting fully rested from high camp on the easiest part of their climb.
they were fully stocked on oxygen, had they given him any there is a very good chance he would have come to and been able to walk down himself.
safety of high camp was only an hour and a half to two hours away, here there is a tent, sleeping bags, cooker... oxygen can be brought up here!
they could have several trips to high camp and back int the time it took them to summit!
but they claim there is nothing they could have done, this is NOT true... people are saved on everest, even carried down, but that is rare.
people are however helped enough to be able to help themselves, this happens all the time!
but these guys did not bother, it was more important to summit that to try to save a life!
and that is the case for many climbers... they are selfish by nature!
and that is fair enough, as long as you do not pretend that there is nothing you could have done when there was!
this video got a lot of facts wrong!
@@georgia2321Wrong - No one could carry him down. But if he could walk, pushed, or pulled to the high camp, that is doable and it's been done before. all climbers who passed him were selfish. Life come first before grabbing some idiotic peak, even if the climber made huge mistakes. it would have taken experienced climbers to get him to Camp 4. Mostly Sherpas and veteran non-Sherpas -- all you would have needed would have been two to four people assisting. Not easy, but it could have been done. But nobody cared beyond their selfish goals....
@@peek-a-moose2491 sure, if he could walk himself or be led down he could’ve gotten to a high camp and then perhaps he could have been rescued from there. But that’s completely ahistorical. The reality is he couldn’t walk. His legs were frozen to the knee and at best he was barely conscious. He couldn’t communicate or respond, let alone move on his own. There are TONS of videos and articles and interviews about this available online, have a look. You don’t need to take my word for it.
If you think the climbers who passed by were selfish, but David Sharp wasn’t selfish, then I’m not sure what to tell you. Multiple calls were made to base camp, every assessment was that nothing could be done to get him down. Multiple climbers DID help, and did all they could, giving him oxygen, trying to rouse him, trying to get him warm, nothing helped at all because he was too far gone. No one that passed him on the mountain was in any sort of position to get him down safely, and he couldn’t move himself. I am completely aware of rescues that have happened before, none have ever happened from that high up on the mountain of a completely incapacitated person, and rescues from lower than this, of people who weren’t incapacitated, have resulted in MORE deaths than the person being rescued. The Turkish team that tried to help him was already in the midst of getting one of their team members down who was having medical problems. Every team that passed had no way to rescue him, sadly.
I completely understand that it’s easy to look for someone to be mad at and someone to blame, it’s human nature to try and find fault to explain tragedies. Hell, that’s EXACTLY what happened immediately afterwards with the media storm that followed. TONS of media attacked everyone on the mountain. Mark Inglis received a ton of criticism, including from Sir Edmond Hillary, which is insane because what exactly was a double amputee man climbing on prosthetics going to do to rescue an unconscious man larger than himself at 8500m?? But people heard the framing of the story presented by the media and they needed to find a villain. This was a tragedy that was out of everyone’s control except David Sharp. David Sharp was an ill prepared climber, who set out climbing alone, too late in the day, with insufficient gear and insufficient oxygen, no way to contact anyone, no one he even reported his plan to at a lower camp, no one monitoring his climb AT ALL… I agree completely that it was a tragedy, but by the time anyone found him at 8500 ft it was far too late. Let the man rest in peace, don’t use him as a weapon against other climbers.
The guy thought he could do it on his own. When he was first found he was already frostbitten and had difficulty responding to questions. If you can't walk yourself, no one can save you in the death zone. People gave him oxygen, but it was already to late.
Everest rescues are not to be taken lightly as people are often in an area where they are risking their own lives. It’s one thing to give someone an item and another to carry them down. Lincoln Hall miraculously survived overnight at 8600 m without oxygen.
Weren't all of the people passing by him still risking their lives by ascending? So the choice is do they want to risk their lives by trying to save somebody or do they want to risk their lives for a picture on top of the mountain.
@@MichaelJones-rn2pq that's what I always wonder. Like, I would immediately stop my climb and miss summiting if someone needed help. It would be the right thing to do.
@@MichaelJones-rn2pqExactly! Bravo! The story of David resonates with me for many years like a picture of what our society became
You can't just decide to carry an extra 200lbs down the Everest summit on a whim don't be naive. Even planned extractions are life threatening to the rescuers
@@MichaelJones-rn2pqtrying to get someone off the mountain when they are not able to move themselves is quite different from just getting yourself down the mountain. Apples and oranges.
I heard in one documentary that sharp only took 2 steps in 20-30 mins. Damn near impossible to rescue someone that high. You would probably need 10+ sherpas to attempt it.
The same argument was made back in the 96 everest disaster when several people died. John Krakauer, writer for outside magazine was also on the trip. He said at that altitude you barely have the strength to get yourself down let alone dragging someone else with you. He wrote a book about it called into thin air. Its a good read.
David Sharp was able to tell his name and take oxygen from two climbers at noon the next day.
I suspect the previous climbers may have stated his condition as worse than it actually was... to validate their decisions to leave him.
It's always the people who have absolutely no idea what they're talking about that pass judgement. You're at the cruising altitude of a plane. You're body is literally dying. And lets not forget it cost 50k+ to climb Everest. If you aren't ready to climb then you have no business on Everest and you damn sure shouldn't expect someone to risk their life and possibly their only chance to summit to save you.
Other climbers are on borrowed time as well. They only have but so much oxygen in their tanks. And stopping to help? How would one help? Carry him down by themselves with their own limited oxygen? People don't think.
I agree 💯 % with this comment.
This isn't an "Everest" situation. This is a "Human Being" situation. You failed the test when you tried to factor money into the equation.
@@MichaelJones-rn2pq You have no idea what you're talking about.
Someone's life is worth more than $50k.
@@WouldntULikeToKnow. Obviously not or they would've made sure they were ready to climb the mt and not expect others to save them.
It actually seems like he purposefully made some choices to become a landmark like Green Boots.
I agree
Thank you, Kyle for your poignant take on this tragedy on Mt. Everest. It's so easy to be an armchair quarterback but remember, David Sharp wasn't the member of ANY team! He was a loner and took a lot of risks in repeated attempts to summit Mt. Everest. Only the people on the mountain really knew what happened during that time he was dying. If his legs, arms and nose were frozen, it would have been impossible for him to even help himself. He would have been dead weight for any other climber to try and help him. It's a very sad story but part of the risk in climbing the world's tallest peak. It's just a shame he didn't go with a group or with extra O2 and a communication device. I guess we will never know if he made it to the top but I would like to think that he did since he sacrificed his life to do so.
ua-cam.com/video/bPsFsJtBjCk/v-deo.html
I'm amazed there's even any free space left to walk on, on Mount Everest, with all the bodies there are up there.
The chinese government periodically moves the bodies around out of sight of climbers…at great risk to those skilled enough to do all that. Historically others have died trying to move bodies, it is VERY strenuous to move bodies frozen to the mountain at that altitude... (High altitude mountaineering is an interesting rabbit hole to enjoy here on UA-cam if anyone has the time)
@@KellyBurnett138 That's incredible: the fact that those guys go up there into spots that were dangerous enough to kill people - and then haul, lift and move those bodies out of there, too. I guess some people are made of solid stuff, I can't imagine the strength and stamina they have to do that.
@@jackspring7709 It's more than that: the removal of one body is the entire expedition.
From what I understand, climbers will say a small word on behalf of some of them and shift the bodies over the side, into what's termed the 'Rainbow Valley' (that's singular but given that there are two main commercial routes it's possible that it's not a single area) from all the colors of their cold weather gear. Most times, folks aren't alone/they're well known even as loners that there's permission from the families to do this. However, more than this is really impossible, given how easily people can damage themselves by extra exertion and how heavy frozen bodies can be.
Hahaha, there's not *that* many bodies. Frankly, I'm surprised there aren't hundreds.
Doing Everest solo also means there is nobody to save you from yourself when things go south. The climber is the only one to blame. Its well known that each climber can barely manage their own life, rescuing anybody is at the detriment of your own life! Its called the death zone for a reason!
Exactly.
I've read the Anatoli Boukreev's story, unreal human being!
He was Soviet trained, less reliant on technology than Western climbers.
He climbed Everest alone, without Oxygen and immediately climbed Lohtse!!!
Sadly in died in an avalanche on K2.
I respect the mother's opinion *infinitely* more than Hillary's, who had no idea who the man actually was.
Considering how many times the man had courted death and of his "purist" views, it sounds like his mother had come to accept that he wouldn't come back some day. It was only a matter of time.
He knew all the risks and that this would most likely be his fate if he failed. All the climbers know this and ol’ “Green Boots” was there to remind them.
“Just because you love the mountains doesn't mean they love you” Lou Whittaker
Half way thru and I already don't blame other hikers. What was he thinking?! DAMN
They call it "Rainbow Valley" because they pass a bunch of bodies in colorful climbing gear. The threat of death for every single climber at that altitude is real. When David made those decisions, he endangered everyone else. Theres no such thing as taking a stretcher to the top of Everest. If he couldnt walk on his own, there was nothing anyone could do for him without potentially killing themselves. Im guessing he had a circulation problem and should never have gone back, much less added extra obstacles. Giving him oxygen probably only prolonged the inevitable. I think it was last year the Nepalese government attempted to clear out the bodies, some of which have been there since the 1924.
Reaching any summit is just half way through the climb!
Kyle, you are as always so respectful and thoughtful in your telling of events. I hadn't heard about this so thank you for covering it so well. Look forward to the next one!!
This is a very disturbing story. I had read about it and also read his body was moved out of sight.
Anyone who climbs Everest understands that they are risking their life and a rescue effort will be few to none.
I love your hiking stories like this! Keep ‘em coming buddy. You’re doing great.
Kyle comes to the rescue Friday afternoon....yay.....always enjoy your posts dude!
Hundreds of people have died on Everest and are still there. Most of the Everest climbers will tell you, if you get into trouble, you are on your own. Nobody else can save you if you can't save yourself.
Some people have saved others with injections of dexamethasone
@nickdotson21 that has actually been proven to be one of the most dangerous drugs you can use on everest lol
@@_nick_dwhy would corticosteroid help?
I watched this video, immediately rewatched it and I am still stuggling to understand David's detemination to do a trecherous climb, that he himself had failed at twice before, in the most dangerous and ill advised way imaginable. Hubris is real. RIP David.
Solo Everest with no oxygen: There's a very old saying. "There's a fine line between a hero and a fool."
its been done before, a few times by different people. Its remarkable how resilent the human body can be
Not another David sharp video.. he wanted no help… he lived and died the way he wanted.. I’m sure he refused all the advice and help on purpose and not wanting to risk anyone else… story would be way worse if he survived and others died trying to help
Sounds like David had a death wish or was suicidal… that or this is just survivor of the fittest. I feel bad for the guy but still this is extremely stupid.
It sounds, from David’s beliefs about Everest that he told his companions, it was an obsession. I’m sure that there was a mental health component that played a part in his death.
Thank you for telling the truth!!
Anyone who has been on Everest as many times as Sharp knows about the dangers on high altitude sickness. It happens suddenly and without warning in the death zone.
People in the death zone are often struggling to think clearly or to breath themselves and would most likely be risking their own lives to try and carry someone else (if they even could do so).
I am disgusted that Sir Edmond Hillary, who had to have known how impossible it would've been for other climbers to rescue Sharp, would weigh in and criticize them.
I remember hearing about this. 40 climbers passed him and everyone bitched at the double amputee lol.
O.k. he couldn't give a leg up,but he could have gave a hand.
Outstanding video, Kyle!
It sucks, but it seems like there are some places that are so remote & dangerous that search & rescue can’t reach you.
A helicopter can’t reach the summit. The highest they go to is camp 3.
Dude had a death wish. Found a way to fulfill it.
Did Sir Edmund Hillary not realize that Sharp was up there solo, without a "party" there with him? Because yeah, it would have be a totally different story if his team had left Sharp behind (like in that Grand Canyon story awhile back). But as it was, there was no Sherpa responsible for him, no fellow teammates with a duty to help out. Heck, not even someone he was checking in with at basecamp. Sure, sometimes you can rely on the kindness of strangers, but maybe not so much in the death zone, where others have their own problems to deal with, and it's too high up for any kind of rescue team to get to.
One important information I learned during my first aid course. If a person is nearly frozen, it's incredibly difficult to move them without killing them in the process. You have to be really careful when moving a hypothermic person.
Crazy that you released this video today! I just watched the video Everest Left For Dead on David Snow's channel this morning
It's sad, but he knew the risks yet insisted on going without supplemental oxygen and went solo as well. While I hold Sir Edmund Hillary in the highest regard, Sharp had no team to have his back. No other climber on the mountain that day was his team member, and shouldn't have had to risk their lives and their teams' lives to save a man who made some seriously bad decisions that day.
There's no rescue in the death zone. It is risking your life if you do so. He had frostbite on both legs and arms which meant that he would have to be carried if rescued, and frozen limbs add a lot of more weight to a body. If he had asked for help (instead of waving people off) while his legs were still working, then he might've had a chance, but he didn't.
The editing and dramatic music is excellent and getting better & better.
Another great story! Thanks for posting!👏🏼
He didn't want to pay for an Sherpa he didn't want to go on an group paying 50k -100k . He should of paid the amount.
It's not like he didn't have the money. He was just delusional.
@@Pushing_Pixels Maybe he wasn't as sharp as he thought.
I cant wait to see this channel blow up, its well delivered information and the quality is great. Also, Kyle is very pretty, he's got that numerically perfect face thing goin on
Why would anyone kill themselves trying to save someone else who didn't make good decisions? I actually hate when the guides end up dying because they are trying to save people that weren't fit enough to survive in the beginning
It's not redacted, it's censored. That is Green boots. People who hike to the top are left with too little energy to help others. So many people go to the top these days, where is the challenge?
Not green boots who is probably an Indian climber.
Definitely not Green Boots. Green Boots is believed to be a man named Tsewang Paljor and he was there long before David Sharp's unfortunate demise.
@kscott2655 You're right. I remember when this was in the news. I''m 69 and remember when this came out and the question was indeed what you are saying. It caused a huge international outcry. But since then bigger tragedies have happened and I recall one in which a man who was also left to die came wandering into view from the last base camp and people went to get him back. What I really wonder is with survivors being so horribly scared for life, losing fingers, toes, noses, lips even eye lids, why do so many people go that at times there is a line so long that it looks like a line of people waiting to get onto a ride at Disney world? Those lines appear at many mountains that are not as tall by a long shot as Everest but also can result in the same thermal injuries and death more likely by slipping? Even a trail up a rock slope to, I think, Half Dome at Yosemite, you have to hold onto a cable and people fall to their deaths with one young woman hitting one of the poles while sliding so hard and not stopping until she was saved from going over the side at the last moment, that her leg, which hit the pole so hard it had to be amputated. At 69 I have hiked since I was 19 and have averted and escaped a number of bear attacks with only one resulting in my blood being drawn, and I can see the value of staying in one piece in order to live a full life at my age. But putting myself into the position of dying while waiting in line to get to the top of a mountain has never crossed my mind except to think how stupid that can be. In fact, its so easy to get to the top of Everest that it is net climbing, it's hiking.
It is always there, the extreme danger. I’ve read many true books about the climbs for many years. It is a very sad story about the young man but many die or have great body damage to live with the rest of their lives.
Totally agree with you. He wanted to summit alone and without supplemental oxygen. No one else needed to risk their own life in an attempt to get him off the mountain. If his own mother is at peace with what happened, everyone else should be, too.
David Sharpe ignored ALL safety procedures. The paid the ultimate price by doing so. The old adage of " Fuck around and find out" really explains what happened in this case.
I come from a mountain climbing family but fortunately I was born with a healthy fear of heights.
25:44 you literally have to walk right past green boots and David was up right sitting right next to him… Tsewang Paljor was literally a landmark for years!
22:40 anyone who has read Into Thin Air by John Krakauer or any number of other alpinist books knows that in the death zone there is no option of “saving” others. If there were 1996 would not have been the end of not one expedition leader but two. Scott Fischer, Owner of Mountain Madness from Seattle and Rob Hall, Owner of Adventure Consultants from Christchurch New Zealand. The ongoing debate about whether passersby should’ve “helped” is akin to people who’ve never trained with firearms stating that a cop should’ve shot an armed threat “in the leg.” Unrealistic hullabaloo conjured by media generations
It's so much more complext then that. Rescuing people from Mount Everest is extremely dangerous and your asking someone to stop something they've paid over $100,000 to do.
I didnt know you could hike alone to the Everest summit. What an insane decision from the jump.
When you climb Mt. Everest you understand that you have to get yourself up and back down on your own. They all agree to that. There's a reason why there are still so many dead bodies up there. It's impossible to bring another person down without risking your own life! I'm sure David would have walked right past a dying climber if the situation had been reversed. Anyone who isn't able to come to terms with the fact that they have a large chance of dying up there shouldn't be allow to attempt the climb.
This is exactly the way I like to climb hills and mountains. The whole enterprise of climbing alone with no Oxygen, no way of alerting others through phone, etc makes me think that Smith never intended or expected to come off Everest alive. There he is where he wished to be.
I usually only like videos on some channels just as a note to myself that I have watched it, to save myself the boring task of watching it again because it’s not enjoyable or informative enough to simply remember it. Your videos, while I can sometimes accidentally watch part of it before realizing I’ve watched it, in (basically immeasurably) part why I like them, I have no issue with the like being given, because I genuinely LIKE (imagine that) your channel. Actually I love it. As an aspiring hiker (lol I’m poor so my hikes are around the city) I find them immensely informative and entertaining. You are on par with mrballen in terms of storytelling. That is to say you keep the listener engaged and I can not say that for many channels these days. You don’t go into boring detail you are factual and not overly dramatic. You are made for this work. My only criticism would be sometimes you talk a little slow with a lot of pauses.... but I love you still and I say that with no ill intent. Do not stop making videos and I will always watch/listen.
i've been reading about Everest since the big tragedy in '96. i know it sounds terrible, and it FEELS wrong, but there is really nothing to be done for someone that high up. what are you going to do? carry them down on your back? i am no mountain climber, but i think if you're going to tackle something like Everest, you do so with an understanding that you are taking your life in your hands. and in the end, it's your job to make it out. no one else's.
Exactly, everyone knows that about 15% of summit attempts ends in fatality but people still go.
Only the best sherpas could pull off successful rescues like this situation, but it's not likely many would volunteer. No matter how much you are compensated, it goes against all of our survival instincts to do something so extreme and dangerous for people that aren't a loved one, especially time and time again. Nobody would be retiring in their golden years from a career in Everest rescues. It's insane to think about though...
I have had a huge interest in Everest and have read just about everyone's book, When I was younger stories like this made me think they knew what they were getting into. As I've aged I now think you have to leave your humanity in base camp to climb her. Age changes your perception of these things.
Your comment made me stop and think. And I have to agree. I started learning about Everest as a teenager and now I'm about to turn 40. I wouldn't step foot above Advanced Base Camp, knowing what the mountain is about. Yeah, people just get determined to summit the tallest thing and go Gung ho into the death zone.. wild.
I have put myself in some precarious situations helping other people. That said, I'm no hero. I just figure God's put me there to help them. Things have always worked out okay. But selfishly, I will no longer help people if it puts my family or friends in any increased risk.
May God forgive you. 🎉.
Just started the video but I know no matter how many people are in your "team" when you climb Mount Everest you still are alone. Especially once you reach the death zone any time, energy, oxygen, you spend helping on another could easily turn into one dying person into two dying people. Climb at your own and alone risk.
EDIT: At the end of the video. His mother's quote was perfect.
The death of German climber Hannelore Schmatz (1979 West German Expedition) was tragic. She sat upright, frozen, embedded in ice from the waist down, with her head exposed for years. She was mummified, with her teeth visible.. Members of the 1980 American medical research expedition saw her on the way up from camp 4 to the summit, and later on the way down. The doctor on the team was shocked, and rather fascinated by it. Back in those days, there werent many visible bodies on Everest, so it was shocking see one in full view right next to the path.
As a mountaineer and alpinist I have my thoughts but I'll keep them to myself. Thanks Kyle great subject.
Why?
You obviously want people begging for your perspective or you wouldn’t of posted
This guy's methods were extremely risky and he knew what could happen. The conditions in the death zone make it risky to nearly impossible to save someone else-everything effectively weighs 3x as much as it does at sea level so people can barely get themselves down th
Tho I'm sorry he died I don't believe anyone else is to blame-and Hilary of all ppl should have known better.
Love the channel. Love the stories that you bring to light... The outrageous titles are too much.