Into Thin Air, by John Krakauer

Reviewed by Rachel Stoll

John Krakauer was relatively well-known in the mountaineering community as a climber and journalist when he was hired by Outside magazine in 1996 to accompany a team attempting to summit Mt. Everest. The leader of the expedition was Rob Hall, a mountaineer who had the most non-sherpa summits of Mt. Everest and who was one of the most qualified leaders on the mountain at the time. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster documents the fatal climbing season of 1996 on Mt. Everest, which ultimately took the life of Rob Hall and many others.

Krakauer’s account is compelling. The book begins with an explanation of how he came into the fold of the mountaineering community, inevitably leading him to attempt the world's greatest peak. Upon arriving in Katmandu and joining up with the expedition, Krakauer was both hopeful and concerned about his teammates. Having Rob Hall as a guide almost assured a summit, but Krakauer questioned the experience of some of his other teammates.

They spent weeks acclimating and made it to the icefalls and into camp 3 on May 11, 1996. Hall’s team, and several other teams who were waiting for the perfect day, started out for the summit well before sunrise. The weather slowly got worse as the day progressed, and poor decisions were made by members of Hall’s team and other guides on the mountain. This culminated in all hell breaking lose on the mountain, resulting in a significant loss of life. It is clear from the writing that this day still haunts Krakauer.

Into Thin Air is a thrilling tale containing a lot of tragedy. For anyone interested in mountaineering, it is a compelling read. This book is highly recommended to those interested in adventure travel, dramas, and thrillers.