Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day (25 page)

The sky above was a bright celestial blue. As Pasang stalked the summit plateau, he lost a crampon and slipped. Chhiring shot out a hand to grab him, but Pasang slid from his grasp.

Plunging down on his back, Pasang felt more freedom than fear. He gripped his axe and, for a split second, still had a choice. What he chose surprised him. “I decided I didn’t want to miss this life,” he recalled. “Would the next be any better?” He wasn’t ready to find out, so, twisting onto his stomach, he hacked his axe into the slope. His body fishtailed and skidded to a halt. Choked on adrenaline, Pasang stood up and smiled. The rush had cleared his head, and, on his way down from the summit, he had an idea. “I need to climb every 8,000-meter peak,” Pasang confided to Chhiring.

“Don’t get married,” his friend advised, “until you’ve bagged all fourteen.”

On the descent, their Swedish clients had a crazy inspiration, too: take a hot shower in town, then go for a second 8000er. Soon, Chhiring, Pasang, and the Swedes were making a beeline for Lhotse, Everest’s conjoined twin. Eighteen days later, all four were on the top, completing the fastest doubleheader of the season.

From the summit of Lhotse, Chhiring pointed southwest to Rolwaling, the place where his mother had died and his father had gone mad, the valley he’d left to become a porter. He told Pasang what the elders used to say: The world began in Rolwaling, and it would end there. Then it would begin again.

Acknowledgments

This tragic climb impacted many lives, and we owe a special debt to the survivors who shared their experiences, as well as those family members who spoke about the loved ones claimed by K2. Patient with our questions and generous with their time, they helped us understand a more complete story. Heartfelt thanks to:

Qudrat Ali, Guldana Baig, Khanda Baig, Nazib Baig, Shaheen Baig, Ngawang Bhote, Pemba Jeba Bhote, Phurbu Bhote, Dawa Sangmu Bhoteni, Gamu Bhoteni, Lahmu Bhoteni, Phurbu Chejik Bhoteni, Hoselito Bite, Marco Confortola, Muhammad Hussein, Chris Klinke, Pasang Lama, Tsering Lama (Chhiring Bhote), Nela Mandic, Gisela Mandic, Roberto Manni, J. J. McDonnell, Margaret McDonnell, Parveen Meherban, Shadi Meherban, Eric Meyer, Lars Nessa, Damien O’Brien, Denise O’Brien, Iso Planic, Nick Rice, Nadir Ali Shah, Chhiring Dorje Sherpa, Ngawang Sherpa, Ngawang Thundu Sherpa, Pemba Gyalje Sherpa, Dawa Sherpani, Cecilie Skog, Annie Starkey, Fredrik Sträng, Cas van de Gevel, Wilco van Rooijen, Pedja Zagorac, and Alberto Zerain.

Mountaineering historians Jim Curran, Ed Douglas, Jennifer Jordan, and Ed Webster offered insightful comments and corrections to the manuscript. It was a privilege to get to know some of the primary sources and their family members from historic K2 climbs, including Erich Abram, Liaquat Ali, Sultan Ali, Zulfiqar Ali, Ashraf Aman, Haji Baig, Lino Lacedelli, Jamling Tenzing Norgay, Leonardo Pagani, Tony Streather, and Bruno Zanettin.

We couldn’t have understood many important sources without a team of excellent translators. Thank you to Rehmat Ali, Ragnhild Amble, Aleksandra Basa, Hussn Bibi, Erik Brakstad, Snighda Dhungel, Oddvar and Anne Hoidal, Paola Meggiolaro, Paolo Padoan, Aava Shrestha, Gava Shrestha, and Ester Speggiorin.

For providing us with important information and helping us out, we’d especially like to thank: Suleman Al Faisal, Ahmad Ali, Qudrat Ali, Zaman Ali, Ashraf Aman, Dee Armstrong, Judy Aull, Raj Bajgain, Banjo Bannon, M. Bashir Baz, Seanan Brennan, Joëlle Brupbacher, Eddie Burgess, Dana Comella, Marty Davis, Jerry del Missier, Karen Dierks, George Dijmarescu, Fred Espenak, Pat Falvey, Yan Giezendanner, Asif Hayat, Soukat Hayat, Brian Hogan, Lance Hogan, Shah Jehan, Katie Keifer, David Kelly, Sher Khan, Sultan Khan, Gourish Kharel, Richard Klein, Sonia Knapp, Dorie Krahulik, Joe Krahulik, Ab Maas, Caroline Martin, Major Aamir Masood, Dan Mazur, Dean Miller, Simone Moro, Colm Ó Snodaigh, Rónán Ó Snodaigh, Rossa Ó Snodaigh, Mario and Rosina Padoan, Dan Possumato, Nathaniel Praska, Jake Preston, Ronnie Raymar, Muhammad Raza, Syed Amir Raza, Joe Reichert, Rebecca Rice, David Roberts, Alexander Rokoff, John Roskelley, Richard Salisbury, Araceli Segarra, Janmu Sherpa, Jigmeet Diki Sherpa, Ngawang Oser Sherpa, Pasang Sherpa, Tshering Mingma Sherpa, Shujaat Shigri, Tina Sjogren, Tom Sjogren, Ryan Smith, Sam Speedie, Jelle Staleman, Matt Szundy, Hirotaka Takeuchi, Dana Tredway, Mueen Uddin, Maarten van Eck, Jaffer Wazir, Freddie Wilkinson, Yaqub, Ellen Zuckerman, and Katie Zuckerman.

Special thanks to: University of Maryland professor of anthropology Janice Sacherer, an authority on Rolwaling, for reviewing the book for accuracy and sharing with us her original research, which will be published as an academic ethnography; Cambridge University professor Hildegard Diemberger, for discussions about Buddhist religion and mythology and the Bhote culture; Professor Cynthia Beall of Case Western Reserve University, for discussions of her genetics studies; the late Dr. Klaus Dierks, for his photographs of Rolwaling; Jean-Michel Asselin, for his photographs of Chhiring during his first Everest expedition; Kunda Dixit, editor of the
Nepali Times
, for sharing his knowledge of Nepal’s political history; Dr. Michael Su, for answering our medical questions; mountaineer Jamie McGuinness, for reviewing the manuscript many times and improving accuracy throughout; Nazir Sabir, for insightful analysis and for facilitating our interviews in Pakistan; documentary filmmaker Nick Ryan, for his tireless collaboration; Wilco van Rooijen and Lars Nessa, for reading the manuscript in advance of publication; Kelly McBride, a journalism ethics expert at the Poynter Institute, for providing advice on how to make the best writing and reporting decisions; the Multnomah County Library and the American Alpine Club reference librarians, for helping track down obscure books and articles; Brian Wannamaker and the Falcon Art Community, for providing Peter with a work space and a fun, supportive environment in which to write; the Corporation of Yaddo, for granting Amanda a residency and providing her with a sanctuary to write; Adrian Kitzinger, for creating our maps; and Kathleen Brandes, for fearlessly copyediting our manuscript.

Our agents, Stephen Barr and Dan Conaway, picked forty pages out of the slush pile at Writers House and brought this book to life. Their guidance has been invaluable. Our editor, Tom Mayer, steered us with insight and good sense. His dedication to our book brings to mind Saint Jerome.

Our writing process involves a degree of self-mortification as we rewrite each other. This would not have been possible without the majesty of Google Docs, which allowed us to collaborate closely even when we were thousands of miles apart.

Peter’s partner, Sam Adams; Amanda’s husband, Paolo; and Amanda’s sons, Eli and Matteo, all deserve special recognition. Their love and patience were unwavering.

Background Notes

The notes below provide additional background information about this book and our research. When multiple versions of a story existed—as they frequently did—we chose the interpretations that best fit the verifiable facts. For the folklore based on historical events, we checked known facts but related the storytellers’ perspective as well. We hope that we have made clear, within the text itself, when we are speculating and what supports that speculation. We maintained editorial control, but K2 survivors Wilco van Rooijen and Lars Nessa reviewed the manuscript for accuracy. Others—such as anthropologists Cynthia Beall and Janice Sacherer; alpine historians Ed Douglas, Jennifer Jordan, and Jamling Tenzing Norgay;
Nepali Times
editor Kunda Dixit; and mountaineer Jamie McGuinness—scrutinized specific sections pertaining to their areas of expertise and, in some instances, reviewed the book in its entirety. After the manuscript was completed, we returned to Nepal with interpreters and reviewed it with Chhiring and Pasang for accuracy.

Just as climbers have conflicts of interest, writers do, too. Before the disaster, Amanda knew several characters, including Marco and Karim, who was her high-altitude porter on Broad Peak in 2004.

Peter quickly found out that being an effective journalist in Nepal and Pakistan is far more complicated than practicing traditional newspaper journalism in the United States. Although reporters are generally expected to avoid getting involved with a story, Peter lived with Chhiring and Pasang and spent about two months trekking with them to their villages, interviewing their friends and families, and gathering information while hiking, hanging out, and learning the art of mountaineering.

Some of the characters went out of their way to help us gather information. Nazir Sabir arranged interviews, and we hired his trekking company to help us get around Pakistan. Damien O’Brien, Gerard McDonnell’s brother-in-law, became our friend, and he shared photographs and recordings from the expedition and his original research. Chhiring and Pasang put their lives on hold so Peter could go with them to their villages. Shaheen Baig did the same for Amanda in Shimshal. We agreed to reimburse them for their time and expenses, based on the equivalent rates set by trekking companies, so we could spend as much time with them as necessary during the three years it has taken to complete this book. We did not ask for exclusivity to their story. After completing most major interviews, we wanted to help the families and communities of those who were lost on the mountain. We discussed how to do so with Chhiring and Pasang and decided to donate a part of the proceeds of this book to the Gerard McDonnell Memorial Fund, a trust directed by the McDonnell family for the education of the Bhote, Meherban, and Baig children, and, through other charities, help the communities of Chhiring and Pasang.

We relied on photos, videos, and site visits for location descriptions. When we couldn’t reach a certain place, such as the Bottleneck of K2, we had the characters take us to locations with a similar look and feel. In some instances, we asked interviewees to reenact what happened. We also observed several reenactments on the Eiger by Chhiring, Pasang, Tsering Bhote, and Pemba Gyalje while Nick Ryan’s documentary was being filmed. For the descriptions of the trek to K2, Amanda had trekked this route in 2004. We relied on her recollections, in addition to interviews and photos. Sound descriptions are based on what characters remembered hearing or recordings from the actual events.

We adapted some words to English phonetics. For consistency and readability, we refer to the same person by the same name throughout the book, even when that name sometimes changed because of the cultural context. In a few instances, we use sources’ nicknames or alternative spellings because their first and last names were identical to those of other characters. Many places above 8,000 feet in Nepal have both Tibetan and Nepali names. When there were multiple names for a place, we applied the name used locally.

For biographical research, we received help from photojournalists who captured images of Chhiring’s childhood and teen years. These images from Jean-Michel Asselin and the late Dr. Klaus Dierks complemented the anthropological research of University of Maryland professor Janice Sacherer, who studied Rolwaling during the period of Chhiring’s childhood, and the mythology studies of University of Cambridge professor Hildegard Diemberger, who studied the cultures of the Upper Arun Valley during the period of Pasang’s childhood.

For the action sequences and dialogue exchanges, we relied on interviews conducted with witnesses separately and, when possible, together, asking them what they said and did. When film footage of the incidents was available, we used their recorded words. The majority of the interviews were conducted in the sources’ native languages. We relied on interpreters and, for ease of reading, all the quotes were translated into English.

PROLOGUE: THE DEATH ZONE

The descriptions of the climb down the Bottleneck in this chapter (and in chapters 11 and 12) come from the recollections of Chhiring, Pasang, and Pemba. We also viewed photographs and videos of this location.

5
“at the beach”
Mine Dumas, quoted in Hugues’s memorial blog.

1: SUMMIT FEVER

The descriptions of Beding and Chhiring’s childhood are from interviews with him and his family during Zuckerman’s three-week trek to Rolwaling in 2009 and subsequent interviews with the authors in Kathmandu in 2009 and 2010. The standard version of Beding’s history, and much of the Rolwaling history, comes from correspondence with Professor Janice Sacherer and her writings.

12
“like a yam between two boulders”
According to King Prithvi Narayan Shah, founder of the Shah dynasty in Nepal.

13
job description
According to the common usage,
sherpa
means a high-altitude mountain worker of any ethnicity, and the word is spelled with a lowercase
S
to distinguish it from the ethnicity, which is spelled with an uppercase
S.

13
150,000 Sherpas
Government of Nepal Central Bureau of Statistics.
2001
Nepal Census, Population by Caste/Ethnic Groups
. The most recent ethnic-group–specific census was conducted in 2001, when the Sherpa population was 125,738 and .64 percent of the total population; 150,000 is an estimate for 2008.

13
Rolwaling Sherpi tamgney
See Janice Sacherer, “Sherpa Kinship and Its Wider Implications,” in
Han Language Research—34th Session of the International Han Ji-no-kura Language and Linguistics Conference Proceedings
(Beijing: Zhaojia Wen Feng Shi National Press, 2006), pp. 450–57.

14
astonishing amounts of potatoes
In 1977, Sacherer did a study in which she calculated that an average Rolwaling family who ate nothing but potatoes most days of the year would consume approximately twelve pounds a day, for a diet of 6,000 calories. The potato represented a revolution in food security with three times the calorific value of barley, the Sherpas’ alternative crop.

14
giant horse and plow
This is according to Rolwaling’s oral tradition, dating back to 1870. See Janice Sacherer, “Rolwaling: A Sacred Buddhist Valley in Nepal,” in Rana P. B. Singh, ed.,
Sacredscapes and Pilgrimage Systems
(New Delhi: Shubhi Publications, 2010), pp. 153–74. The written tradition differs. Tibetan texts of the thirteenth century describe
beyuls
as always present on earth but rendered invisible by Guru Rinpoche’s powers of meditation to preserve them until sanctuary was needed.

14
center of the universe
This is based on the version told by Ngawang Thundu Sherpa, Chhiring’s father. As he recounted the legend, relatives and friends interjected with elaborations. Some parts of this story are based on these elaborations.

16
120 years old
The actual mortality rate in Rolwaling was much starker during Chhiring’s childhood. According to a 1973 survey of Beding, preadolescent mortality was 28 percent, and hardly anyone lived past seventy. Death in childbirth, disease, hunger, and nutritional deficiency were commonplace. See Ove Skjerven, “A Demographic and Nutritional Survey of Two Villages in the Upper Rolwaling Valley,”
Kailash: Journal of Himalayan Studies
(Kathmandu) 3, no. 3 (1975).

16
land of three borders
The Buddhist text,
Tseringmi Kangsu
, makes reference to Takar Dolsangma’s flight to a mountain in a northern region that straddles three borders. Rolwaling
lama
Ngawang Oser Sherpa believes this mountain to be K2. The Tibetan translation of Chogori (possibly
Chomo go ri
), as well as the nearby Chogo Lungma (
Chomogori lungma
) Glacier, invokes five mountain deities, likely the Tseringma sisters.

17
Hrita Sherpa
This is based on Sacherer’s research.

17
“most isolated, traditional and economically backward”
Janice Sacherer, “The Recent Social and Economic Impact of Tourism in a Remote Sherpa Community,” in Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf, ed.,
Asian Highland Societies: An Anthropological Perspective
(New Delhi: Sterling, 1981), pp. 157–67. Sacherer gives a comprehensive description of the local economic forces.

19
Pem Phutar
See photo included in this book. Chhiring’s paternal grandfather had been a porter for the Merseyside Himalayan Expedition in 1955. After this service, Pem received a commendation letter, which he kept inside a box at his home in Rolwaling. This family history came as a surprise to Chhiring, who discovered the letter in 2011. Pem had never told his son—Chhiring’s father—about his experience as a porter. Of Pem, expedition leader C. P. Booth wrote: “He has carried heavy loads over difficult country and has proved to be a safe and steady porter under the most adverse conditions.”

19
two members of the 1934 expedition
The men who abandoned the Sherpas on Nanga Parbat were actually Austrian but their German-run expedition was blamed. The tales of unlucky Germans appear to have surfaced in modern Sherpa folklore during the late 1930s.

20
“remain a virgin”
John Roskelley,
Last Days
(Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1991). Roskelley actually had more than one goddess to contend with. The mountain is shared by up to five Buddhist goddesses, one on each of the five summits seen from Beding, as well as two Hindu gods, as evidenced by the two summits seen from Kathmandu. Shiva, also known as Shankar, resides on the highest summit, sharing it with Tseringma. Parvati (Gauri), Shiva’s consort, occupies the second highest summit with one of Tseringma’s sisters. Roskelley trampled on the highest summit, presumably offending the two most powerful deities—Shiva and Tseringma.

20
ill effects from the climb
John Roskelley was unaware that his climbing partner, Dorje, had objected for religious reasons. He believes his conquest of Gauri Shankar and the subsequent flash flood were unrelated.

20
The third died
Personal correspondence, Professor Janice Sacherer, October 2011. See also “Tsho Rolpa, GLOFS, and the Sherpas of Rolwaling Valley: A Brief Anthropological Perspective,” Mountain Hazards, Mountain Tourism e-conference, 2006.

21
If driving rules exist
See “Traffic Fatalities in Nepal,”
Journal of the American Medical Association
291, no. 21 (June 2, 2004).

21
World Health Organization standards
See Sumit Pokhrel, “Climatology of Air Pollution in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal” (master’s thesis, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, May 2002).

24
up this high
This encounter is based on Chhiring’s recollection.

26
twenty-three permanent residents
This was the population of Beding when Zuckerman visited in spring 2009 during the trekking season. The population is higher at other times of the year.

26
Playboy
centerfold
In 2006, Playmate Martyna Wojciechowska summited Everest.

2: DOORWAY TO HEAVEN

This version of the 1939 Fritz Wiessner expedition was interpreted by elders in Rolwaling, but we supplemented the story with details from Wiessner’s writings and accounts of alpine historians, including Maurice Isserman, Jennifer Jordan, Andrew Kauffman, William Putnam, and David Roberts. The actions of the climbers are consistent in both accounts. Although Pasang told Wiessner that he saw a supernatural being, historians rarely attribute the problems of the climb to Takar Dolsangma, as Buddhists in Rolwaling do. For information on the 1954 Italian expedition, we interviewed Lino Lacedelli, Erich Abram, and Bruno Zanettin of the 1954 expedition on K2; Leonardo Pagani (son of Guido Pagani of the 1954 expedition); Sultan Ali, Liaquat Ali, and Zulfiqar Ali (son and grandsons of Amir Mehdi of the 1954 expedition); and Haji Baig (friend of Amir Mehdi during their 1953 Nanga Parbat expedition). The description of Chhiring and Dawa’s argument comes from several interviews with them in Kathmandu during 2009. The sequence of quotes is from Dawa’s recollection, and each quote is what the speaker remembers saying. We also visited the house in Colorado where the argument took place.

28
highest pass
The Karakorum Pass is 18,290 feet, or 5,575 meters.

28
affirmed the title
Charles Close et al., “Nomenclature in the Karakoram,”
The Geographical Journal
76, no. 2 (August 1930), pp. 148–58.