Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day (32 page)

   Sherpa migration across, 66

Himalayan Database, 31, 239
n
–40
n

Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, 76

Hinduism, Hindus, 21–22, 36, 49, 238
n

Hindu Kush,
xiv,
95

hippies, 22

Hitler, Adolf, 19

Holland, 222

   
see also
Dutch Norit K2 Expedition; Utrecht

holy water, 127

honeymoons, 5, 84–85

horoscopes, 27, 69

horses, 82

hospitals, 113, 210, 215

Hotel de l’Annapurna, 62–63, 220–21

Hotel Marshyangdi, 224

House’s Chimney, 121, 132

Houston, Charlie, 37, 38

hubris, 6

human rights, 53

Human Rights Watch, 53, 243
n

hunger, 1–2, 59–60, 238
n

Hungung,
10,
55–58, 60, 69, 229, 243
n

Hungung,
various meanings of, 243
n

Hunt, John, 75, 246
n

Hunza, 41,
94,
95, 214

Hunza, Kingdom of, 79, 81, 83–85

   as vacation destination, 84–85

Hunza, Mir of, 81, 86, 248
n

   
see also
Muhammad Nazim Khan, Mir; Safdar Ali, Mir

Hunza region, 78, 79, 83–86

   on maps,
78,
94

   politics in, 86, 248
n

Hunza Tigers, 85–86

Hussein, Muhammad (Little Hussein), 122, 144, 145, 150, 153, 250
n

Hwang Dong-jin, 159, 187

hypothermia, 180, 182, 197

Hypoxia Inducible Factor 2–alpha, 65

ice axes, 2, 3, 4, 24, 34, 41, 73, 104, 130, 145, 149

   descent and, 164, 165, 169, 171, 173–78, 183, 189, 190, 194

   at Makalu, 229

   Pasang’s giving up of, 165, 171, 173, 174, 223–24

ice cream hallucination, 117

ice screws, 143, 148, 155, 170, 196

India, 12, 31, 74, 75

   British empire in, 36, 81

   flight of the Dalai Lama to, 76

   Gwalior state in, 242
n

   on maps,
xiv,
10,
78

   Pakistan’s border disputes with, 211

   partition of, 36, 85

   spies from, 51

   Tenzing in, 71, 72

Indian continental plate,
xiv,
12, 29

Indus River,
78,
79

Indus Valley, 79

insurance, 62, 89, 100–101, 213, 249
n,
257
n

   of Jehan, 218, 257
n

   Lahmu Bhoteni and, 221

intermarriage, 66, 70, 71, 73, 75

Internet, 110, 111, 160, 227

   
see also
blogs

Into Thin Air
(Krakauer), 42

iPods, 126

Ireland, 159, 216

Islam,
see
Muslims, Islam

Islamabad,
xiv,
100, 101, 134, 216

   Danish Embassy bombed in, 107–8

   Regency Hotel in, 216

   tea party in, 217–19, 257
n

Island Peak, 22

Italian Alpine Club, 33

Italian expeditions, to K2, 32–33, 38–41, 85, 117, 143, 241
n,
251
n

   
see also
Confortola, Marco

Italy, 38, 40, 159, 216

Japanese, on K4, 88

Japanese expeditions:

   to Everest, 22–23

   to K2, 41, 86

jeeps,
94,
95–96

Jehan, Shah, 99

journalists, 53, 55

   
see also
media

judgment, impaired, 118

JWH-018 (synthetic marijuana; K2), 127

K1 (
Masherbrum
), 29, 158

K2 (
Chogori
), 28–47, 56, 60–63, 65, 89–91

   Abruzzi route on,
see
Abruzzi route

   Abruzzi’s attempt at, 32–33

   Abruzzi Spur of, 33, 45

   approach to,
94,
95–106,
98

   Base Camp of, 31, 35, 38, 39, 40, 42

   birth of, 28

   Bottleneck of,
see
Bottleneck

   Camp 4 of (1995 expedition), 252
n

   Cesen route on,
see
Cesen route

   Crowley’s attempt at, 31–32

   deaths on, 5, 31, 35, 38, 41, 179, 252
n
;
see also
specific people

   Death Zone of, 1–7, 40, 121, 144, 152, 156,
162,
180, 192, 194

   description of, 29

   Everest compared with, 2, 26, 28–31, 43, 102, 113, 158, 249
n,
251
n

   fatality rate for, 31

   goddess of,
see
Takar Dolsangma

   hostility around, 36

   Italian expeditions to, 32–33, 38–41, 85, 117, 241
n

   K3 compared with, 87

   on maps,
xiv,
78,
94,
120,
147,
162

   Montgomerie’s sketch of,
30

   The Motivator on, 146

   as The Mountaineer’s Mountain, 43

   naming of, 29,
30

   North Ridge of, 61

   overcrowding of, 41

   partition of India and, 36

   permits for, 108, 249
n

   as Savage Mountain, 30,
30,
31, 35, 38, 41, 43, 45, 63, 112, 205

   Savoia Glacier of, 33, 102

   Shoulder of,
see
Shoulder

   Snow Dome of, 121, 147, 156, 164, 165, 180, 183, 189, 197–98, 252
n

   storms on, 30–31, 35, 36, 113, 115

   summit roll for, 31, 77, 145, 155, 159, 219

   Traverse in, 121, 146, 156, 164–68, 170, 172, 180, 194, 197–98

   West Ridge of, 86

   Wiessner’s attempt at, 33–36, 239
n,
240
n

K2, 2008 disaster on:

   approach to K2 and,
94,
95–106,
98

   Base Camp to Camp 4 in,
120,
124–41

   Camp 8 of, 34

   as deadliest single disaster, 5

   description of, 1–7

   Dren’s fall and death in,
147,
149–55, 251
n

   escape from the summit and,
162,
163–74, 252
n

   Fearless Five and, 210–15

   lead team and, 122, 144–46,
147,
148, 251
n

   Shaheen’s illness and rescue in,
120,
131–36, 138–40, 144–45, 207, 213, 218

   Shimshalis at epicenter of, 79

   Shoulder to summit and, 142–60

   Snow Dome to Bottleneck and, 193–203

   survival and, 185–92

   survivor behavior and activities after, 217–30

   turnaround time disregarded and, 155, 213, 251
n
–52
n

   weather and, 106, 112–16,
120,
121,
136–39, 142, 155

   
see also
Abruzzi route; Cesen route;
specific teams and people

K2, 2008 disaster on, Base Camp of, 101–6, 109–15, 139, 140, 151, 207–10, 216, 240
n

   departure from, 129

   departure preparations at, 124–27

   evacuations from, 210–13, 256
n

   field hospital created at, 210

   Iso’s radioing of, 132

   on maps,
94,
98

   meetings at, 119, 122–23, 131

   Shaheen’s rescue and, 133, 134–35

   weather reported to, 119, 250
n

   Wilco’s location and, 207–8

K2, 2008 disaster on, Camp 4 of, 134, 142–46, 152, 169, 182, 185, 206, 208, 250
n

   Chhiring’s return to, 183–84

   convergence of routes at, 119,
120,
121, 131

   Fredrik at, 143, 151

   lead team departure from, 122, 144–46

   on maps,
120,
121,
147,
162

   Ms. Go’s return to, 186–87

   Nick Rice’s failure to leave from, 146

   overcrowding at, 142–43

   Pasang’s return to, 178–80, 183, 253
n

   photos taken from, 195, 253
n,
254
n,
255
n

   Wilco’s location and, 207

K2 summit, K2, 122, 142–46, 154–55, 157–60, 181, 185

   on maps,
120,
147,
162

   number of people to reach, 31, 77, 145, 155, 159

   overcrowding and, 142–43

   
see also
summits

K3 (Broad Peak),
78,
87–88, 96, 133, 191

K4 (Gasherbrum II),
78,
88, 96, 248
n

K32, 29

Kanchenjunga, 16

Kanjutis (Hunzas), 82

Karakorum, 28–29, 36, 70, 82, 87, 95, 248
n

   etymology of word, 28

   lack of margin of error in, 211–12

   on maps,
xiv,
30,
94

   mountaineering incentives in, 109

   
see also
K2

Karakorum (city), 28

Karakorum Highway,
78,
94,
95, 214

Karakorum Pass, 28

Kashgar, 66

Kashmir, 28, 29, 32, 36, 85

Kasthamandap, 22

katas
(Buddhist offerings), 102

Kathmandu, 20–23, 25, 26, 210, 216

   apocalypse feared in, 20–21

   Boudhanath
stupa
in, 22, 104, 105

   Chhiring’s arrival in, 20–21

   Chhiring’s return to, 219–20

   Chhiring’s townhouse in, 27

   in civil war, 53, 54

   documentary film crew in, 224

   earthquakes in, 21

   electrical problems in, 227

   Gauri Shankar summits seen from, 238
n

   hippies in, 22

   Hotel de l’Annapurna in, 62–63, 221–22

   Little Tibet in, 22

   on maps,
xiv,
10

   Marco’s meeting with Gamu Bhoteni in, 223

   as mountaineering launch pad, 22

   Narayanhity Palace in, 48–51, 242
n

   origins of, 21–22

   Pasang in, 54–55, 57, 58, 60–63

   Phurbu in, 56

   pollution in, 21, 57

   Sherpa names in, 66

   Tenzing in, 74–75

   traffic in, 21, 57

   U.S. Embassy in, 21

Ketaki Chester, Princess of Nepal, 50

Kevlar helmets, 113

Khamba,
244
n

Khampas, 66, 244
n

Kham region, 66, 244
n

Khan, Muhammad (Muhammad Sanap Akram), 122, 144, 250
n

Kharta,
10

Kharta region, 70–71, 245
n,
246
n

Khumbu region, 66, 172

Khumbu Valley,
10,
17, 71, 76

Khumjung, 71

Khurdopin glacier, 90–91,
94

Khuro (shield bearer), 79

Khurpa Care, 100

khurpas
(low-altitude porters), 249
n

kidneys, 116, 163

Kikuli (rescuer), 35

Kila, 181

Kim Hyo-gyeong, 159, 187

Kim Jae-soo, 60–63, 122, 156, 159, 160, 163–65, 209

   gear of, 126–27

   at K2 Base Camp, 104–5

   Lahmu’s meeting with, 220–21

   late return of, 185–88

   running out of oxygen of, 163–64

   at tea party, 219

Kitar (rescuer), 35

Klinke, Chris, 208, 256
n

Knight, E. F., 83, 247
n

knives, 69, 76

knots:

   Figure-8-on-a-bight, 164, 165, 170, 171

   rescues and, 196

Koirala, Girija Prasad, 243
n

Kolon Sport, 60–61, 160, 209, 221, 224

Korean language, 123, 219

Korean team,
see
South Korean K2 Abruzzi Spur Flying Jump

Krakauer, Jon, 42

“Krakauer effect,” 42

Kyirong (village), 68

Kyirong clan, 68

Lacedelli, Lino, 40, 155, 241
n

Lakpa Futi (Chhiring’s mother), 17, 172

   death of, 18, 44, 230

Lama, Pasang,
10,
54–63, 70, 156–60, 223–25, 228–30

   in Base Camp, 208–9

   becomes a porter, 54, 58–60

   Chhiring’s rescue of,
162,
173–78, 257
n

   civil war’s displacement of, 48, 54

   controversy surrounding Mrs. Go and, 243
n
–44
n

   on definition of Sherpa, 68

   discrimination experienced by, 57, 63, 68

   education of, 56, 57, 58

   evacuation of, 210

   as family pariah, 221

   at Hotel de l’Annapurna, 62–63

   ice axe abandoned by, 165, 171, 173, 174, 223–24

   as “The Joker,” 54

   as “Little Pasang,” 55

   lucky ring of, 125

   Manaslu and, 221, 228–29

   name change of, 56–57

   oxygen given up by, 163–64

   oxygen prepared by, 143, 251
n

   rope system created by,
162,
164–65

   in South Korean K2 Abruzzi Spur Flying Jump, 2–7, 60–63, 106, 115,
120,
122, 129, 143–46, 148, 156–59,
162,
163–65, 170–80, 183, 187, 210, 221, 253
n

   stealing by, 59–60

   at tea party, 218

   Tsering met by, 203

   on weak climbers, 160

Lama, Pasang Dawa, Wiessner and, 33–36, 239
n,
240
n

Lama, Tsering (Chhiring Lama; Chhiring Bhote), 61, 253
n