His last photographScottish climber Peter Kinloch was left to die on the mountain after summiting earlier that day amid reports from fellow climbers that he was ""elated, cheery and bubbly". He certainly looks happy in the above photo. He was only 28.
Peter becomes the 30th climber whose body remains in Everest's infamous "Death Zone" from just the past five years. The "Death Zone" is the area above 28,000 feet where essentially the human body slowly dies from lack of oxygen. Planes regularly fly at 27,000 feet and are pressurized. The summit of Everest is at over 29,000 feet.
The Sherpas with him noticed that he was stumbling down the mountain after the successful summit. Peter admitted to them he was stricken blind - without warning.
We can only imagine how fucking scary and awful that must've been for him. And his fellow climbers.
He was overcome with a retinal hemorrhage. The atmospheric pressure is so intense on Everest that sometimes the eyes bleed from the inside. Most of the time, a climber is left with a headache, bloodshot eyes and just needs to climb down and rest. In Peter's case, the extreme happened and he went blind.
Three Sherpas tried in vain to carry him to safety. They gave him water and oxygen. They returned to Base Camp at 5:30 AM with frostbite and hypothermia. Sherpas don't get these things and they almost needed rescue themselves. They must've tried everything and suffered valiantly for it. There was NO OPTION but to leave him to die on Everest. That is the risk you take.
How long did it take him to actually perish, all alone, in the darkness of his mind? God only knows. It's so so sad.
Peter becomes the 30th climber whose body remains in Everest's infamous "Death Zone" from just the past five years. The "Death Zone" is the area above 28,000 feet where essentially the human body slowly dies from lack of oxygen. Planes regularly fly at 27,000 feet and are pressurized. The summit of Everest is at over 29,000 feet.
The Sherpas with him noticed that he was stumbling down the mountain after the successful summit. Peter admitted to them he was stricken blind - without warning.
We can only imagine how fucking scary and awful that must've been for him. And his fellow climbers.
He was overcome with a retinal hemorrhage. The atmospheric pressure is so intense on Everest that sometimes the eyes bleed from the inside. Most of the time, a climber is left with a headache, bloodshot eyes and just needs to climb down and rest. In Peter's case, the extreme happened and he went blind.
Three Sherpas tried in vain to carry him to safety. They gave him water and oxygen. They returned to Base Camp at 5:30 AM with frostbite and hypothermia. Sherpas don't get these things and they almost needed rescue themselves. They must've tried everything and suffered valiantly for it. There was NO OPTION but to leave him to die on Everest. That is the risk you take.
How long did it take him to actually perish, all alone, in the darkness of his mind? God only knows. It's so so sad.
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