Mountain Life
  • Daily Content
    • Trips & Expeditions
    • Climbing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Mountain Lifer
    • Multiplicity
    • On The Trail
    • Paddling
    • Photography
    • Skiing
    • Snowboarding
    • Stay & Play
    • Surfing
    • The Great Outdoors
    • The ML Interview
    • Travel
  • GEAR
  • VIDEOS
  • STORE
  • Magazines
    • ML Coast Mountains
    • ML Rocky Mountains
    • Vie En Montagne
    • ML Blue Mountains
    • ML Annual
    • ML Subscriptions
  • ABOUT
    • What is ML?
    • Our Team
    • Newsletter
    • Adventure Grant
    • Distribution
  • Podcast
  • Contests
  • CONTACT
    • ML Agency
    • Advertising
    • Contribute
Subscription Form

Get notified of the best News

Social Links
Instagram 22K Followers
Facebook 25K Likes
Twitter 5K Followers
Pinterest 1K Followers
Vimeo 34 Followers
LinkedIn 0
22K Followers
25K Likes
5K Followers
1K Followers
Mountain Life
Mountain Life
  • Daily Content
    • Trips & Expeditions
    • Climbing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Mountain Lifer
    • Multiplicity
    • On The Trail
    • Paddling
    • Photography
    • Skiing
    • Snowboarding
    • Stay & Play
    • Surfing
    • The Great Outdoors
    • The ML Interview
    • Travel
  • GEAR
  • VIDEOS
  • STORE
  • Magazines
    • ML Coast Mountains
    • ML Rocky Mountains
    • Vie En Montagne
    • ML Blue Mountains
    • ML Annual
    • ML Subscriptions
  • ABOUT
    • What is ML?
    • Our Team
    • Newsletter
    • Adventure Grant
    • Distribution
  • Podcast
  • Contests
  • CONTACT
    • ML Agency
    • Advertising
    • Contribute
  • The ML Interview

The ML Interview: Ed Viesturs on Everest

  • November 28, 2013
  • Ned Morgan
Total
4
Shares
0
0
4
0
0
0
Total
4
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 4
Share 0
Share 0
Share 0

By Ned Morgan.

Ed Viesturs traverses an Everest icefall. Photo by Jake Norton.
Ed Viesturs traverses an Everest icefall. Photo by Jake Norton. Courtesy eddiebauer.com

 

Ed Viesturs has summited the world’s highest mountain – seven times.

In his new book The Mountain, he traces his time on Everest – which Tibetans call Chomolungma or “Goddess Mother of the World” – beginning with his first attempt in 1987 when he and his partner decided to turn back just 300 feet short of the top. They were out of ropes and pitons, and bad weather loomed. Clearly, Viesturs is one of the world’s top mountaineers due in part to his ironclad resistance to the contagious, deadly, and all-too-common “summit fever.”

His insights in The Mountain stem not just from his experience on Everest but also from his broad knowledge of all who followed in George Mallory‘s ill-fated bootprints. In addition to his survey of summit attempts both successful and not, Viesturs shines brightest when offering even-handed appraisals of the complicated rivalries and group dynamics among climbers.

Waiting out bad weather on Everest. Photo by Jake Norton.
Down time on Everest. Photo by Jake Norton. Courtesy eddiebauer.com

He also excels in conveying the little details – the frightful handicap of a hacking, constant cough due to the dry air, or the almost-comical difficulties of sleeping at 20,000 feet crammed into tiny, overcrowded tents. Only a mountaineer who’s lived through Everest can offer these and many other details, in addition to the expected sky-touching heroics.

Viesturs came down from Everest unscathed, though he witnessed a lot of suffering and death there. Yet The Mountain does not wallow in the terrifying aspects. Instead, one comes away with a clear picture of the deadly human drama playing out again and again since the first British Reconnaissance Expedition in 1921.

We recently caught up with Ed on the phone from San Diego where he was promoting his book.

ML: In The Mountain you write about the bulky, awkward suits custom-made for your first Everest attempt in ’87. Since the ‘80s, gear has come a long way. So why do people keep dying on Everest?

Ed Viesturs: Equipment and clothing can’t save your life. If you’re at 28,000 feet and a storm comes, you’re the one who has to keep yourself warm – the clothing and the down insulate you, but as soon as you stop moving, if you become incapacitated, you’re going to start cooling down. No matter what equipment you have, you can get hypothermia, hypoxia …. And there’s a little bit of a misconception that with GPS and satellite technology, people think they can start pushing the envelope a little more and think, “Oh, well I’ve got a satellite phone so if something goes wrong, I can just call for help.” Now in certain situations, that does work, but in the big mountains, you can’t call for help.

Gear is lighter these days, it is more protective, more insulating, but people still get frostbite. So it’s about managing yourself as well, not just the equipment. If you’re caught out in the open in a storm and the windchill increases and there’s no visibility, obviously survival is very difficult – that’s when you really have to keep it together. If you’re in a tent – and you hope you brought one of the best tents available – and you’re sitting in the storm and the wind’s blowing 100 miles an hour, even if it was built very well in the factory, it’s also dependent on how you set it up and anchor it.

ML: You write about how you’ve been blessed with a natural climber’s genes – ie, you don’t get altitude sickness. But I’m wondering how much mental discipline you need on 8000ers when you know the chances of death are so high? Have you always had control over fear?

EV: I’ve always said that fear is good. If you go into big mountains and you’re fearless, you’re going to get in trouble. Fear is an instinct. Every time I go into the mountains, if I’m in a situation where I feel fearful – if for some reason, my instinct is telling me something’s not right, I’ve got to listen to that. That’s the key to survival in the mountains. To know when to stop and say, “let’s analyze this situation. Maybe there is a storm coming in. Maybe the snow we’re on isn’t very stable. Let’s not blindly move forward – maybe we need to stop. Maybe we need to go down.”

Photo by Bernard Goldbach.
Photo by Bernard Goldbach.

ML: You write that you admire fellow mountaineer John Roskelley’s willingness to voice his opinion and not be swayed by others. Did you ever second-guess your decisions while on Everest?

EV: No. I always tried to make very conservative decisions. If I turned around, for whatever reason, and didn’t go to the summit, I never doubted myself. I never came down and then questioned that. If it feels wrong, it is wrong. You can’t second-guess yourself. You can’t let other people sway you. Don’t get sucked along and fall into the trap of groupthink. If you come down and you’re alive, you made the best decision in the world.

ML: Was groupthink behind the disaster on Everest in 1996?

EV: There were two groups, Rob Hall’s and Scott Fischer’s. Obviously both of them wanted to have a successful climb. Nobody wanted to turn around. And there’s also that psychological feeling of safety in numbers. “If everybody’s doing it, why not? It’s got to be okay. I’ll go with that group who made the first decision.” That perpetuates itself and people get drawn along and don’t raise their hand and say, “I think we’re making the wrong decision here.”

ML: You mention that you’ve never taken Everest for granted. But after spending the equivalent of over two years on the mountain (and seven summits) didn’t climbing it become a tiny bit easier than the first time?

EV: I’ll say I became familiar with the mountain. It never got easier. The mountain never got lower. It was always 29,000 feet high. But I think I just knew where to take a left, where to take a right. How to climb a slope I’d been on so many times. But I didn’t want to become complacent. Experience breeds complacency, and you think, “You know what? I’ve got this figured out. I’ve been here a hundred times!” Then you start making mistakes. I never had a horrific problem on Everest, so I look at it in a positive way. But if I went there tomorrow, something might happen to me. There’s that great quote, “Just because you love the mountain doesn’t mean it loves you.”

“It never got easier. The mountain never got lower. It was always 29,000 feet high.”

 

ML: If you had to pick one section of Everest that proved the most challenging for you, which would it be, and why?

EV: It’s got to be the summit day. You’re above 26,000 feet for 18 hours. You’re out there. You’re beyond rescue. All your decisions have consequences. If you get yourself in trouble, you pretty much have to get yourself out of trouble. Maybe there are people who could give you a certain amount of assistance, but realistically, not a lot can be done if you get into a big mess. It’s a very interesting place to be. It’s one of the few places on the planet where nobody, no kind of vehicle can come and get you. You’ve broken that umbilical cord of safety. You’re on your own – and that’s what makes it interesting. And also the most dangerous section of the climb.

ML: In the midst of a climb, how did it affect you to see friends, partners or other mountaineers fall or become sick? Did it harden your resolve or did it increase fear among those still climbing?

EV: It was always a reminder that things can go very wrong. One misstep can get you into big trouble. So if I saw an accident, or bumped into a body high on the mountain, for me it was, “I need to be on my toes. I can’t let down my guard, because that could happen to me.” I wasn’t ignoring it, I was stowing it my psyche, saying: “Be careful. Be careful.”

More about Ed Viesturs on Eddie Bauer’s blog.

 

Total
4
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 4
Share 0
Share 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • Alpine
  • books about Everest
  • Ed Viesturs
  • everest
  • Himalayas
  • Mount Everest
  • mountain climbing
  • Mountaineering
  • The Mountain book
  • Tibet
Ned Morgan

Previous Article
  • Mountain Lifer
  • Videos

Skinnydipping in Pow — The Naked Ski Segment We All Need to See

  • October 23, 2013
  • Todd Lawson
View Post
Next Article
  • THE GEAR SHED

The Four-Step Program: Building a Shotski

  • December 3, 2013
  • Colin Field
View Post
You May Also Like
Caroline-Cote-Antarctica
View Post
  • The ML Interview
  • Trips & Expeditions

Caroline Côté en mission solo jusqu’au pôle Sud pour sensibiliser à la fragilité de nos hivers

  • Mountain Life Media
  • November 10, 2022
Caroline-Cote-Antarctica
View Post
  • The ML Interview
  • Trips & Expeditions

Caroline Côté’s South Pole Solo Mission to Raise Awareness of our Fragile Winters

  • Ned Morgan
  • October 28, 2022
Canadian-Museum-of-Nature-Arctic-diving-expedition-Savoie-and-colleague
View Post
  • Mountain Lifer
  • The ML Interview
  • Trips & Expeditions

Searching for Kelp Forests and other ‘Marine Superstars’ in Canada’s Western Arctic

  • Mountain Life Media
  • September 13, 2022
Jamie-Mocrazy-portrait
View Post
  • Mountain Lifer
  • Skiing
  • The ML Interview

Jamie MoCrazy: Thriving after Traumatic Brain Injury

  • Mountain Life Media
  • May 17, 2022
Helly-Hansen-search-and-rescue-helping-hand-OVERBECK_HH-SAR_4503
View Post
  • Mountain Lifer
  • The ML Interview
  • Videos

Friday Flick: What it Means to be a Search & Rescue Responder

  • Mountain Life Media
  • April 29, 2022
Greg-Hill-solo-touring-Selkirks-Revy-BC
View Post
  • Skiing
  • The ML Interview
  • Travel
  • Trips & Expeditions

Greening the Revy Backcountry with Greg Hill

  • Ned Morgan
  • March 14, 2022
Spencer-OBrien
View Post
  • Snowboarding
  • The ML Interview

Friday Flick: Precious Leader Woman

  • Mountain Life Media
  • February 25, 2022
ML-CM-cover-graphic
View Post
  • Features
  • Mountain Lifer
  • On The Trail
  • Photography
  • Skiing
  • Snowboarding
  • Stay & Play
  • The ML Interview
  • Travel
  • Trips & Expeditions

ML Coast Mountains: The Optimism Issue – Out Now

  • Mountain Life Media
  • February 11, 2022
2 comments
  1. glenford Kauffman says:
    November 30, 2013 at 9:11 pm

    I just finished reading The Mountain while visiting relatives in Dallas, TX. It’s a great read and hard to put down. I’ve read over 25 books on Everest, K2, Annapurna, Aconcagua, and Rainier – this book is in my top 5!

  2. Ned Morgan says:
    December 2, 2013 at 8:08 pm

    We agree!

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Featured Posts
  • Fjallraven-Nuuk-Parka-daniel-blom-photo_jacket 1
    Gear Shed: Multisport Winter Roundup
    • January 26, 2023
  • Brian-Hockenstein-surfing-Iceland-water-and-ice-ML 2
    In the Land of Water & Ice
    • January 24, 2023
  • L'Hymne-des-Trembles-Laurentians-Quebec 3
    L’Hymne des Trembles: Uncompromising Laurentian Skiing
    • January 27, 2023
  • Marie-Pier-Desharnais-A-Womans-Experience-on-K2-flag-crop 4
    Marie-Pier Desharnais: A Woman’s Experience on K2
    • January 23, 2023
  • Paul-Manning-Hunter-Kananaskis-River-surf 5
    Behind the Photo: Rockies Edition
    • January 19, 2023
RECENT POSTS
  • Wachs_Fairly-Mellow
    Friday Flick: “Fairly Mellow” at Fairy Meadow Hut
    • January 20, 2023
  • knorthphotography.Beverly-Glenn Copeland-crop
    Beverly Glenn-Copeland: Finding the Universal Broadcast
    • January 17, 2023
  • Season-Pass-Skis-and-Splitboard-both
    Gear Shed: New Season Pass Skis + Splitboard Exclusive to evo
    • January 15, 2023
Social Links
Instagram 22K Followers
Facebook 25K Likes
Twitter 5K Followers
Pinterest 1K Followers
Vimeo 34 Followers
LinkedIn 0
INSTAGRAM
mountainlifemedia
22K Followers
ML staff and gear partners highlight the latest jackets, boards, crampons, hoodies, insoles and bindings in alpha order. #Linkinbio to learn more!
Adventures like this one require an inspiring team. @timemmett is a longtime friend, adventure partner and extraordinary human; an explorer, pro climber, surfer, freediver—you name it. @luca.freediver is an incredibly talented freediver, fresh off breaking the Canadian national freediving record (85 metres). The fourth man on the team, @brianhockenstein, is a filmmaker and multi-talented snowboarder always ready to jump into the fray and capture the magic. - words Jimmy Martinello. #Linkinbio to learn more!
We came in search of the connection of the human spirit to both art and adventure, whether climbing from the depths of moulins and ice caves, breaking through ice while paddleboarding fjords, climbing icebergs, freediving between tectonic plates or surfing cold waves.
A thousand and one things could have gone wrong, but she made it to the top:  @mariepier.desharnais is the first Quebecois woman to climb K2.
Mountain Life is a proud member of the @printreleaf_ community. So far we've offset our print by having 1,737 trees reforested since joining in 2019! 🌲
GUESS WHAT! It's FRIDAY! Here's a flick to kick off the weekend for all you warriors.
Behind the scenes of three action photos from ML’s Rocky Mountains edition.
The @banffmountainfestival 2023 Signature Image Search is on🚨
In 1986 @beverlyglenncopeland recorded Keyboard Fantasies using an Atari computer, a keyboard and a drum machine. After releasing it on cassette and selling maybe 50 copies, he went back to writing for Sesame Street and making the odd guest appearance on Mr. Dressup. In 2015, a cassette made its way to Japanese collector Ryota Masuko, a record store owner with a big online presence, who quickly bought, and then sold, all the Keyboard Fantasies cassettes he could find. Record labels worldwide lined up to reissue the hidden gem on vinyl.
MUSIC SERIES TICKET SALE IS NOW LIVE 🗣️
Follow

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

ML staff and gear partners highlight the latest jackets, boards, crampons, hoodies, insoles and bindings in alpha order. #Linkinbio to learn more!
Adventures like this one require an inspiring team. @timemmett is a longtime friend, adventure partner and extraordinary human; an explorer, pro climber, surfer, freediver—you name it. @luca.freediver is an incredibly talented freediver, fresh off breaking the Canadian national freediving record (85 metres). The fourth man on the team, @brianhockenstein, is a filmmaker and multi-talented snowboarder always ready to jump into the fray and capture the magic. - words Jimmy Martinello. #Linkinbio to learn more!
We came in search of the connection of the human spirit to both art and adventure, whether climbing from the depths of moulins and ice caves, breaking through ice while paddleboarding fjords, climbing icebergs, freediving between tectonic plates or surfing cold waves.
A thousand and one things could have gone wrong, but she made it to the top:  @mariepier.desharnais is the first Quebecois woman to climb K2.
Mountain Life is a proud member of the @printreleaf_ community. So far we've offset our print by having 1,737 trees reforested since joining in 2019! 🌲
GUESS WHAT! It's FRIDAY! Here's a flick to kick off the weekend for all you warriors.
Mountain Life
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising

Input your search keywords and press Enter.