Jon Krakauer writes about what has changed about climbing Mt. Everest since he wrote Into Thin Air. “The deadly hazards I wrote about attracted novice climbers to Everest like gamblers to a slot machine.”
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Comments 2
"Most of the multitudes who attempt Everest these days simply want to reach the summit with as little effort and risk as possible, by whatever means offer the greatest probability of success."
There's a metaphor for people of a certain predilection in society!
That is a really interesting read. I mean, I've loved nearly all of the Krakauer that I've ever read, but I'm so confused about how best to take this recent reflection. It sure does seem like Everest is a crowded nightmare in 2026. But, so are lots of places now. We recently went to Zion for the first time, and by all accounts, the changes in the past 20 years are huge. The Narrows looked like those images from Everest. People of all ages and abilities. Thousands. At least until about a mile in. Then we noticed way more people walking towards us (out) then with us (in). The stakes are way lower than Everest, but things can still go sideways, see the recent deaths on Angels Landing. But I felt like the visitors still treated the place as they would Disneyland - take the shuttle, see the sights. See also, lots of places in Europe.
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