You have to be really dedicated to climbing. I attempted a smaller peak in the Andes about 15yrs ago and only got about halfway up bc the altitude is harsh and you have constant headaches, diarrhea, and general aches & pains. I can’t even imagine pushing through all that and climbing an 8k meter peak in the Himalayas. The headache alone is hard to deal with.
With rules like that I’m tempted to become a Sherpa. Can a Sherpa tell any woman to go down and does he have to be on Everest with her for that to be a legitimate instruction?
It is such a shame Michael didn't listen to the chief sherpa, who told him to go down immediately. It was wrong of Mike Smith to push on to the summit with Michael, who was clearly exhausted and in a bad way. A good guide would have seen that Michael was struggling and ordered him to go back down, staying close to him at all times. Summit fever got the better of Michael. The problems with the oxygen bottles shows bad planning and organisation on the part of OTT expeditions.
Yeah but I think the worst part is the coverup. It is one thing to mess up organizational planning, and to give a failing climber false hope that they can summit, but it is an entirely different thing to claim that neither of those things happened - just to keep your job as a guide. That is truly deplorable.
At those altitudes your brain does not fuction properly, he should have been forced down by the guide, obiouvsly he was unable to take care of himself and think about the danger
@@superfurball89onyoutube52 but... There's clear documentation here of a company that was not prepared and did not provide even the basic life surviving tools under their company name
The oxygen situation sounds more like criminality to me. Reckless endangerment. Then again, on an expedition to everest, the individual obviously assumes all the risk.
Seems the oxygen issue may have been a bit overblown. Matthew's father sued OTT for gross negligence but the judge dismissed the case due to sheer lack of evidence.
Not as usual.Stop romanticising the Sherpas. They make plenty of mistakes and bad decisions. the same as all humans. They have been responsible for deaths by not doing their paid jobs at times. Its modern folklore when the media glosses over the Sherpas bad choices that involve tragedy
@@laurastanton7812 agree with the point. He could have been saved with a little attention. I have watched documentaries and saw the mistakes of the sherpas and how they left their client.
I love watching from my bed. I couldn't make it to base camp. You know what makes me feel alive? Being alive. But I do love the drive they have and I bet they feel so strong. What a wonderful spirit. It's their money and their choice. Anybody brave enough to do it doesn't care what we think.
I am also a pussycat, and will just watch with my human in bed. 😉 I'm absolutely petrified of heights as it is, I don't need to also be worrying about falling, freezing, frost bite, suffocating, hallucinating, vertigo, altitude sickness, blood clots, exhaustion, the weather, etc etc.
The person operating the camera is not filming non stop. On the contrary, they film critical parts of the journey when it is safe to do so. Reaching The summit is critical footage even though staying on the summit for too ling is fraught with danger
I think the conclusion is that if you don't want to die so young on the Everest you shouldn't go on the Everest. If there's a zone called "the death zone" you should really really avoid it.
"Ice climbing was a new skill to him" - It seems like people fail to understand that skills are developed over time that determine the likely hood of survival.
It seems like someone failed to understand that a better leadership and decision making could have avoided this disaster eventhough he is new to ice climbing.
@@akashramesh5404 if you are a newbie and you climb Everest is your responsibility.. He took his decision, stayed at camp 2, try a second push even if he was tired ecc.. He felt invincible.. He wasn't.
@@annpes3143 Thats fine. Clearly, in the video the other climbers are saying there was no meeting within the team before the final push. Also there was this oxygen compatability issue which was not clearly communicated. Also at the end the guide could have said no to him. If its like you are on your own, then what is the point of a team then.
Apart from everything else, its disrespectful to the mountain they say they're so in awe of. Have you seen the pictures of the different base camps and routes covered in plastic bags and other rubbish the climbers have left behind? The local Nepalese actually hold regular ceremonies to ask the gods and the mountain for forgiveness for destroying it. They're broken hearted at what is happening to the mountains, but between the government, the profits, the threat of poverty, the pull of modern luxuries, ect ect ect its very hard for them to turn back the tide of tourists and profits.
@@pegleg2959 I don't understand why it's so hard for these companies to clean up after themselves. They charge so much, one group is close to half a million dollars. They really can't spend a couple hundred going up to clean, or even better, bringing their trash back down with them?
@@pegleg2959 It should be mandatory that what gets taken up gets brought down. If they can cart all those tables, chairs and other comforts up there, then they can bring back their rubbish!
For some reason, I've been binge watching mountain climbing documentaries, mostly those concerning Mount Everest. The last topic was about David Sharp and I think I'm now cured of watching more of this topic. Topping the tragedies, is the commercialization of mountain climbing. Ultimately, Mother Nature is not so inclined to have man marring and littering as he does! I'm disgusted by it all.
Well, David went all on his own with little help. Are you happy with that result? Mother nature didnt seem to care about that fact. He went without commercialization or climbing partners and died for that choice.
ofcourse! it was all their fault! the guide assuring sb that i will take you there is still time and then f u ckin leaves him to die !!!!!!! i am absolutely angry … i wish i had never seen this video
It's hard to believe how there was so little communication, no team building and high levels of disorganization yet everyone just went on with the expedition in spite of all these flaky red flags.
I'm guessing that having spent $60k+, having spent so much time getting to camp 4 and being oxygen-deprived drove people to accept poor planning and inadequate oxygen bottles. The organizers completely failed Mike. What a shame.
@@Mimi-ip9xc I understand that as early as base camp your mind starts to loosen up and you can't think due to altitude. But this is a severe mountaineering environment. Not for anyone but experts. And they are still taking risks.
The mother did the same thing. They're both strangely apathetic aren't they. You'll end up admiring psychopathy next if that's sth you look up to, just keep your eye on that to be safe
Mike Smith was mistaken in taking him up. The Sherpa’s instruction to go down should have been listened to. Midday is too late to summit Everest, you need to be on your way down long before.
Not to mention, leaving him behind. We climbed a small mountain each year for a religious festivity. We came up at dawn, saw the sun rise in the top and were ready to climb down before noon. When I asked why, my old folks said the weather, wind and visibility would change, (this was in spring) and we might not be able to move down safely. And this was a mere mountain... all the more so on the highest summit on earth.
Also the fact that Michael was struggling and moving too slowly even if he had summitted, it would be even far worse off to descend especially the weather conditions is starting to deteriorate.
I've watched a few of these documentaries now. I've learnt that it's a dog eat dog world up there. And that many people should have been turned around, but weren't because they'd spent too much money to give up, and the organizers had accepted too much money to turn them back.
Thank you for your interesting and amazing documentary. Terrible mistakes were made on that expedition apparently. My sincere Condolences and Sympathy to Matthew's family and friends. His last photo at the summit of Mt. Everest "I made it to the top of the world" (brought tears). God Bless his soul. R.I.P.
You pay $40 plus thousand dollars and you get substandard oxygen tanks and fittings?! Jeez! For essential life surviving equipment I consider that insanity plus the lack of disclosure about them to be fraudulent! Plus, no meetings?? Total lack of professionalism there. Mountain climbing should be like scuba diving, using the buddy system, always stick with your partner!
From my understanding asking around and digging, Michael most likely was having issues with his oxygen system. Michael was very strong and incredibly fit, what I kept getting told is he started to slow down after going up to camp 4. He probably wouldn't have realized he was suffering from lack of oxygen. His guide was always farther behind him on both ways. I believe Michael was left because he was slow. Now not one person said that he contacted base camp for help. He probably told Mike he was going to go ahead break trail and left him. He probably wasn't hooked into the roaps and fell off mountain. This was a case of guide not doing his job. This is why it's so important to know who you are working with, their was many red flags from the beginning.
The guide had already failed by letting them go with faulty oxygen bottles and knew it. He probably felt that he couldn't cancel the climb and reimburse them (although that was his duty), and then once they were already on the mountain and breathing from defective apparatus he probably was worried that those who were in trouble if they were to survive could sue him, better let nature "Take care" of the problem. Michael was no longer there to talk about his faulty oxygen bottle.
Oh please .... told by who? People who heard it from other people who knew someone whose second cousin had a BFF whose daughter went and didnt see anything?
If he was with any other team, he would have lived. All accounts say that when they reached Camp 4, the first time, he was one of the stronger climbers. Then his oxygen, guides & team end up self destructing, and he ends up dead. Shame.
If you got that kind of money, and you’re really doing it for the love of the climb, I won’t say don’t do it, just don’t start with Everest. Find a good service and try Cho Oyu in Tibet, Manaslu in Nepal or Gasherbrum 2 in Pakistan. See how you do at 26,000’ without the crowds, and without the bizarre attraction to standing on top on the world at all costs, that warps minds and clouds judgement. If you have big problems at 7,000 M without oxygen, it’s not going help you nearly enough at 8,800 M. I think if this young man had gone to one lesser peaks in the region, gauged how he did at extreme altitude, tested one of these outfits; their equipment, their leadership, out for himself, sharpened his technical skills, and then made a far more informed decision on whether or not he should climb Everest, he’d probably still be alive and climbing today.
Completely agree with you. Also Aconcagua, even if it's the highest mountain in the Americas, it's nowhere near as hard and technical as climbing Everest, and should not be counted as experience for climbing an 8000er in the Himalaya.
Aconcagua would be an excellent prerequisite for preparing to climb an 8,000er. The tallest peak in the world not located in Central Asia, it’s an excellent way to test and increase your vitality, especially at extreme altitude. Denali’s better in terms of testing ice-craft and how one does in extreme cold, but Aconcagua is taller, and worth climbing for the view alone.
I was raised near the Aconcagua, and we camped with my Scouts troop there every leap year. It is NOT preparation. Just acclimatation. Preparation could be the aforementioned summits, Chamonix or the Gran Sasso for the wind changes/ cold, and Eiger's 'normal' face if you want a challenge (another summit not for beginners)
So sorry for Michael Matthews .He looks absolutely exhausted at his last photo on the summit.SO many fatal mistakes ,so many red flags ..Rest in peace Michael Matthews😞
He probably had a pulmonary edema and he must have known before going to the summit that he was not going to survive. Even the pictures show the angst in his eyes. When a sherpa yells at you to turn around and go down and you ignore that while you're already feeling horrible, this is a dead man last wish. Michael knew he was dying.
Just watched the movie everest about the 1996 disaster. There was many experienced climbers on several of the teams that went during those fateful May days. Rob hall and Scott fisher were both highly experienced guides and died. The japanese woman climbed six of the seven summits like sandy pittman had. Three of them wouldnt of survived without Anatoli boukreev, the russian animal who was the only one who didnt use oxygen, reached the summit first and went back three different times to save a person each time. Its no man's land up there.
@@lindymcdonald8945you mean it was Rob Hall's fault for not turning him around. Allowing him to summit as late as 4pm when the turnaround time was 2pm.
The absolutely essential things for climbing is the climbing gear itself like ropes and the oxygen. The climbers bring their own warm weather gear and so forth. So it might seem that there is incredible organisation needed but in fact, it isn't very difficult to list the tents, food, climbing gear and oxygen and make sure all that is taken by the sherpas you hire. Failure to provide one of those basic things, like a tent or food or climbing gear or working oxygen is completely unforgivable. I've organised month-long events in a field in a different country with dozens of acts for tens of thousands of attendees and messing up oxygen would be like forgetting Porto toilets or a stage. I know they have to get the stuff to Everest but they should do a proper check of everything before the Sherpas take it to basecamp let alone before they take it up the mountain. This isn't an oversite or mistake this is terrible management. They should check everything on paper, then check everything before going on vehicles, then check it all before the Sherpas carry it to basecamp and then a final check that every one equipment is compatible before it goes up the mountain. I've been on many diving trips some way out travelling through the desert, of course, you check you have the correct tanks. Sorry to go on but there is no excuse for this. It is appalling management. They are highly paid specialists and it is a life or death situation. Everything must be checked and rechecked, but it wasn't even checked ONCE!
We were friends with his family when our boys were children, and they played together Michael was an extremely handsome child. So sad that his young life ended far too soon. RIP dear Michael.😢
This really was an interesting video. I’ve already heard about this case, especially the emotional seek of his brother for his body, but I didn’t know that the whole organization of the expedition was a mere impertinence. So thank you very much for this part of the story worth to be known.
Nobody should be on that mountain unless they have years of experience and approved level of fitness. Truly heart breaking for the family, I hope they find peace
Is this the fight they are talking about? 😩😂 “The article reports on a bizarre episode where a crowd of Sherpas allegedly attacked Ueli Steck and Simone Moro (two of the world’s most famous alpinists) as well as photographer Jonathan Griffith. The attack happened at 7,200 meters on Mount Everest, high above base camp. It was said to have been caused after tempers flared between a Sherpa leader and the western climbers, who were climbing near the Sherpa’s fixed ropes. Death threats ensued. The Sherpa group, sources report, threw stones and assaulted Steck, Moro, and Griffith. They retreated to base camp. Moro and Griffith sustained minor injuries. Steck received a “deep cut on his face” and there are preparations being made to airlift him to Kathmandu.”
Exactly my thought. They talk about this guy chasing him with an oxygen bottle and I'm sitting here thinking "ok, and why was he doing that?" and then they just moved right along without saying more.
@@ln5321 Not to mention he then trusted the same guy who tried to beat him with the tank, to guide him up the mountain safely just a few hours later and not push him off.
I went on an Everest Base Camp trek .... we had meals out, days out, group meetings, trekking, details, kit talks, etc, in Kathmandu before we flew into the mountains.
Got to love how, when obvious disasters happen, as can be almost inevitable, it's someone's fault. Come on, you wanted high risk, you got it. Stay home otherwise or choose something less risky. I mean when you know that your oxygen tanks are non-functional, when a guy attacks you with said oxygen tank, I think you have a problem.
@@Truthasvictim i find it utterly fascinating. i can't stop watching these videos. in these videos, people seem tired, over stressed and outright not enjoying the trek. to me, the partying in the camps would be awesome fun. If they allowed it, I would consider just hanging out at the lower camps and partying with these guys. i think they are allowed just enough time at the summit to do some photographs of themselves and their team's flag and then they have to clear out. the thrill is AFTER the accomplishment. it has to change one's perspective on life...feeling vibrant and alive! pushing themselves to the brink of death or to death itself. I think most people who do this climb realize they may end up as another relic near the summit. if not, they probably should avoid it as you say.
@@brendon080909 the longer you stay at the top, the less chance you have to make it back. Chances of making it without Os are pretty low. You have to remember the summit is only 1/2 way
Part of the £40000.is spose to cleaning up afterwards. You do see the Sherpas cleaning up after all the good stuff has been gone… What ppl don’t understand is that water from the snow is drinking water for many towns and they don’t want clothes that are filthy dirty up there because the climber didn’t want it anymore. They sign paperwork that says u have to make sure u take ur rubbish back down with you.
If someone asks you to withhold information surrounding the death of their relative. You absolutely must bring that issue and everything you remember to the family and any investigations being conducted.
A part of me feels Michael made a fatal mistake by not going down with the rest of the team,that time they rested and regrouped,seemed to be necessary and a crucial part of the end result..He seemed to never fully recover from that mistake,yet he pushed on and again,his decision was a fatal one..I feel like his guide abandoning him was so unprofessional but clearly he wasn't qualified to guide because just assessing Michael's condition,he should've insisted they turn back..I don't understand the allure of risking your life on a mountain in horrendous conditions but apparently it's worth dying for..😔
He had no idea that they would rest that long. They believed they would have to come back up right away, because of the limited window to climb. It is likely the guys who went down realized this too late and were angry that they wouldn’t as rested as Micheal, so they told them to come back down. A all around nasty situation.
The oxygen played a big part in Michael's death in my opinion. This is such a sad story l feel bad for his parents they must think of their lovely son stuck up there it's heart breaking. That company were bloody awful! They were responsible for Michael's death in my opinion.
@Thomas Snyder I don't think his story was that Michael collapsed and had to be abandoned. I though the guide just said he lost contact with him. You don't pay a guide to just wander off. But I suspect we don't know the whole truth. Maybe no one does.
Obviously it wasnt "crucial" to go back down, because the other guy Dave stayed with Michael at ABC, and he successfully summitted and got back down. I cant say for sure but i really do think his oxegen wasnt working right, the pictures of him on the summit he looks quite exhausted from lack of oxegen imo.
Its amazing how close Dave and Mike became over such a short period. Mike must have been a pretty magnetic guy. I trust Daves description of the events especially considering its corroborated by the other witnesses on the mountain. Noticably absent are any other perspectives.
It is quite possible that Michael had pushed himself to the limit and suddenly fell ill with acute pulmonary or cerebral oedema and was no longer able to even keep on his feet or move. Add the gale force winds and it would have been impossible for the guide to carry him down the mountain on his own. He should have descended with his client when everyone else did. Michael looked absolutely exhausted in his top photo, totally drained of any reserves. Maybe the guide’s judgment was clouded by summit fever and he did not want to give up on his own summit bid?
@@sheilaboston7051 if Michael in HACE or HAPE condition, he could not even control himself. We actually don’t know what happened but many had said he looked slower than other people, lack of energy, this is the sigh of HACE he might face.
@@yuhyuh5748 he would be alive if the guide had told him to turn around instead of saying he will take him to the summit. His greed ultimately got him killed
FAMOUS LAST WORDS: That’s what we’re paying them the big bucks for! As nice of a guy as Mike was. He should not have been on that mountain period. Nonetheless, heartbreaking for his family. Would he be alive today if he was with a reputable climbing company, yes. But he wouldn’t have summited.
So basically there's a responsibility of expedition leaders not to take on those who don't have experience. And also to ensure proper equipment -- oxygen, radios, etc.
I’m not arguing that the expedition company was a mess, but I wouldn’t necessarily blame Mike Smith for leaving Michael. Rob Hall didn’t leave his client even when everyone was telling him to and they both died. I know he’s seen as heroic for that, but he had an entire life to live and so did Mike Smith. I’m not saying he did the right thing, but based on the information we were given, I wouldn’t necessarily say he did the wrong thing either.
I 100% agree. Mike Smith was right to leave Michael and got down. His decision to assist Michael up was wrong but asking him to go back and find Michael may result in two deaths. I am surprised to see that even in the documentary Dave still accuses Mike of not staying and searching. He did not understand what should be done there. Mike Smith had made the best choice in that situation.
Actually, I do support Mike Smith in his decision, because: if you take this expedition, you accept possible death or serious injury, and one in 17 people trying end up dead. You can't expect anyone, be he a tour manager, friend, guide or sherpa, to risk their life for your life. You decide to risk your life for a test of your physical and mental strength. You accept that you may even have the physical and mental strength to succeed - but the weather or random happenings may simply stack against you.
@@josephdang3687 from what i got he didnt critise him for not going back and looking for him, he critised him for getting so far ahead of his client in the first place that he had no idea where he was.. Which i personally agree with. If he had said i was with michael and he wasnt responding well and couldnt walk at all, then maybe id understand. As a guide he shouldn't have put himself in a position where he went ahead of a climber (who possibly needed help/guidance down the mountain), his reasoning just doesnt cut it imo
I have a strong opinion here. A guide is just a guide. Everest is a place where you must ultimately only rely on yourself. Mike had a responsibility to himself to turn around when the sherpa advised him to. Yes it sucks the guide chose to save himself from also being a statistic of Everest, but everyone knows going in what the stakes are. And this was a mere 3 seasons after the disastrous 1996 tragedy. I've also heard alot about Henry Todd over the years manipulating & monopolizing the lucrative oxygen market for Everest. Shame that so many shenanigans are associated with the most majestic mountain on Earth.
@@mattkaustickomments That’s okay because I left out the “spotted” part. I’ve had altitude sickness and it’s awful. Fortunately, I’ve avoided the tick😀
Me too, although people talk about Everest 'fever' when you're so close to the summit, plus lack of oxygen doesn't allow for clear thought. At a minimum, the guide should have roped Michael to him - no point in having a guide if he's not looking out for you.
Yeah, but, people think a guide wouldn't take unnecessary risks with their own life so if they are accompanying you, it must be safe (as safe as being in the Death Zone of Everest can be). I think the same thing about skydiving. I would feel safer doing a tandem skydive b/c the "guide" is with you & is controlling the experience & they aren't going to do anything to jeopardize their own life..
There have been storms and disasters that have taken out several climbers in one night. 1996 was one of the worst. They lost 8 in the storm and then 1 more the next day. One of the leaders was Rob Hall. A good leader with good guides and shared his clients joy when they summited. He got caught in the storm with a weaker climber and wouldnt leave him behind when he was advised to. He was to dedicated to. He probably thought help would come but when they tried to get to him it was just to hard in the storm. Another was Scott Fischer. He was also a strong leader. He collapsed exhausted. Their guides stuck with it and saved lives. I'm not a climber but for some reason their deaths stuck with me.
@@Ripleys_mom There was actually a death earlier in that season when a Taiwanese climber died and David Breshears helped to retrieve his body. They were all on the mountain at the same time. That first death was like an omen.
You say that because your brain is functioning properly. If you are at that altitude with a faulty O2 supply you are not going to be thinking clearly. Even in the best of conditions you will have some degradation of your cognitive skills.
I enjoy watching mountain climbing videos. The life and death risks that one takes for these is amazing. Not a climber myself though. Thanks for the videos.
I think before one decides to climb up the Mt. Everest, he or she must be physically fit. Experience in trekking, climbing, or hiking must be specifically considered. An amateur joining an adventure is risk. One has to asses their respective capability. Common sense is a simple answer for anyone.
Ordering new /different bottles without the matching regulators is SOOO UN-PROFESSIONAL!!! 😱 The stupidity of the PEOPLE BEHIND OTT NOW CALLED ALPINE MOUNTAINEERING is criminal indeed!!! 🤬🤬🤬
That's not what the video says. OTT didn't order them but were supplied with them instead of some of the Russian bottles they had, in fact, ordered. By the time Tinker found out, the Sherpas had already moved the American and British tanks (without matching regulators) to camps 3 and 4. The only alternatives at that point were to accept the suppliers assurances they worked fine with the Russian regulators, or not to accept them and call the expedition off. There is blame all round, but the primary fault lies with whoever decided to try and adapt the cylinders to fit the Russian regulators without a) telling OTT before delivering them and b) making sure they bloody well worked properly.
Me too. These people are doing something that I would never attempt to do. They’re risking their lives for this venture. Some of them don’t even have the experience to climb Mount Everest and are risking it all. I want to understand the psychology behind them doing it.
*What so many people fail to realize about Michael Matthews, is that his older brother James (featured in this documentary at the beginning), is married to Catherine, The Princess Of Wales' sister Pippa Middleton. Michael would have had an amazing life if he had lived. My heart goes out to those who knew Michael and those who were on that fated expedition, who truly cared for Michael and his well being. My heart is heavy for their loss. RIP Michael*
A recent documentary was made by his younger brother in which he and a team went in search for his brothers remains. It was not successful however they did find the body of a sherpa and returned him to the family which was extremely honorable and very moving. A silver lining on a very dark cloud.
Right... the disaster that’s depicted in the Hollywood movie where the American doctor, Beck has awful frostbite but survives? That whole story is fascinating and horrific.
@@leos.2676 A best friend of Rob Hall (the best friend was also on the mountain that day) said it was more that Rob didn't want to leave his friend Doug (they had grown close since Doug had made a failed attempt the year before and Rob wanted to help his friend with his dream). Guides will leave behind incompetent guests/clients as they should. Everest isn't something to mess with and when someone is really struggling in the death zone to the point where they are collapsing/having to be carried it's practically a suicide mission to try and carry them back down. People hiking up the mountain should be well aware of the risks involved and if they don't then they have no reason to climb the mountain. Doug knew the risks but he wasn't able to make it back down the mountain before a storm blew in. As a friend Rob stayed with him to try and help.
Of all the stories of tragedy I've heard on that mountain, that one is the most haunting. The cyclone coming up out of the Indian Ocean is what did them in. For people daring this mountain, you must know that you're taking your life in your own hands.
That guide just denied the event happening and he was the only one to give an explanation, all the others were surprised, so there was nothing more to say really.. It was very strange I agree..
This is what profiteering does... when businesses place more interest in profits and personal gains than interest in their clients and other people's lives and futures in general, you get bad outcomes.
Pretty economically illiterate statement, as if it were somehow in the interests of the businesses involved to rack up deaths on the mountain (of course that would do wonders for their business /s). Doubtless you think the Tibetan government or some other cabal of politicians can somehow escape the universality of human fallibility and self-interest, and suddenly put their own lives on the line to drag people off the mountain when they haven't yet done so.
@@fatrick9001 lol, funny you should call my statement "illiterate". You seem far more closely related to the term "illiterate" than I am. Do you actually know the meaning of the word? Let me enlighten you... it means unable to read or write. So according to you I cannot read or write the language of economics? Well let me ask you this... Did I make a statement so broad that it was inclusive to ALL people involved in the business of mountaineering? Maybe you should not only improve your vocabulary, but also your critical reading and comprehension skills. On that note, now that we clarified your level of intellect and how vacuous you just came off... I can't possibly take your retort seriously enough to believe that you understand the workings of this world, especially when you don't even know how to properly use a simple English word like "illiterate", nor can you understand the obvious content or message withing my initial statement. I will say, your statement is not only dimwitted but also exceptionally naive.
There’s almost no mention of the sherpas accompanying the clients. I thought it was usually one sherpa with each client. This seems very strange to me that this didn’t happen.
The 90s experienced transition from the typical team expedition (usually a national team) to a more commercialized approach of the modern era. At the time, there was only about one Sherpa for every 5 members attempting the summit.
This statistic was exclusively for climbing Sherpa and the summit climb. The siege expedition style that opened Mt Everest obviously included hundreds of porters, camp workers, or other climbing Sherpa that didn't ascend past the high camps.
I just don't understand why some people think it's worth risking their lives. The end result is so insignificant compared to the effort and risk it demands.
The summit was way more important than his trivial so-called friendship with Michael Matthews. Friends stay together at times like these. This expedition clearly lacked communication and teamwork and it literally amounted to "each man for himself" while on the mountain. 47:59
each person for themselves in the mountain is preached throughout the community when push comes to shove. Family, Friends or Strangers. If they can stand try to help them, if they are on the ground sit and pray with them if you want or keep going.
The rules for the clients on expedition should be strictly done when the clients had been expecting the responsibility to their lives. Two members refused go down to the base camp and have a five day rest before the summit push. Near the summit Michael disobeyed twice that TURN AROUND because the weather changed so rapidly ! In my opinion this young man was TOO self confident with any discipline. And had any clients some troubles like lungs edem or the brain edem ? Nobody mentioned . I do not understand how much was the clients damaged because of the different O2 systems. Thanks. / On the other hand it must be very hard for his parents. I am the mother too.
You don't do a "summit push" from BASE CAMP!! There are 4 camps on the way between Base Camp & the summit! People leave Camp 4 anywhere from 11 AT NIGHT to 1:00 am (also night) to get to the summit the next day and leave the summit early enough (no later than 2:00pm, PREFERABLY EARLIER) to descend back to camp 4 before getting caught in the dark.
@@DonnaBrooks - If people leave at 1:00am, they’ll be arriving at the summit on the SAME DAY! And 1:00am is MORNING not NIGHT! It’s clear she meant attempt and not “summit push” and that misstatement isn’t exactly relevant to her point. Even the film puts things as she did, describing Michael and Dave’s ascent from their stay at Camp 2 as well as the rest of them from base camp as a summit push, because their goal was the summit on that ascent and not an acclimation climb to camps 2, 3, or 4.
I guess I look at this from a healthcare professional pov. Knowing the OTT company had provided inadequate life saving tools, that they were contracted to provide, it's very VERY hard, not to calculate how that could have caused his deterioration, leading to death
Exactly what I been saying all the time. People think you can just bust your way through cold winds below minus zero...ice cold snow smacking your face at 70 plus miles per hour. Deep plus minus cold on your feet at every step, and then that same cold air going in your lungs, freezing you from the inside out. You can't breathe no more. The freezing air chokes you to death literally. Your hand freeze solid and can snap off. It's tough. It's over. That's why people climbing these Mountains fall and can't get up. Air tanks don't make it no easier. Sad ending.
The younger you are the higher risks you take whatever you are doing , driving , diving , sky diving , scuba diving , mountaineering etc , as you get older your life becomes very precious and you stop taking risks , that’s my take
@@danielledewitt1 what the person is trying to say that you need to take calculated risks.. doing an adventurous sport is highly risky. I understand death is everywhere but that doesn't mean i jump off the building knowing i am dying someday in the future.
Knowing there were problems with the oxygen tanks before ascending and not immediately notifying the clients of the issue, in fact keeping this information from them, and not allowing them to decide whether or to proceed regardless, is absolute negligence, period. They purposely kept that information from the clients, because it would most likely result in having to suspend the climb for everyone. That should be more than enough to legally and financially hold them accountable.
That expedition was doomed from the start. Bad communication, false advertising about the oxygen, with holding information from the family. All huge red flags that that was a horribly managed company and I hope the family sued, at the least.
One thing I have learned from watching all these documentaries about Everest. It is every man for himself and Don't depend on a guide to stay with you when you are not up to par.
How can all these older clients make it back alive and not the younger person? And why did they only call a meeting on that night before they went down? To discuss not to mention about the oxygen to Michael Mathews family.
The story of the OTT Expedition leader trying to assault a client with an oxygen bottle at Camp 4 is just crazy. What if he had hit him? Then it is likely murder. How this company was continued to be allowed to operate such expeditions is puzzling. They failed to provide proper equipment, leadership and a guide left a client to die. It is not a wonder they changed their name. The guide who steered clear of this documentary is the ones truly at fault. He should have made Michael turn around. Should have been aware he was in trouble. And should have been with him as they descended in bad weather. That's his job!.
I think the responsible move after the oxygen bottle issue came to light would've been to issue something like a 25+% refund and reorganize off the mountain. Just being there, even ideally equipped, is still an incredibly dangerous thing, that is forgotten or ignored at one's own peril.
Expecting a guide to die along with the client is awful. Everyone knows the danger climbing in the death zone is. The family is entitled to be bereaved but only one person is responsible for his death and it's on him.
Very sad, the story of Michael Matthews. Totally unnecessary. He was so young he could have had many more attempts at the summit. Could have abandoned that attempt, and written it off to experience.
Wow! This is such a complex story. Who’s to blame? Is it the climber? Is OTT’s greed to blame, or is it John Tinker’s decision to move on with the oxygen bottles? I understand that Tinker may have had enough experience with the various manufacturers of oxygen bottles to think he can engineer a solution to their oxygen cylinder problem. However IMO there can’t be any doubts when it comes to whether the oxygen cylinders will work at such high altitude- the whole expedition hinges on having enough oxygen supply to reach the summit. As soon as Tinker realized the problem with the different cylinders and valves the expedition should be called off or at least postponed until the team could get new oxygen bottles.
40:40 ... Mike Smith's responsibility as a guide was to get the client back to camp safely. The sherpa told Michael to turn around but it was Mike Smith who encouraged Michael to push for the summit. Alpine Mountaineering (formerly OTT) failed to provide the proper oxygen tanks resulting in faulty delivery of supplemental oxygen. With a likely compromised oxygen supply and further exhaustion from achieving the summit would have dire consequences. Mike Smith demonstrated a blatant dereliction of his duty by neglecting and abandoning his client who subsequently perished in the storm. RIP Michael 🙏
Its fairly obvious many of these inexperienced climbers who simp,y buy their way into such a dangerous campaign have no idea the rules of the game. Experienced climbers understand the rules in these situations. You are on your own and your not expected to risk your fellow climbers due to your own inexperience. I understand the whole point of being watched,helped, etc etc. , but as mentioned, the sherpa...told him to TURN AROUND, PERIOD! You reap what you sow and even though your mother told you you were special. ..your NOT.
I have always been fascinated with Everest and the people who risk their lives to climb it. It's hard to imagine what goes through the climbers head as they pass deceased climbers in the death zone. It takes a brave strong individual mentally and physically to climb this mountain.
IMO a real, professional and decent person employed as a guide, would not get so far in front of the 1 and only person that they had to guide? How can you do that? And then not go back for them... (I realise that the conditions were beyond my experience and comprehension. But not the guide Mike's?) Yes I'm glad he saved his own life, I would have wanted to do the same. But I think that he let down Michael and it cost him his life...
The peoples in Tibet have been there so long their bodies have adapted through natural selection. Their lungs and respiratory systems are simply better for living and working where O2 is less. The best lowland climbers may become very skilled, but they will never be the physical equal of a Sherpa at high elevations. At least that's what I have read and heard top climbers confirm. One said: The Sherpas are the only ones who are really physical capable of rescues. Even then they too may die if they are in the death zone for too long, or in a storm.
It's very very likely that Michael was just not able to make it down. The guide can only do so much at that point before abandoning him unfortunately in that weather. It's not possible for 1 man to carry or drag another down the mountain. It's just not possible. The oxygen bottle screw up however carries criminal negligence.
The guide told Michael that he would take him up long after it was safe to do so and after the lead Sherpa told Michael that he needed to turn around. Then he left him behind.
I’m so sorry for Mike’s devastating loss. I wonder though why árabe & Mike remained up in Camp 2 while the rest of the team went down to base camp when Mr. Tinker had to return due to a possible stroke. Wasn’t that their decision and wasn’t that a huge problem for them and for the team? It seems like there is inevitably a “perfect storm” of circumstances when there are deaths on the Mountain.
I can't believe that the clients were so timid. I would have had my oxygen gear tested at base camp and found out what the true situation. Don't rely on idiots.
Sounds like a whole bunch of immature egotists running around Everest. Sounds like Picadilly Circus already. I’m waiting for them to put up a McDonald’s. people yawn when they hear you summitted Everest today
For all those who rode the short Bus; The reason I said, "The cameraman is always the best climber, hands down on the mountain", is because he deals with all the dangers and hardships as everyone else, and still films it all with Cinematographical perfection.
I’m fascinated about Everest, K2 and other mountains. I appreciate you for posting this documentary and others videos
More to come!
I'm the same way
Watch "Touching The Void"
You have to be really dedicated to climbing. I attempted a smaller peak in the Andes about 15yrs ago and only got about halfway up bc the altitude is harsh and you have constant headaches, diarrhea, and general aches & pains. I can’t even imagine pushing through all that and climbing an 8k meter peak in the Himalayas. The headache alone is hard to deal with.
I am too!! Reading "Into Thin Air" again
After binge watching a bunch of Everest videos ive learned that if a sherpa tell you to turn around TURN around
I don’t care who you are, if the sherpa tells you to go down, you go down.
I thought it was rather arrogant for the man to say he'd choose to believe the guide over the Sherpa.
With rules like that I’m tempted to become a Sherpa.
Can a Sherpa tell any woman to go down and does he have to be on Everest with her for that to be a legitimate instruction?
@andydixon1512 Sherpa are indigenous people to the area. They are born and raised in the Solu-Khumbu. You cannot just become a sherpa.
@@theworldisavampire3346 it was a blowjob joke
@@Raggandristare you 12? Grow up.
It is such a shame Michael didn't listen to the chief sherpa, who told him to go down immediately. It was wrong of Mike Smith to push on to the summit with Michael, who was clearly exhausted and in a bad way. A good guide would have seen that Michael was struggling and ordered him to go back down, staying close to him at all times. Summit fever got the better of Michael. The problems with the oxygen bottles shows bad planning and organisation on the part of OTT expeditions.
Yeah but I think the worst part is the coverup. It is one thing to mess up organizational planning, and to give a failing climber false hope that they can summit, but it is an entirely different thing to claim that neither of those things happened - just to keep your job as a guide. That is truly deplorable.
At those altitudes your brain does not fuction properly, he should have been forced down by the guide, obiouvsly he was unable to take care of himself and think about the danger
@@superfurball89onyoutube52 but... There's clear documentation here of a company that was not prepared and did not provide even the basic life surviving tools under their company name
The oxygen situation sounds more like criminality to me. Reckless endangerment. Then again, on an expedition to everest, the individual obviously assumes all the risk.
Henry Todd monopolized the oxygen industry on the mountain. The responsible party is Todd ultimately.
I like how OTT rebranded themselves and denied any wrongdoing when they were clearly negligent and incompetent.
They all do it, any business 👹
The Court ruled otherwise....Caveat Emptor
Standard
Seems to me that when the oxygen bottles were deficient every member was owed a refund. I'd have considered the whole endeavor cursed.
Almost criminal. Perfect place for a murder. No crime stat's on Everest.
The Nick and David drama is interesting. A deep analysis on this subject may shed more light.
Seems the oxygen issue may have been a bit overblown. Matthew's father sued OTT for gross negligence but the judge dismissed the case due to sheer lack of evidence.
How greed and incompetence can destroy things ...
@@diturner7247agreed Nick and Oxygen bottles !!or jealousy of the new friendship between two very handsome men.
As usual, every single person was unqualified or made bad decisions except the Sherpas. Listen to your head Sherpa
$$
Getthereitis
Not as usual.Stop romanticising the Sherpas. They make plenty of mistakes and bad decisions. the same as all humans. They have been responsible for deaths by not doing their paid jobs at times. Its modern folklore when the media glosses over the Sherpas bad choices that involve tragedy
@@laurastanton7812 all hes saying is listen to to the experts when you have no experience. Thats the smart thing to do.
@@laurastanton7812 agree with the point. He could have been saved with a little attention. I have watched documentaries and saw the mistakes of the sherpas and how they left their client.
I know I couldn't do this, too many fears, climbing over crevices & feeling that bitter cold, no thanks, I'll watch safely from my bed on RUclips..
I love watching from my bed. I couldn't make it to base camp. You know what makes me feel alive? Being alive. But I do love the drive they have and I bet they feel so strong. What a wonderful spirit. It's their money and their choice. Anybody brave enough to do it doesn't care what we think.
I am also a pussycat, and will just watch with my human in bed. 😉
I'm absolutely petrified of heights as it is, I don't need to also be worrying about falling, freezing, frost bite, suffocating, hallucinating, vertigo, altitude sickness, blood clots, exhaustion, the weather, etc etc.
I thought you were dead Freddie M, OMG your alive! Make some more music asshole
Here on RUclips safe and sound.
Watching Everest Documentary
You won't catch me over 500 feet.
The best climber, hands down on the mountain, is always the cameraman.
True story
The person operating the camera is not filming non stop. On the contrary, they film critical parts of the journey when it is safe to do so. Reaching The summit is critical footage even though staying on the summit for too ling is fraught with danger
@@PetraKann ok it was a joke
@@PetraKann a very common joke
Hahaha! Ain't that the truth.
I think the conclusion is that if you don't want to die so young on the Everest you shouldn't go on the Everest. If there's a zone called "the death zone" you should really really avoid it.
Amen to that!
"Ice climbing was a new skill to him" - It seems like people fail to understand that skills are developed over time that determine the likely hood of survival.
It seems like someone failed to understand that a better leadership and decision making could have avoided this disaster eventhough he is new to ice climbing.
@@akashramesh5404 if you are a newbie and you climb Everest is your responsibility.. He took his decision, stayed at camp 2, try a second push even if he was tired ecc.. He felt invincible.. He wasn't.
@@annpes3143 Thats fine. Clearly, in the video the other climbers are saying there was no meeting within the team before the final push. Also there was this oxygen compatability issue which was not clearly communicated. Also at the end the guide could have said no to him. If its like you are on your own, then what is the point of a team then.
People really arent taking this mountain seriously.
Apart from everything else, its disrespectful to the mountain they say they're so in awe of. Have you seen the pictures of the different base camps and routes covered in plastic bags and other rubbish the climbers have left behind? The local Nepalese actually hold regular ceremonies to ask the gods and the mountain for forgiveness for destroying it. They're broken hearted at what is happening to the mountains, but between the government, the profits, the threat of poverty, the pull of modern luxuries, ect ect ect its very hard for them to turn back the tide of tourists and profits.
@@pegleg2959
I don't understand why it's so hard for these companies to clean up after themselves. They charge so much, one group is close to half a million dollars. They really can't spend a couple hundred going up to clean, or even better, bringing their trash back down with them?
Hi dont now why the human bean loves to put them self in danger berry sad die that way
@@pegleg2959 It should be mandatory that what gets taken up gets brought down. If they can cart all those tables, chairs and other comforts up there, then they can bring back their rubbish!
Right!
For some reason, I've been binge watching mountain climbing documentaries, mostly those concerning Mount Everest. The last topic was about David Sharp and I think I'm now cured of watching more of this topic. Topping the tragedies, is the commercialization of mountain climbing. Ultimately, Mother Nature is not so inclined to have man marring and littering as he does! I'm disgusted by it all.
Me too! Also reading Into thin air just now
Me three.. 😉
Same here.
Me too ✋
Well, David went all on his own with little help. Are you happy with that result? Mother nature didnt seem to care about that fact. He went without commercialization or climbing partners and died for that choice.
The fact that OTT changed their name soon after this tragedy says it all.
Yup
There are reports people are having issues with them also
@belltunnel i was still surprised to see they had changed it to cocksuckersunited LTD
ofcourse! it was all their fault!
the guide assuring sb that i will take you there is still time and then f u ckin leaves him to die !!!!!!!
i am absolutely angry … i wish i had never seen this video
It's hard to believe how there was so little communication, no team building and high levels of disorganization yet everyone just went on with the expedition in spite of all these flaky red flags.
I'm guessing that having spent $60k+, having spent so much time getting to camp 4 and being oxygen-deprived drove people to accept poor planning and inadequate oxygen bottles. The organizers completely failed Mike. What a shame.
Their neglect killed him!
@@Mimi-ip9xc I understand that as early as base camp your mind starts to loosen up and you can't think due to altitude. But this is a severe mountaineering environment. Not for anyone but experts. And they are still taking risks.
The amount of discipline and respect for his father to look straight into the camera unblinking and detail his son's demise without scorn is immense.
Yeah because I couldn't have done it. The Fury inside of me would have definitely came out
It's a strange thing to admire.
The mother did the same thing. They're both strangely apathetic aren't they. You'll end up admiring psychopathy next if that's sth you look up to, just keep your eye on that to be safe
His son didnt value the father, and the father knew it. Shrug.
@@70stunes71Fury for WHAT? His son made that choice.
Mike Smith was mistaken in taking him up. The Sherpa’s instruction to go down should have been listened to. Midday is too late to summit Everest, you need to be on your way down long before.
Of course, the earlier the better but I think the latest time is noon - if you haven't got there by then it's time to turn around.
Not to mention, leaving him behind.
We climbed a small mountain each year for a religious festivity. We came up at dawn, saw the sun rise in the top and were ready to climb down before noon. When I asked why, my old folks said the weather, wind and visibility would change, (this was in spring) and we might not be able to move down safely.
And this was a mere mountain... all the more so on the highest summit on earth.
Did they learn nothing from 1996??
Look at our arm chair mt everest climbers HAHAHAHAH 🤣🤣🤣
Also the fact that Michael was struggling and moving too slowly even if he had summitted, it would be even far worse off to descend especially the weather conditions is starting to deteriorate.
I've watched a few of these documentaries now. I've learnt that it's a dog eat dog world up there. And that many people should have been turned around, but weren't because they'd spent too much money to give up, and the organizers had accepted too much money to turn them back.
Exactly, jackpot, that is the prime reason for many of these deaths.
Thank you for your interesting and amazing documentary. Terrible mistakes were made on that expedition apparently. My sincere Condolences and Sympathy to Matthew's family and friends. His last photo at the summit of Mt. Everest "I made it to the top of the world" (brought tears). God Bless his soul. R.I.P.
You pay $40 plus thousand dollars and you get substandard oxygen tanks and fittings?! Jeez! For essential life surviving equipment I consider that insanity plus the lack of disclosure about them to be fraudulent! Plus, no meetings?? Total lack of professionalism there. Mountain climbing should be like scuba diving, using the buddy system, always stick with your partner!
£40,000 more like... which is even worse!!
Rarely are tragedies the result of one glaring error, but an accumulation of many smaller missteps which are either disregarded or imperceptible.
The problem is that Nepal has a tax for foreigners to climb Mount Everest, I thinks it’s like 30k or something like that
From my understanding asking around and digging, Michael most likely was having issues with his oxygen system. Michael was very strong and incredibly fit, what I kept getting told is he started to slow down after going up to camp 4. He probably wouldn't have realized he was suffering from lack of oxygen. His guide was always farther behind him on both ways. I believe Michael was left because he was slow. Now not one person said that he contacted base camp for help. He probably told Mike he was going to go ahead break trail and left him. He probably wasn't hooked into the roaps and fell off mountain. This was a case of guide not doing his job. This is why it's so important to know who you are working with, their was many red flags from the beginning.
The guide had already failed by letting them go with faulty oxygen bottles and knew it. He probably felt that he couldn't cancel the climb and reimburse them (although that was his duty), and then once they were already on the mountain and breathing from defective apparatus he probably was worried that those who were in trouble if they were to survive could sue him, better let nature "Take care" of the problem. Michael was no longer there to talk about his faulty oxygen bottle.
Oh please .... told by who? People who heard it from other people who knew someone whose second cousin had a BFF whose daughter went and didnt see anything?
He was going slow before camp 4. He was slow the whole summit push due to not getting the rest the others had.
If he was with any other team, he would have lived. All accounts say that when they reached Camp 4, the first time, he was one of the stronger climbers. Then his oxygen, guides & team end up self destructing, and he ends up dead. Shame.
The plane landing at that airport would be enough for me to turn around
😹😹😹😹😹😹
Me too🤣🤣🤣
Yep,that would be enough adventure for me
That was not Kathmandu Airport.
I know right. Lukla airport = cliff edge…?
If you got that kind of money, and you’re really doing it for the love of the climb, I won’t say don’t do it, just don’t start with Everest. Find a good service and try Cho Oyu in Tibet, Manaslu in Nepal or Gasherbrum 2 in Pakistan. See how you do at 26,000’ without the crowds, and without the bizarre attraction to standing on top on the world at all costs, that warps minds and clouds judgement. If you have big problems at 7,000 M without oxygen, it’s not going help you nearly enough at 8,800 M. I think if this young man had gone to one lesser peaks in the region, gauged how he did at extreme altitude, tested one of these outfits; their equipment, their leadership, out for himself, sharpened his technical skills, and then made a far more informed decision on whether or not he should climb Everest, he’d probably still be alive and climbing today.
Completely agree with you.
Also Aconcagua, even if it's the highest mountain in the Americas, it's nowhere near as hard and technical as climbing Everest, and should not be counted as experience for climbing an 8000er in the Himalaya.
Aconcagua would be an excellent prerequisite for preparing to climb an 8,000er. The tallest peak in the world not located in Central Asia, it’s an excellent way to test and increase your vitality, especially at extreme altitude. Denali’s better in terms of testing ice-craft and how one does in extreme cold, but Aconcagua is taller, and worth climbing for the view alone.
@@jamesm3471 i dont think aconcagua is enought to go from straight to everest.
I was raised near the Aconcagua, and we camped with my Scouts troop there every leap year.
It is NOT preparation. Just acclimatation. Preparation could be the aforementioned summits, Chamonix or the Gran Sasso for the wind changes/ cold, and Eiger's 'normal' face if you want a challenge (another summit not for beginners)
Did you climb Everest ? If no shut up 🤫
That bit with kekas and the oxygen bottle was like something out of a horror movie.
lgloo Man ~ Yea! lve never heard of such insanity!
If you want a laugh just google Henry Todd who supplied the oxygen and operation Julie
Why would you even stay on the mountain with that prick? Accidents are so easy to arrange....
@@Dressagevids Just googled him and it is absolutely insane.
@@Dressagevidsholy ish. I didn't know this 😳
So sorry for Michael Matthews .He looks absolutely exhausted at his last photo on the summit.SO many fatal mistakes ,so many red flags ..Rest in peace Michael Matthews😞
He probably had a pulmonary edema and he must have known before going to the summit that he was not going to survive. Even the pictures show the angst in his eyes. When a sherpa yells at you to turn around and go down and you ignore that while you're already feeling horrible, this is a dead man last wish. Michael knew he was dying.
Yes mainly by Micheal himself
That was murder because he is boss and he will show you !the guide is he
As a child he would visit us and us them. His brother is married to Pippa Middleton.
If he was already dying then I understand why he ignored him. It's the last thing he's gonna do, he wants to do it, might as well
Just watched the movie everest about the 1996 disaster. There was many experienced climbers on several of the teams that went during those fateful May days. Rob hall and Scott fisher were both highly experienced guides and died. The japanese woman climbed six of the seven summits like sandy pittman had. Three of them wouldnt of survived without Anatoli boukreev, the russian animal who was the only one who didnt use oxygen, reached the summit first and went back three different times to save a person each time. Its no man's land up there.
It was that bloody postman 📪 who got them killed .He was not fit for the climb and inexperienced .
The Japanese woman actually climbed 7/7. She made it up and died on the way down. So she was successful.
@@lindymcdonald8945you mean it was Rob Hall's fault for not turning him around. Allowing him to summit as late as 4pm when the turnaround time was 2pm.
The absolutely essential things for climbing is the climbing gear itself like ropes and the oxygen.
The climbers bring their own warm weather gear and so forth.
So it might seem that there is incredible organisation needed but in fact, it isn't very difficult to list the tents, food, climbing gear and oxygen and make sure all that is taken by the sherpas you hire.
Failure to provide one of those basic things, like a tent or food or climbing gear or working oxygen is completely unforgivable. I've organised month-long events in a field in a different country with dozens of acts for tens of thousands of attendees and messing up oxygen would be like forgetting Porto toilets or a stage.
I know they have to get the stuff to Everest but they should do a proper check of everything before the Sherpas take it to basecamp let alone before they take it up the mountain. This isn't an oversite or mistake this is terrible management.
They should check everything on paper, then check everything before going on vehicles, then check it all before the Sherpas carry it to basecamp and then a final check that every one equipment is compatible before it goes up the mountain.
I've been on many diving trips some way out travelling through the desert, of course, you check you have the correct tanks.
Sorry to go on but there is no excuse for this. It is appalling management. They are highly paid specialists and it is a life or death situation. Everything must be checked and rechecked, but it wasn't even checked ONCE!
We were friends with his family when our boys were children, and they played together Michael was an extremely handsome child. So sad that his young life ended far too soon. RIP dear Michael.😢
This really was an interesting video. I’ve already heard about this case, especially the emotional seek of his brother for his body, but I didn’t know that the whole organization of the expedition was a mere impertinence. So thank you very much for this part of the story worth to be known.
Nobody should be on that mountain unless they have years of experience and approved level of fitness. Truly heart breaking for the family, I hope they find peace
Agreed
I’m out of breath just watching this video
Noob
A better idea; Dorney Park; Wild Water Kingdom.💙
Wtf... they’re just gonna casually mention an attempted assault and not further elaborate!? Chased with an oxygen bottle?? WTF!? Lmaooo
Is this the fight they are talking about? 😩😂
“The article reports on a bizarre episode where a crowd of Sherpas allegedly attacked Ueli Steck and Simone Moro (two of the world’s most famous alpinists) as well as photographer Jonathan Griffith.
The attack happened at 7,200 meters on Mount Everest, high above base camp. It was said to have been caused after tempers flared between a Sherpa leader and the western climbers, who were climbing near the Sherpa’s fixed ropes.
Death threats ensued. The Sherpa group, sources report, threw stones and assaulted Steck, Moro, and Griffith.
They retreated to base camp. Moro and Griffith sustained minor injuries. Steck received a “deep cut on his face” and there are preparations being made to airlift him to Kathmandu.”
@@frenchkiss8789 No. It's not the fight they're talking about in the video
Exactly my thought. They talk about this guy chasing him with an oxygen bottle and I'm sitting here thinking "ok, and why was he doing that?" and then they just moved right along without saying more.
@@ln5321
Not to mention he then trusted the same guy who tried to beat him with the tank, to guide him up the mountain safely just a few hours later and not push him off.
That part boggled my mind too! The storytellers were clearly lacking oxygen 😂
It is horrible how he died but when climbing at such high altitudes, you must do you due diligence and accept the risks that the mountain poses.
I went on an Everest Base Camp trek .... we had meals out, days out, group meetings, trekking, details, kit talks, etc, in Kathmandu before we flew into the mountains.
You train as a team, you fight as a team...
Unless I am GUARANTEED A YETI, THAT CLIMB LOOKS LIKE THE MOST MISERABLE TIME EVER. I don't see what people see in climbing that mountain...
Me either. They must love the “thrill” of possibly dying if they make the wrong move or decision.
the mountain doesn't want us there. it's easy to see in the photos and videos.
Got to love how, when obvious disasters happen, as can be almost inevitable, it's someone's fault. Come on, you wanted high risk, you got it. Stay home otherwise or choose something less risky. I mean when you know that your oxygen tanks are non-functional, when a guy attacks you with said oxygen tank, I think you have a problem.
@@Truthasvictim i find it utterly fascinating. i can't stop watching these videos. in these videos, people seem tired, over stressed and outright not enjoying the trek. to me, the partying in the camps would be awesome fun. If they allowed it, I would consider just hanging out at the lower camps and partying with these guys.
i think they are allowed just enough time at the summit to do some photographs of themselves and their team's flag and then they have to clear out.
the thrill is AFTER the accomplishment. it has to change one's perspective on life...feeling vibrant and alive! pushing themselves to the brink of death or to death itself.
I think most people who do this climb realize they may end up as another relic near the summit. if not, they probably should avoid it as you say.
@@brendon080909 the longer you stay at the top, the less chance you have to make it back. Chances of making it without Os are pretty low.
You have to remember the summit is only 1/2 way
12:37 climbing Everest in the first place is the definition of an unnecessary risk.
When people want to climb Everest, money should be paid to operate an annual clean up of the area.
Part of the £40000.is spose to cleaning up afterwards. You do see the Sherpas cleaning up after all the good stuff has been gone… What ppl don’t understand is that water from the snow is drinking water for many towns and they don’t want clothes that are filthy dirty up there because the climber didn’t want it anymore. They sign paperwork that says u have to make sure u take ur rubbish back down with you.
Thay should have sold Camel Cigarettes and say I would walk a mile for a Canel.
If someone asks you to withhold information surrounding the death of their relative. You absolutely must bring that issue and everything you remember to the family and any investigations being conducted.
Yes, it definitely wasn't withheld to avoid upsetting them! Plus, they're going to be upset anyway!
“Sherpas”, never leave camp without one.
A part of me feels Michael made a fatal mistake by not going down with the rest of the team,that time they rested and regrouped,seemed to be necessary and a crucial part of the end result..He seemed to never fully recover from that mistake,yet he pushed on and again,his decision was a fatal one..I feel like his guide abandoning him was so unprofessional but clearly he wasn't qualified to guide because just assessing Michael's condition,he should've insisted they turn back..I don't understand the allure of risking your life on a mountain in horrendous conditions but apparently it's worth dying for..😔
He had no idea that they would rest that long. They believed they would have to come back up right away, because of the limited window to climb. It is likely the guys who went down realized this too late and were angry that they wouldn’t as rested as Micheal, so they told them to come back down. A all around nasty situation.
The oxygen played a big part in Michael's death in my opinion. This is such a sad story l feel bad for his parents they must think of their lovely son stuck up there it's heart breaking. That company were bloody awful! They were responsible for Michael's death in my opinion.
@Thomas Snyder That guide should not have brought him up the mountain, especially when a Sherpa told Michael to turn back!
@Thomas Snyder I don't think his story was that Michael collapsed and had to be abandoned. I though the guide just said he lost contact with him. You don't pay a guide to just wander off. But I suspect we don't know the whole truth. Maybe no one does.
Obviously it wasnt "crucial" to go back down, because the other guy Dave stayed with Michael at ABC, and he successfully summitted and got back down. I cant say for sure but i really do think his oxegen wasnt working right, the pictures of him on the summit he looks quite exhausted from lack of oxegen imo.
Its amazing how close Dave and Mike became over such a short period. Mike must have been a pretty magnetic guy. I trust Daves description of the events especially considering its corroborated by the other witnesses on the mountain. Noticably absent are any other perspectives.
I know Dave. He definitely was telling the truth
In my opinion not everybody is able to climb so high. But the climbers involved in such adventure, they must know the team work is so important!!
It is quite possible that Michael had pushed himself to the limit and suddenly fell ill with acute pulmonary or cerebral oedema and was no longer able to even keep on his feet or move. Add the gale force winds and it would have been impossible for the guide to carry him down the mountain on his own.
He should have descended with his client when everyone else did. Michael looked absolutely exhausted in his top photo, totally drained of any reserves. Maybe the guide’s judgment was clouded by summit fever and he did not want to give up on his own summit bid?
The guide should have at least roped Mike to him - at least he would have known where he was and what was actually happening to him.
Nah....just hubris, plain and simple
@@bobedwards7455 No, it's never plain and simple, sadly.
@@sheilaboston7051 if Michael in HACE or HAPE condition, he could not even control himself. We actually don’t know what happened but many had said he looked slower than other people, lack of energy, this is the sigh of HACE he might face.
@Steve Warlee based on the the scientific
Organisers should have been arrested
If you can't even handle going back to base camp after a failed attempt, probably shouldn't be climing the everest.
So true.
Do you mean them going back down and being tired because If so they did not get enough rest so they did not have enough energy
@@yuhyuh5748 also the handle of failure so if you aren't prepared to fail don't go
@@djchild8941 not really his death could of been easily avoided if the group was actually ready and everything worked
@@yuhyuh5748 he would be alive if the guide had told him to turn around instead of saying he will take him to the summit. His greed ultimately got him killed
Enjoyed the classic footage, well told documentary of climbing Everest in the 90's and sad to see what can easily go wrong. Thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it.
Concerning the death of Michael Matthews and the sheer incompetence of the company ott Expeditions, the term corporate manslaughter comes to mind.
But each climber is responsible too. The sherpa TOLD Matthews to go down. He refused.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS: That’s what we’re paying them the big bucks for!
As nice of a guy as Mike was. He should not have been on that mountain period. Nonetheless, heartbreaking for his family. Would he be alive today if he was with a reputable climbing company, yes. But he wouldn’t have summited.
Those weren't his last words lmao
There seems to be two groups of climbers. Those experienced and those who have money and just hire people to basically haul you up to the top.
So basically there's a responsibility of expedition leaders not to take on those who don't have experience. And also to ensure proper equipment -- oxygen, radios, etc.
I’m not arguing that the expedition company was a mess, but I wouldn’t necessarily blame Mike Smith for leaving Michael. Rob Hall didn’t leave his client even when everyone was telling him to and they both died. I know he’s seen as heroic for that, but he had an entire life to live and so did Mike Smith. I’m not saying he did the right thing, but based on the information we were given, I wouldn’t necessarily say he did the wrong thing either.
I read that the client was Rob Hall’s best friend. That could be why he didn’t abandon the client.
I 100% agree. Mike Smith was right to leave Michael and got down. His decision to assist Michael up was wrong but asking him to go back and find Michael may result in two deaths. I am surprised to see that even in the documentary Dave still accuses Mike of not staying and searching. He did not understand what should be done there. Mike Smith had made the best choice in that situation.
If you are going to tell him to go up, you better come down with him.
Actually, I do support Mike Smith in his decision, because: if you take this expedition, you accept possible death or serious injury, and one in 17 people trying end up dead. You can't expect anyone, be he a tour manager, friend, guide or sherpa, to risk their life for your life. You decide to risk your life for a test of your physical and mental strength.
You accept that you may even have the physical and mental strength to succeed - but the weather or random happenings may simply stack against you.
@@josephdang3687 from what i got he didnt critise him for not going back and looking for him, he critised him for getting so far ahead of his client in the first place that he had no idea where he was.. Which i personally agree with. If he had said i was with michael and he wasnt responding well and couldnt walk at all, then maybe id understand. As a guide he shouldn't have put himself in a position where he went ahead of a climber (who possibly needed help/guidance down the mountain), his reasoning just doesnt cut it imo
I have a strong opinion here. A guide is just a guide. Everest is a place where you must ultimately only rely on yourself. Mike had a responsibility to himself to turn around when the sherpa advised him to. Yes it sucks the guide chose to save himself from also being a statistic of Everest, but everyone knows going in what the stakes are. And this was a mere 3 seasons after the disastrous 1996 tragedy. I've also heard alot about Henry Todd over the years manipulating & monopolizing the lucrative oxygen market for Everest. Shame that so many shenanigans are associated with the most majestic mountain on Earth.
I got altitude sickness in the Rockies one time - “Rocky Mountain Fever”. I can’t imagine being 4 miles higher than that.
Rocky Mnt Fever is from a tick bite, not high altitude.
@@CMTHFAF Oops, yeah I conflated “Mountain Sickness” with “Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever”.
@@mattkaustickomments That’s okay because I left out the “spotted” part.
I’ve had altitude sickness and it’s awful. Fortunately, I’ve avoided the tick😀
I'm sorry but I would have trusted the sherpa over the guide anyday
Me too, although people talk about Everest 'fever' when you're so close to the summit, plus lack of oxygen doesn't allow for clear thought. At a minimum, the guide should have roped Michael to him - no point in having a guide if he's not looking out for you.
Yeah, but, people think a guide wouldn't take unnecessary risks with their own life so if they are accompanying you, it must be safe (as safe as being in the Death Zone of Everest can be). I think the same thing about skydiving. I would feel safer doing a tandem skydive b/c the "guide" is with you & is controlling the experience & they aren't going to do anything to jeopardize their own life..
There have been storms and disasters that have taken out several climbers in one night. 1996 was one of the worst. They lost 8 in the storm and then 1 more the next day. One of the leaders was Rob Hall. A good leader with good guides and shared his clients joy when they summited. He got caught in the storm with a weaker climber and wouldnt leave him behind when he was advised to. He was to dedicated to. He probably thought help would come but when they tried to get to him it was just to hard in the storm. Another was Scott Fischer. He was also a strong leader. He collapsed exhausted. Their guides stuck with it and saved lives. I'm not a climber but for some reason their deaths stuck with me.
@@Ripleys_mom There was actually a death earlier in that season when a Taiwanese climber died and David Breshears helped to retrieve his body. They were all on the mountain at the same time. That first death was like an omen.
You say that because your brain is functioning properly. If you are at that altitude with a faulty O2 supply you are not going to be thinking clearly. Even in the best of conditions you will have some degradation of your cognitive skills.
I enjoy watching mountain climbing videos. The life and death risks that one takes for these is amazing. Not a climber myself though. Thanks for the videos.
I think before one decides to climb up the Mt. Everest, he or she must be physically fit. Experience in trekking, climbing, or hiking must be specifically considered. An amateur joining an adventure is risk. One has to asses their respective capability. Common sense is a simple answer for anyone.
Ordering new /different bottles
without the matching regulators
is SOOO UN-PROFESSIONAL!!!
😱
The stupidity of the PEOPLE
BEHIND OTT NOW CALLED
ALPINE MOUNTAINEERING
is criminal indeed!!!
🤬🤬🤬
That's not what the video says. OTT didn't order them but were supplied with them instead of some of the Russian bottles they had, in fact, ordered. By the time Tinker found out, the Sherpas had already moved the American and British tanks (without matching regulators) to camps 3 and 4. The only alternatives at that point were to accept the suppliers assurances they worked fine with the Russian regulators, or not to accept them and call the expedition off. There is blame all round, but the primary fault lies with whoever decided to try and adapt the cylinders to fit the Russian regulators without a) telling OTT before delivering them and b) making sure they bloody well worked properly.
Many of cases of stupidity that killed people
This kind of docudrama fascinates me. Look forward to the more to come!
Watching people die?
Me too Jill.
Me too. These people are doing something that I would never attempt to do. They’re risking their lives for this venture.
Some of them don’t even have the experience to climb Mount Everest and are risking it all.
I want to understand the psychology behind them doing it.
*What so many people fail to realize about Michael Matthews, is that his older brother James (featured in this documentary at the beginning), is married to Catherine, The Princess Of Wales' sister Pippa Middleton. Michael would have had an amazing life if he had lived. My heart goes out to those who knew Michael and those who were on that fated expedition, who truly cared for Michael and his well being. My heart is heavy for their loss. RIP Michael*
A recent documentary was made by his younger brother in which he and a team went in search for his brothers remains. It was not successful however they did find the body of a sherpa and returned him to the family which was extremely honorable and very moving. A silver lining on a very dark cloud.
This sounds like the same problems and conditions that occurred in 1996, where 8 climbers died during a vicious storm high on the mountain.
Right... the disaster that’s depicted in the Hollywood movie where the American doctor, Beck has awful frostbite but survives? That whole story is fascinating and horrific.
You can’t be stubborn with mountain always tragedy happens when you want to fight with the rule of nature
The guide died too because he didn't want to leave his client alone on the mountain :(
@@leos.2676 A best friend of Rob Hall (the best friend was also on the mountain that day) said it was more that Rob didn't want to leave his friend Doug (they had grown close since Doug had made a failed attempt the year before and Rob wanted to help his friend with his dream). Guides will leave behind incompetent guests/clients as they should. Everest isn't something to mess with and when someone is really struggling in the death zone to the point where they are collapsing/having to be carried it's practically a suicide mission to try and carry them back down. People hiking up the mountain should be well aware of the risks involved and if they don't then they have no reason to climb the mountain. Doug knew the risks but he wasn't able to make it back down the mountain before a storm blew in. As a friend Rob stayed with him to try and help.
Of all the stories of tragedy I've heard on that mountain, that one is the most haunting. The cyclone coming up out of the Indian Ocean is what did them in. For people daring this mountain, you must know that you're taking your life in your own hands.
sorry i feel like we brushed past the fact that the guide attempted murder ;-;
Right?!! Wtf was that about???
That guide just denied the event happening and he was the only one to give an explanation, all the others were surprised, so there was nothing more to say really.. It was very strange I agree..
This is what profiteering does... when businesses place more interest in profits and personal gains than interest in their clients and other people's lives and futures in general, you get bad outcomes.
Its not quite that simple.
@@pegleg2959 It seems pretty simple in this particular case.
Pretty economically illiterate statement, as if it were somehow in the interests of the businesses involved to rack up deaths on the mountain (of course that would do wonders for their business /s). Doubtless you think the Tibetan government or some other cabal of politicians can somehow escape the universality of human fallibility and self-interest, and suddenly put their own lives on the line to drag people off the mountain when they haven't yet done so.
@@fatrick9001 lol, funny you should call my statement "illiterate". You seem far more closely related to the term "illiterate" than I am. Do you actually know the meaning of the word? Let me enlighten you... it means unable to read or write. So according to you I cannot read or write the language of economics? Well let me ask you this... Did I make a statement so broad that it was inclusive to ALL people involved in the business of mountaineering? Maybe you should not only improve your vocabulary, but also your critical reading and comprehension skills. On that note, now that we clarified your level of intellect and how vacuous you just came off... I can't possibly take your retort seriously enough to believe that you understand the workings of this world, especially when you don't even know how to properly use a simple English word like "illiterate", nor can you understand the obvious content or message withing my initial statement. I will say, your statement is not only dimwitted but also exceptionally naive.
There’s almost no mention of the sherpas accompanying the clients. I thought it was usually one sherpa with each client. This seems very strange to me that this didn’t happen.
The 90s experienced transition from the typical team expedition (usually a national team) to a more commercialized approach of the modern era. At the time, there was only about one Sherpa for every 5 members attempting the summit.
This statistic was exclusively for climbing Sherpa and the summit climb. The siege expedition style that opened Mt Everest obviously included hundreds of porters, camp workers, or other climbing Sherpa that didn't ascend past the high camps.
I just don't understand why some people think it's worth risking their lives. The end result is so insignificant compared to the effort and risk it demands.
When things get tough, people show you who they really are.
Yes but it can already be seen in daily life, for those who pay attention.
Thank you for these docs! I'm planning to summit my first set of 14ers next July and August!
Why dont you have any value for life?
Nick Kekus sure has lot to answer to...
WORD...I would've seriously been hunting that dude down, believe that
The summit was way more important than his trivial so-called friendship with Michael Matthews. Friends stay together at times like these. This expedition clearly lacked communication and teamwork and it literally amounted to "each man for himself" while on the mountain. 47:59
And the relationships they had with friends and family were trivial too. So?
each person for themselves in the mountain is preached throughout the community when push comes to shove. Family, Friends or Strangers. If they can stand try to help them, if they are on the ground sit and pray with them if you want or keep going.
The rules for the clients on expedition should be strictly done when the clients had been expecting the responsibility to their lives. Two members refused go down to the base camp and have a five day rest before the summit push. Near the summit Michael disobeyed twice that TURN AROUND because the weather changed so rapidly ! In my opinion this young man was TOO self confident with any discipline. And had any clients some troubles like lungs edem or the brain edem ? Nobody mentioned . I do not understand how much was the clients damaged because of the different O2 systems. Thanks. / On the other hand it must be very hard for his parents. I am the mother too.
Well OTt also screwed up. He could have had no proper oxygen supply..I agree that both sides are to blame..
You don't do a "summit push" from BASE CAMP!! There are 4 camps on the way between Base Camp & the summit! People leave Camp 4 anywhere from 11 AT NIGHT to 1:00 am (also night) to get to the summit the next day and leave the summit early enough (no later than 2:00pm, PREFERABLY EARLIER) to descend back to camp 4 before getting caught in the dark.
@@DonnaBrooks - If people leave at 1:00am, they’ll be arriving at the summit on the SAME DAY! And 1:00am is MORNING not NIGHT!
It’s clear she meant attempt and not “summit push” and that misstatement isn’t exactly relevant to her point. Even the film puts things as she did, describing Michael and Dave’s ascent from their stay at Camp 2 as well as the rest of them from base camp as a summit push, because their goal was the summit on that ascent and not an acclimation climb to camps 2, 3, or 4.
It may be that 22 is too young to make a good decision in those conditions.
I guess I look at this from a healthcare professional pov.
Knowing the OTT company had provided inadequate life saving tools, that they were contracted to provide, it's very VERY hard, not to calculate how that could have caused his deterioration, leading to death
Exactly what I been saying all the time. People think you can just bust your way through cold winds below minus zero...ice cold snow smacking your face at 70 plus miles per hour. Deep plus minus cold on your feet at every step, and then that same cold air going in your lungs, freezing you from the inside out. You can't breathe no more. The freezing air chokes you to death literally. Your hand freeze solid and can snap off. It's tough. It's over. That's why people climbing these Mountains fall and can't get up. Air tanks don't make it no easier. Sad ending.
The younger you are the higher risks you take whatever you are doing , driving , diving , sky diving , scuba diving , mountaineering etc , as you get older your life becomes very precious and you stop taking risks , that’s my take
So you want us to stop crossing roads? That is risky too.
@@danielledewitt1 look both ways. Precautions.
@@loveistheanswer8137 For us sight impaired/blind people looking doesn’t help us, we have to listen.
@@loveistheanswer8137 For us sight impaired/blind people looking doesn’t help us, we have to listen.
@@danielledewitt1 what the person is trying to say that you need to take calculated risks.. doing an adventurous sport is highly risky. I understand death is everywhere but that doesn't mean i jump off the building knowing i am dying someday in the future.
Knowing there were problems with the oxygen tanks before ascending and not immediately notifying the clients of the issue, in fact keeping this information from them, and not allowing them to decide whether or to proceed regardless, is absolute negligence, period. They purposely kept that information from the clients, because it would most likely result in having to suspend the climb for everyone. That should be more than enough to legally and financially hold them accountable.
That expedition was doomed from the start. Bad communication, false advertising about the oxygen, with holding information from the family. All huge red flags that that was a horribly managed company and I hope the family sued, at the least.
One thing I have learned from watching all these documentaries about Everest. It is every man for himself and Don't depend on a guide to stay with you when you are not up to par.
I have a feeling Michael Mathews oxygen wasn’t working well from the start.
How can all these older clients make it back alive and not the younger person? And why did they only call a meeting on that night before they went down? To discuss not to mention about the oxygen to Michael Mathews family.
This happened back in '99, right? Was his body ever found?
No, but they made a memorial in his memory. This is the saddest Everest death. I want the family to have justice against the company Ott.
@@miriamha970 Thanks. Yes, very sad, indeed.
The story of the OTT Expedition leader trying to assault a client with an oxygen bottle at Camp 4 is just crazy. What if he had hit him? Then it is likely murder. How this company was continued to be allowed to operate such expeditions is puzzling. They failed to provide proper equipment, leadership and a guide left a client to die. It is not a wonder they changed their name. The guide who steered clear of this documentary is the ones truly at fault. He should have made Michael turn around. Should have been aware he was in trouble. And should have been with him as they descended in bad weather. That's his job!.
So he was a good trader doesn't mean he was good at climbing everest just because you can afford something doesn't mean you should get everything
The mountain don't give a damm who you were. All mountaineers are the same to the mountain. If you respect the mountain, you pay the price for it.
Why do we have to link wealth and skills...?
@@hazarddavid6987… I was wondering, same thing.!?
@ Beverly L … you sure have missed the point dear!
I think the responsible move after the oxygen bottle issue came to light would've been to issue something like a 25+% refund and reorganize off the mountain. Just being there, even ideally equipped, is still an incredibly dangerous thing, that is forgotten or ignored at one's own peril.
Full refund. !! They didnt pay to go for a base camp scenic tour.
lmao how are you going to climb without 02?
Expecting a guide to die along with the client is awful. Everyone knows the danger climbing in the death zone is. The family is entitled to be bereaved but only one person is responsible for his death and it's on him.
I would have thought the location his body was recovered would have shed additional light on the guides story. Update: body never recovered.
to climb Everest you should have to climb Mt McKinley ..and or Cho Oyu first
Why is there no rules before you get an attempt? Like having summited other big mountains first?
@@mitchiegxxr350 There was. He climbed the highest mountain in South America to qualify for the Everest climb.
@@peterkossits4794
Not even in the same ball park
Or survive BrokeBack Mtn.
Very sad, the story of Michael Matthews. Totally unnecessary. He was so young he could have had many more attempts at the summit. Could have abandoned that attempt, and written it off to experience.
True, this is so sad. He had time to try again :(
Wow! This is such a complex story. Who’s to blame? Is it the climber? Is OTT’s greed to blame, or is it John Tinker’s decision to move on with the oxygen bottles? I understand that Tinker may have had enough experience with the various manufacturers of oxygen bottles to think he can engineer a solution to their oxygen cylinder problem. However IMO there can’t be any doubts when it comes to whether the oxygen cylinders will work at such high altitude- the whole expedition hinges on having enough oxygen supply to reach the summit. As soon as Tinker realized the problem with the different cylinders and valves the expedition should be called off or at least postponed until the team could get new oxygen bottles.
All three
They couldn’t pay me $40g to climb highest mountain on earth..don’t understand why these peoples pay to climb to their death!!!
40:40 ... Mike Smith's responsibility as a guide was to get the client back to camp safely. The sherpa told Michael to turn around but it was Mike Smith who encouraged Michael to push for the summit. Alpine Mountaineering (formerly OTT) failed to provide the proper oxygen tanks resulting in faulty delivery of supplemental oxygen. With a likely compromised oxygen supply and further exhaustion from achieving the summit would have dire consequences. Mike Smith demonstrated a blatant dereliction of his duty by neglecting and abandoning his client who subsequently perished in the storm. RIP Michael 🙏
Its fairly obvious many of these inexperienced climbers who simp,y buy their way into such a dangerous campaign have no idea the rules of the game. Experienced climbers understand the rules in these situations. You are on your own and your not expected to risk your fellow climbers due to your own inexperience. I understand the whole point of being watched,helped, etc etc. , but as mentioned, the sherpa...told him to TURN AROUND, PERIOD! You reap what you sow and even though your mother told you you were special. ..your NOT.
Facts
Wow so many unanswered questions I'm sorry for your loss God be with You, this is Sue
I have always been fascinated with Everest and the people who risk their lives to climb it. It's hard to imagine what goes through the climbers head as they pass deceased climbers in the death zone. It takes a brave strong individual mentally and physically to climb this mountain.
Or incredibly sociopathic people.
@@mimibee626Adrenaline junkies are generally not sociopaths; kind of an offensive assessment according to its definition.
IMO a real, professional and decent person employed as a guide, would not get so far in front of the 1 and only person that they had to guide?
How can you do that? And then not go back for them... (I realise that the conditions were beyond my experience and comprehension. But not the guide Mike's?)
Yes I'm glad he saved his own life, I would have wanted to do the same. But I think that he let down Michael and it cost him his life...
He shouldn’t of got too far in front of Micheal
The best and most experienced mountaineers seem to be the Sherpa
The peoples in Tibet have been there so long their bodies have adapted through natural selection. Their lungs and respiratory systems are simply better for living and working where O2 is less. The best lowland climbers may become very skilled, but they will never be the physical equal of a Sherpa at high elevations. At least that's what I have read and heard top climbers confirm. One said: The Sherpas are the only ones who are really physical capable of rescues.
Even then they too may die if they are in the death zone for too long, or in a storm.
@@rodneysmith9177amazing
Thank you for sharing this compelling story.Climbing expeditions are always intense.💛
It's very very likely that Michael was just not able to make it down. The guide can only do so much at that point before abandoning him unfortunately in that weather. It's not possible for 1 man to carry or drag another down the mountain. It's just not possible. The oxygen bottle screw up however carries criminal negligence.
AGree but then you tell it so when asked about how this happened.
@@12345fowler ok
The guide told Michael that he would take him up long after it was safe to do so and after the lead Sherpa told Michael that he needed to turn around. Then he left him behind.
Since I’m cold under 72 degrees.....nah!
LOL!!! Perfect!
Noob
@@luizbossanelli5100 Live in MA for years, too. But I can only handle down to about 25 F. Grew up in TX, my blood never thickened up here.
I’m so sorry for Mike’s devastating loss. I wonder though why árabe & Mike remained up in Camp 2 while the rest of the team went down to base camp when Mr. Tinker had to return due to a possible stroke. Wasn’t that their decision and wasn’t that a huge problem for them and for the team?
It seems like there is inevitably a “perfect storm” of circumstances when there are deaths on the Mountain.
So heart breaking for the families of Michael, to hear their son is left alone on the top of Everest alone.
thats the risk you take its no joke everyone knows the risk
Like it's a surprise? Their son didnt care about their concern.
I can't believe that the clients were so timid. I would have had my oxygen gear tested at base camp and found out what the true situation. Don't rely on idiots.
Thanks for the post. It seems the storms change the weather incredibly fast.
Sounds like a whole bunch of immature egotists running around Everest. Sounds like Picadilly Circus already. I’m waiting for them to put up a McDonald’s. people yawn when they hear you summitted Everest today
Im sorry what did you say,,,,,,,,yawnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! lol
@@youraveragejoe123 hi doctor sir🤣🤣🤣 yes that’s why I do that from my couch😀
@@MsLouisVee and eat cheeseburgers
@@LaMostraVia 🤣🤣🤣Hamburger no cheese. fries on the side.
@@MsLouisVee better than the meals they have on expeditions that’s for dam sure! 😂
For all those who rode the short Bus; The reason I said, "The cameraman is always the best climber, hands down on the mountain", is because he deals with all the dangers and hardships as everyone else, and still films it all with Cinematographical perfection.