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Everest controversy: Weston DeWalt's latest response

Thu, 20 Aug 1998 19:00:00 +0000

My thanks again to Jon Krakauer for contributing his thoughts and to Salon for providing a venue for this dialogue. In keeping with Jon's desire to bring this discussion to a close and because I have an interest in doing the same, I'll restrict myself to those questions and issues that Jon raised in his last posting.

Was there a "plan" for Anatoli Boukreev to descend ahead of clients?

Jane Bromet on two separate occasions volunteered that Scott Fischer had a plan (see previous postings and "The Climb") for Boukreev to descend ahead of his clients in the event of problems on the descent. The fact that Boukreev was not aware of a specific plan prior to summit day is no proof that there was not such a plan. In fact, Boukreev seems not to have been well informed about "what if" alternatives in the event the climb did not go as planned. In "The Climb" (page 159) Boukreev describes -- on summit day -- his falling back on the fixed-ropes above the Balcony in the hope of seeing Fischer, with whom he wanted to discuss his concerns about delays and what actions Fischer might want him to take.

Everest debate, Part Two: Weston DeWalt

Fri, 14 Aug 1998 19:00:00 +0000

I thank Jon Krakauer for his thoughts on my response to Dwight Garner's "Coming Down," and appreciate Salon's invitation to respond to them.

On April 21, 1997, I interviewed Krakauer, and he said, "What I have trouble with -- it seems clear to me that [Anatoli Boukreev's rapid descent] was a mistake. Whether Scott told him to or not, it seems like a mistake and it was a bad idea."

Ignoring Boukreev's explanation, that Mountain Madness expedition leader Scott Fischer had approved his descent, Krakauer -- with great skill -- walked backwards in the traces of the Everest story and created, in his Outside Magazine article and in "Into Thin Air," a scenario that was consistent with his judgment, one that made it appear that Boukreev had acted unilaterally and in his own self-interest. With that act I think Krakauer attempted an assassination of character for which, after the fact, I do not believe there is a justifiable defense.

Everest controversy continues

Fri, 07 Aug 1998 19:00:00 +0000

I want to thank Dwight Garner for "Coming Down" and his effort to convey some of the prevailing issues in the "Into Thin Air" vs. "The Climb" controversy. It was a bold start. There were, however, some loose ends in the article, so this letter. I shall restrict myself primarily to the issue of Jon Krakauer's characterization of Anatoli Boukreev's actions on Everest in 1996, and will not discuss Krakauer's suspicions of conspiracy among members of the American Alpine Club; his backing away from Martin Adams, whom he has previously described as seeming to have an "unusually reliable memory"; or the differing memories of Beck Weathers and Krakauer as to their exchange at the Balcony on summit day. By ignoring them I do not mean to suggest that they are not worthy subjects for consideration.