The Dark Side of Everest

On May 25, 1996, South African mountaineer Bruce Herrod reached the summit of Everest at 5 p.m. A radio warning urged him to descend immediately, as the descent would be perilous after nightfall. Hours later, no news from him. This narrative centers on a South African expedition that spiraled into a fiasco, alongside a parallel ascent, and the testimonies of its members reveal how the drive to reach the top, amplified by severe oxygen deficiency, can distort climbers' lucidity, alter their relationship with death, and prompt them to neglect fellow team members in the pursuit of victory or self-preservation.