Short Synopsis
In the tradition of Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, Nick Heil recounts the harrowing story of the deadly and controversial 2006 climbing season on Mount Everest.

Full Synopsis
In early May 2006, a young British climber named David Sharp lay dying near the top of Mount Everest while forty other climbers walked past him on their way to the summit. A week later, Lincoln Hall, a seasoned Australian climber, was left for dead near the same spot. Hall's death was reported around the world, but the next day he was found alive after spending the night on the upper mountain with no food and no shelter.

If David Sharp's death was shocking, it was not singular: despite unusually good weather, ten others died attempting to reach the summit that year. In this meticulous inquiry into what went wrong, Nick Heil tells the full story of the deadliest year on Everest since the infamous season of 1996. He introduces Russell Brice, the outfitter who has done more than anyone to provide access to the summit via the mountain's north side—and who some believe was partially responsible for Sharp's death. As more climbers attempt the summit each year, Heil shows how increasingly risky expeditions and unscrupulous outfitters threaten to turn Everest into a deadly circus.

Written by an experienced climber and outdoor writer, Dark Summit is both a riveting account of a notorious climbing season and a troubling investigation into whether the pursuit of the ultimate mountaineering prize has spiralled out of control.

"Here is humanity itself, personified in exemplary fashion by Nick Heil, addressing the Everest culture's lack of compassion and coming up with the right answers." ---Bob Shacochis, author of The Immaculate Invasion

"Enthralling from start to finish, Heil has created a timely, thought-provoking story that will thrill adrenaline junkies and armchair adventurers." ---Publishers Weekly

"Drummond stresses the ironies and dramatic moments in Heil's work.... [His] voice work humanizes the key figures." ---AudioFile

Through rock-solid reporting and vital prose, Heil leads us up into this rarefied world, step by hypoxic step." ---Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers