American mountaineer Scott Fisher, who conquered the summit of Lhotse: biography

Scott Fisher is an alpinist who, at the age of 20,himself a true professional in conquering mountain peaks. But most of them are known for the tragedy on Everest in 1996, when eight people from three expeditions, including Fischer himself, died during the day.

Beginning of hiking with mountaineering

As a child, we dream of the most heroicprofessions. Astronaut, fireman, rescuer, pilot, captain of the ship - they are associated with a certain risk and therefore look so romantic in the eyes of the child. Scott Fischer already at the age of 14 knew that he would be an alpinist. For two years he took courses in rock climbing. Then he graduated from the school of guides and became one of the best professional mountaineering trainers. During these years he was actively engaged in conquering high altitude peaks.

In 1982, along with his wife Jean, he moved to Seattle. Here were born the children of Fisher, Andy and Cathy Rose.

The Conquest of Lhotse

Scott Fisher, a climber of the highest level, was the first American skyscraper to conquer the Lhotse peak, occupying the fourth place in height.

"Southern peak" (so the name is translatedeight thousandths) is located in the Himalayas, on the border of China and Nepal. It is divided into three vertices. For today, several routes have been laid for them, but Lhotse's conquest remains incredibly complex. Going along the South wall is almost impossible. This was done only by a team of Soviet climbers in 1990. Seventeen people worked harmoniously to climb to the top could only two of them.

"Mountain madness"

Energetic and enterprising, Scott Fisher in 1984opens its own company for holding high-mountain tours. At first this work was of little interest to the climber - the main things in his life were climbing. The company helped him to do what he liked. For a long time "Mountain madness" remained practically unknown to the travel company. Everything changed in the 90s, when the conquest of Everest became the cherished dream of ordinary tourists. Experienced alpine climbers became guides accompanying those who want to climb to the top for money. The process of commercialization of Everest begins. There are companies for a round sum of promises to organize a climb to the top. They took upon themselves the delivery of the expedition members to the base camp, the preparation of the participants for the ascent and the accompaniment along the route. For the opportunity to become one of the conquerors of Everest, willing to pay huge sums - from 50 to 65 thousand dollars. At the same time, the expedition organizers did not guarantee success - the mountain could not submit.

Expedition of Scott Fisher to Everest. Reasons for its organization

The success of commercial expeditions of other climbers,including Rob Hall, made Fisher think about the route to the Himalayas. As the manager of the company Karen Dickinson later told, this decision was dictated by the time. Many customers wanted to get to the highest point of the world. Scott Fisher, Everest for whom was not the most difficult route, by that time seriously thought about the time to change life. Expedition to the Himalayas would allow him to declare himself and show what his company is capable of. If successful, he could count on new customers, who allowed themselves to pay large sums for the opportunity to climb to the top of Everest.

Compared with other climbers, the nameswhich did not come off the pages of magazines, he was not so famous. Few knew who Scott Fisher was. Everest gave him a chance to become famous if the expedition "Mountain madness" was successful. Another reason that made the climber go to this tour was an attempt to correct his image. He had a reputation as a bold and reckless skipper. Most risky clients would not like most wealthy customers. The expedition included Sandy Hill Pittman, a newspaper reporter. Her report on the ascent would be an excellent advertisement for Scott Fisher and his company.

The events of 1996 on Everest

About the tragedy that occurred in the Himalayas, tolda lot of. The chronology of the events was compiled from the words of the surviving members of the three expeditions and witnesses. 1996 was one of the most tragic for conquerors of Everest - 15 of them never returned home. Eight people died within one day: Rob Hall and Scott Fisher, expedition leaders, three members of their groups and three mountaineers from the Indo-Tibetan border service.

Problems began at the beginning of the ascent. Sherpas (locals-conductors) did not have time to fix all the rails, than strongly hindered the ascent. Mixed and many tourists, this day also decided to storm the peaks. As a result, the strict schedule for the ascent was broken. Those who knew how important it was to turn back in time returned to the camp and remained alive. The others continued their ascent.

Rob Hall and Scott Fisher are far behindother participants. The latter was in poor physical condition even before the beginning of the expedition, but concealed this fact from others. His tired appearance was noticed during the ascent, which was completely uncharacteristic for an energetic and active climber.

By four o'clock in the afternoon they reached the summit, although bythe schedule was already at two o'clock should have started the descent. By this time, a light veil covering the mountains turned into a snow storm. Scott Fisher descended with Sherpa Lopsang. Apparently, at this time his condition deteriorated sharply. It is assumed that the climber began swelling of the brain and lungs, and there was a strong stage of exhaustion of forces. He persuaded the Sherpa to go down to the camp and bring help.

Anatoly Bukreev, the guide of "Mountain madness", in thisThe day saved three tourists, alone by delivering them to the camp. He twice tried to go up to Fisher, having learned from the returning sherpa about the climber's condition, but zero visibility and strong wind prevented him from reaching the group leader.

In the morning Sherpas reached Fischer, but his conditionwas already so bad that they made a difficult decision to leave it in place, making it comfortable. In the camp, they lowered Makalu Guo, the condition of which allowed it to be done. A little later, Bukreev reached Fischer, but the 40-year-old climber died of hyperemia by that time.

The causes of the tragedy that occurred with Fisher and other participants in the ascent

The mountains are one of the most treacherous places on the planet. Eight thousand meters - the height at which the human body can no longer recover. To the terrible tragedy can lead any, the most insignificant reason. On that day on Mount Everest climbers were unfortunate. They strongly lagged behind the strict schedule due to the large number of tourists who were simultaneously on the route. The time when it was necessary to turn back was missed. Those who climbed to the top later than everyone on the way back fell into a strong snowstorm and did not find the strength to go down to the camp.

The open graves of Everest

Scott Fisher, whose body Anatoly Bukreev foundfrozen on May 11, 1996, was left in the place of his death. To lower from such a height of the dead is almost impossible. A year later, again returning to Nepal, Anatoly Bukreev gave his last honors to his friend, whom he considered the best high-altitude climber of America. He overlaid Fischer's body with stones and thrust an ice ax over his improvised grave.

Scott Fisher, whose body, along with the bodiesseveral dead conquerors of Everest were buried right on the site of death, could be lowered to the foot in 2010. Then it was decided, as far as possible, to clear the slopes of the mountain from the debris accumulated over many years and try to lower the bodies of the deceased. The widow of Rob Hall refused this idea, and Fischer's wife Ginny hoped that her husband's body could be cremated at the foot of the mountain that killed him. But Sherpas were able to find and lower the remains of two other climbers. Scott Fisher and Rob Hall are still on Everest.

Reflection of the tragedy on Everest in literature and cinema

Participants in the incident, journalist John Krakauer, mountaineer Anatoly Bukreev, Beck Withers and Lin Gammelgaard wrote books in which they expressed their point of view.

Cinematography could not stay away from such aa promising topic, like the 1996 tragedy on Mount Everest. In 1997, John Krakauur's novel was screened. He formed the basis of the film "Death on the Mount Everest."

In 2015, the screens "Everest" came out. The head of the expedition "Mountain madness" was played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Scott Fischer looked a little different (he was blond), but the actor was able to fully transfer the energy and charm that the climber radiated. Rob Hall was played by Jason Clarke. In the picture, you can also see Keira Knightley, Robin Wright and Sam Worthington.

Jake Gyllenhaal (Scott Fisher in the film "Everest")belongs to the category of actors whose skills are growing before the eyes of the audience. Over the past two years, he managed to please his fans with an excellent game in the films "Stringer" and "Lefty." The tragedy of "Everest" was no exception. The film received high ratings from viewers and critics. Positively, the mountaineers also responded, noting only a few minor errors in showing people's behavior in conditions of oxygen starvation.

Is it worth the dream of human life?

Desire to be on the highest point of the worldquite understandable. But Scott Fisher and Rob Hall, professionals of the highest level, showed weakness and went on about the ambitions of their customers. And the mountains do not forgive the misses.

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