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Andy Politz
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Meet the Team 1999
Andy Politz
Andy Politz is 39 years old and lives in Columbus, Ohio. He
has climbed Everest once, via the North Ridge. His career in
the mountains has lasted 25 years, including guiding for 12
years at Mount Rainier. This is Politz' sixth Everest
expedition. (He has been to the West Ridge, Kangshung Face,
South Col, Japanese Couloir, and the North side.)
NOVA: Do you think Mallory and Irvine surmounted the
Second Step and made it to the summit?
POLITZ: I believe Mallory and Irvine could have made
it. Mallory was a good enough climber to have done it. The
climb is not all that severe and I personally like this
scenario: Mallory climbed it because he could have. He could
have had a zenith of a day where all your best climbing skills
ever have come together to meet at this one point. This was
his last chance, probably. I can understand where he'd feel a
little bit desperate and put his neck out farther than normal.
I like to believe that he climbed it—got to the top. I
remember being up there and noticing there are no good places
to put in an anchor to rappel off and that is not terrain I
would be very comfortable downclimbing. There are five feet at
the top that would be very difficult to downclimb. It's loose
rock and very steep. It is absolutely vertical. So I think
that he climbed it, and I think that he was not able to
descend the Second Step.
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