What are your thoughts on this remarkable story of life, death and survival?
Dear FRONTLINE,
I've read Krakauer's book, I've read Boukreev's book, I've read Breshear's book -- and now seen two of his documentaries. I understand the reasons stated for not interviewing Krakauer -- and the specific focus on the victims. But FRONTLINE is the place where I expect to see differing versions of historical events sorted out once and for all. While this fine film was definitely worth showing, I guess the FRONTLINE title led me to expect a reporting of -- or at least an acknowledgment of -- the controversial and differeng accounts out there. I think that would be enlightening to have from someone, once and for all.
John Miller
Scandinavia, WI
Dear FRONTLINE,
A compelling show to say the least!
I thought it was interesting that none of the survivors turned to God in their final moments. I questioned that base camp had a telephone with satellite communication, yet they couldn't have received updated weather reports before the storm had hit? The cyclone would have generated advanced weather warnings?
Deciding to venture on a life and death quest is much different then eventually facing death as the only option. Expecting others to risk their lives for your own decisions is unfair. Yet heroes won't allow others to die on their watch, while survivors will forge ahead for self preservation. It all comes down to the luck of the draw. Are you accompanied by hero's or survivors?
I find it curious that we now attempt to "socialize" Mount Everest into a code of conduct. Deaths and tragedy are constant throughout the world, but this one has captivated us all. A reflection of ourselves?
Syd Snow
Buffalo, NY
Dear FRONTLINE,
I watched "Storm Over Everest" after watching Nova's "Walk to Beautiful" about women in Ethiopia suffering with fistulas. It was a story grippingly told, and I'm truely sorry for the families of those who lost loved ones. But everyone there chose to be there. Everyone managed to come up with the money to do something they wanted to do. Let's talk about the courage, endurance, character, and daily life and death struggle those who live on the knife edge of poverty, in the gale of global turmoil, being left for dead by those of us who live in reasonable comfort, who still manage to get up and walk towards life. May God bless us all.
Judy Farnsworth
Bloomington, IN
Dear FRONTLINE,
Storm over Everest was beautifully done.
However, I have a problem with films that mourn and honor people who knowingly face great danger for mere sport.
I do not believe we should, as a society, mourn and honor people who die climbing, or skydiving, or car racing, or whitewater rafting. These activities are completely voluntary and serve only to arouse the senses of participant beyond what is natural. Dying in an extreme sport is not dissimilar, morally, to overdosing on a recreational drug. It is equally selfish.
And yet while death from a drug overdose is a cause for shame, we imbue death in the Himalayas with a quality of holiness. In our conquest mythology, we believe that only the best people climb this mountain and therefore their deaths must be the deaths of heroes.
I argue instead that people who feel they must climb to the top of Mt. Everest at any cost are not the best people, but are in fact deeply flawed, addictive, risk-seekers who have not found a way to be contented with the normal blessings and pleasures of human life.
To climb Mt. Everest is to risk death. One may not act surprised when a dangerous storm blows in. One may not plead innocence and pretend he never realized he might die or lose his fingers.
Therefore, before leaving home to climb Mt. Everest, the climber should look straight into the eyes of his loved ones and say, "There is a good chance I will die and leave you alone. But I do not care about the pain of your grief and the difficulties I will leave you in as much as I care about going up this mountain."
He should say this to his loved ones because it is the truth and no manner of skillful movie making can make it less true. Woe to the one left at home who must wait, in agony, while the climber goes away to spend a great portion of his free time and large amounts of the family's money to put his life at risk in an act of complete self-indulgence.
The sweet violins we hear throughout this movie mourn for people who have died for no greater reason than to entertain their own perverse desires for the extreme. The music should play only for the suffering of those who have been widowed and orphaned in the course of this most selfish, vain, and wasteful pursuit.
Lisa
Denver, CO
Dear FRONTLINE,
I was appalled at the waste and destruction which is being inflicted upon Mt. Everest in the name of achieving "personal bests", hiding from depression or as an alternative to compulsive shopping. People with too much money and not enough interest in their fellow man are littering Mt. Everest. Want to feel better about yourself: spend your money recovering the empty oxygen bottles and other debris left on the mountain by these self centered travelers and stay off it .
elizabeth brickfield
henderson, nevada
Dear FRONTLINE,
I watched with amazement the drive these people had to climb this mountain and reach one of their life long goals. Although I applaud their efforts, it left me with a lot of questions. It was a tragedy that lives were lost, but if they had to go, what a way to go. I think if you decide to attempt such a feat you have to expect that death may come. Why everyone was so shocked at the conditions amazes me as well. You are on the tallest mountain top on Earth, and they should have expected the harsh climates and the ultimate battle to survive.
If I were to just show up to Everest one day and say I wanted to climb, would I just be brought up because I said I wanted to do it? How do they assure that these people really do have what it takes to climb? Have they undergone medical testing to assure their bodies can handle it? Is there an age limit? People said they trained, but do they realize how harsh things can be?
I hope people have learned from that film to expect the unexpected and really weigh the goal with the cost before attempting such a life and death scenario. Some people found themselves on the mountain, like Beck, others ending up losing themselves.
Beth Carroll
Chicago, IL
Dear FRONTLINE,
John Krakauer should have been interviewed for this film. I don't find the response posted by the producer on this website as to why Krakauer wasn't interviewed to be sufficient. Krakauer wasn't even listed in the credits as being "very cooperative and helpful during the production of the film." Perhaps ill feelings between some of the climbers and Krakauer over his book are the real reason for Krakauer's omission from the film. This is the third interview of Beck Weathers I have seen where he speaks of the dishonorable behavior that occurred on the mountain but it always stops there. Frontline should have dug into this further where others have not. Anyway, Krakauer, IMAX, and many others already made this story famous and for Frontline to allow Krakauer to be omitted from the film is against their respected tradition of presenting the full story.
Tim Ellis
Beaufort, NC
Dear FRONTLINE,
Thank you for a program that could not be watched without reflecting on life and death. When the man who said he turned away from the lights of red, blue and white, thinking it was hell, I cried. Will we be ready when the time comes? It doesn't take mountain climbing for this. I was in S.D. last summer and suddenly we were caught in a raging downpour where we couldn't even see the road, but knew there were step declines on either side . . . That moment was sobering. So was watching Frontline.
Ann Jurcyk
Kansas CIty, MO
Dear FRONTLINE,
It's about like anything that is beautiful, exhilarating, and special. Once the masses and media become involved it turns stale. As for the climbers, it goes with the territory. When we decide to face nature one on one we can expect some tragedy, not every time but inevitably.
Robert Fulton
Rochester, NY
Dear FRONTLINE,
, I rather appalled by the apparent poor coordination among the climbing groups. The large number of climbers caused a backup at the Hillary Step, ultimately resulting in climbers not being able to return from the summit on time. It did not look like a good way to cope with such a dangerous environment.
Now that it seems that one can climb Mt Everest on a guided adventure tour, perhaps safety standards should be instituted for this type of climbing, at least voluntarily. Something that could have helped the people on the mountain would have been better cold and wind protection. I wonder whether this technology has improved.
Eva Coyle
San Francisco, CA
Dear FRONTLINE,
I have participated in extreme sports all of my life and one thing that just gets more clear over time in terms of ensuring safety is that nothing replaces forethought and intelligent planning. That means overpreparing for the unexpected. It also means that a team is only as strong as it's weakest members. When people refuse to be realistic about their limits to the extent that it jeopardizes other people's lives, I think that is totally selfish and moronic. On the other side, I have been lead by my share of idiots that have put my safety at risk unecessarily. A team is also only as strong as it's leader. Summitting Everest is becoming the 21st Century's version of Disneyland. It is simply not appropriate for 99.999 percent of "climbers."
Too many people who are taking on the challenge are underprepared and aren't fit enough mentally or physically. I get really tired of having to watch stories that glamorize stupid people as heros. I guess accepting the truth and tragic cost of stupidity is too hard to face, so fantasy and the liberties of storytelling take over. People could really learn from others' mistakes and benefit from being told the truth about tragedies like this. It's a shame that we always choose to romanticize the truth and opportunity for learning out of experiences like this and valuable lessons are lost.
Seattle, WA
Dear FRONTLINE,
Having watched "Storm Over Everest", I have to say that: This film does not deserve the "play" that you have given it. What happened on Mt Everest on that trip was a tragedy. There is no doubt about that. But, those peoples's egos were writing checks that their bodies couldn't cash! They were not prepared to deal with the conditions that they ultimately faced. In MHO, they should not have been there in the first place without the proper preperation for the trip(ascent?), and in MHO, Frontline should not have shown this program. This program(film) only showed the lack of judgement and preperation of the participants in the expedition. I believe that I am qualified to make these judgements as I have 1000 hours of combat helicopter flying time in Vietman, and 10 years of working as a whitewater rafting guide, with 2 trips on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, one of them at 41,000 CFS, a level not seen since 1983.
Jim Towle
Gig Harbor, WA
Dear FRONTLINE,
I'm surprised that pbs chose to step around the issues of resentment and blame for those who apparently did little to help others on Everest that night. That is a huge part of this story that just hasn't been discussed enough in a public forum. Maybe another show?
tim mcchesney
corvallis, oregon
Dear FRONTLINE,
Without doubt this was the most gripping programme Frontline has ever broadcast...just stunning! I was moved beyond tears by the courage and fortitude of the men and women involved. Everest just has to be the last worst place on earth, and yet we are drawn to it as iron filings to a magnet. Bravo David Breashears, and to you too Frontline...such a welcome change from the usual liberal political propaganda...Please give us more in the same human interest vein.
Kenelm Jenour
Los Angeles, CA
Dear FRONTLINE,
Beck Weathers' stated in a talk several years ago as he held up his now clubbed hands, that before climbing Mt. Everest he "had everything important in life in these hands" but didn't know it, and through the experience had to almost lose his life and family to figure it out.
A true paradox of tragedy and triumph--left for dead twice, but given the gift to live the rest of his life dedicated to what really matters.
Glen Witt
Maumee, Ohio
