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

Scott Fisher is an alpinist who, at the age of 20, showed himself to be a real 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

In childhood we dream of the most heroic professions. 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 a climber. 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 the mountain tops.

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, became the first American skyscraper to conquer the Lhotse peak, which occupies the fourth place in height.

The "Southern Peak" (so the name of the eight-thousandth place is translated) is 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. Walking along the South wall is almost impossible. This was done only by a team of Soviet climbers in 1990. Seventeen people worked together to climb only two of them.

"Mountain madness"

Energetic and enterprising, Scott Fisher in 1984 opens his company to conduct high-altitude 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 virtually unknown to the travel company. Everything changed in the 90s, when the conquest of Everest became the 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 the ascent 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, those willing to pay huge sums - from 50 to 65 thousand dollars. At the same time, 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, allowing himself to shell out large sums for the opportunity to climb to the top of Everest.

Compared with other climbers, whose names 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 the reputation of a bold and reckless skyscraper. Most risky clients would not like most wealthy customers. The expedition included Sandy Hill Pittman, a newspaper reporter. Her reporting on the ascent would be an excellent advertisement for Scott Fisher and his company.

Events of 1996 on Everest

About the tragedy that occurred in the Himalayas, told a lot. The chronology of the events was compiled from the words of the surviving participants 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 manage 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, a strict ascent schedule was violated. 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 behind the rest of the 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 alpinist.

By four o'clock in the afternoon they had reached the summit, although on schedule they were to begin the descent at two o'clock. By this time, a light veil covering the mountains turned into a snowstorm. 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, guide "Mountain madness", this day saved three tourists, alone bringing them to the camp. He twice tried to go up to Fisher, having learned from the returned sherpa about the climber's condition, but zero visibility and strong wind prevented him from getting to the head of the group.

In the morning the Sherpas reached Fischer, but his condition was already so bad that they made a difficult decision to leave him on the spot, making himself comfortable. In the camp they sent Makalu Guo, the condition of which allowed it to be done. A little later, Bukreev got to 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 a terrible tragedy can cause any, the most insignificant reason. On that day on Mount Everest climbers were unfortunate. They strongly lagged behind the strict schedule because of 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 heavy snow storm and did not find the strength to go down to the camp.

The open graves of Everest

Scott Fisher, whose body Anatoly Bukreev found frozen 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 bodies of several of the dead conquerors of Everest, was buried right on the site of death, could be lowered to the bottom 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 still remain on the 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 a promising topic as 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 differently (he was blond), but the actor was able to fully convey 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") refers 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 climbers 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?

The desire to be on the highest point of the world is quite 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.