It’s easy to sit in our warm chairs and judge. We say, “Why would anyone do that to themselves?” But we also wonder. That’s the secret sauce. The mountain is a mirror that shows us our own limits, and the people who die there are the ones who bumped their heads against the ceiling of human possibility.
Every summer, when the news reports the “traffic jams” on Everest, we gasp. A traffic jam on a mountain? It’s like being stuck on the highway, except if you stop moving, you might not start again. It’s absurd. It’s terrifying. And it’s fascinating in a way that makes you grateful for your couch.
So, how many people have died on Mount Everest? Enough to make you think twice. Enough to make you hug your dog a little tighter tonight. Enough to remind you that the wildest, most dangerous thing you’ll do today is probably drive to the grocery store—and that’s its own kind of wonderful.
And if all else fails, just remember: at least you’re not Green Boots. Now, go grab a cup of tea and enjoy being at sea level.
