• Dark Summit

  • The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season
  • By: Nick Heil
  • Narrated by: David Drummond
  • Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (827 ratings)

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Dark Summit

By: Nick Heil
Narrated by: David Drummond
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Publisher's summary

In early May 2006, a young British climber named David Sharp lay dying near the top of Mount Everest while forty other climbers walked past him on their way to the summit. A week later, Lincoln Hall, a seasoned Australian climber, was left for dead near the same spot. Hall's death was reported around the world, but the next day he was found alive after spending the night on the upper mountain with no food and no shelter.

If David Sharp's death was shocking, it was not singular: despite unusually good weather, ten others died attempting to reach the summit that year.

In this meticulous inquiry into what went wrong, Nick Heil tells the full story of the deadliest year on Everest since the infamous season of 1996. He introduces Russell Brice, the outfitter who has done more than anyone to provide access to the summit via the mountain's north side---and who some believe was partially responsible for Sharp's death. As more climbers attempt the summit each year, Heil shows how increasingly risky expeditions and unscrupulous outfitters threaten to turn Everest into a deadly circus.

Written by an experienced climber and outdoor writer, Dark Summit is both a riveting account of a notorious climbing season and a troubling investigation into whether the pursuit of the ultimate mountaineering prize has spiraled out of control.

©2008 Nick Heil (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Here is humanity itself, personified in exemplary fashion by Nick Heil, addressing the Everest culture's lack of compassion and coming up with the right answers." (Bob Shacochis, author of The Immaculate Invasion)
Through rock-solid reporting and vital prose, Heil leads us up into this rarefied world, step by hypoxic step." (Hampton Sides, author of Ghost Soldiers)

What listeners say about Dark Summit

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Interesting accounts

I’m only occasionally interested in Everest but enjoyed this. I liked “Into thin air “ and found this comparable and free too.

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Much better than "Into Thin Air"

This book delves into the history of climbing on Everest in a way that's extremely well written. Unlike some other books written about the topic, there isn't an obvious/obnoxious bias in the text. It seems to be very well researched and is very satisfying to listen to.

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Excellent book!

Great book, narration was perfect; would purchase a hard copy to really read it and hopefully have some pictures. This book is definitely worth reading.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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You could just watch the Discovery series

I got this as part of the Everest Rabbit hole I fell into & it's the worst of the bunch. I had already seen the series from Discovery & this is almost a narrating of the show---- I would not have bought this if I knew it was going to be a book that rehashes -word for word-the TV show. There's some other stuff in it and some behind the scenes, but mostly I just felt like I was reading the 'screenplay' of the show. Since it's written like a summary and not a personal account---a summary with some obvious favorite characters, there's nothing much more gained from reading this if you've seen the series.

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Good book in its genre. Well written and good research. I would recoomend this book to all armchair mountaineers

Good book in its genre. Well written and good research. I would recoomend this book to all armchair mountaineers

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Well done

Well written and researched and a well told story that folds in the background of many climber’s stories of recent Everest deaths.

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Boring

As narrative nonfiction goes, this was extremely boring. I will return it and will not recommend it to anyone.

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No "Into Thin Air" but still worth the listen

While not a first-person account and less detailed than "Into Thin Air," it's still a good listen. There are quotes from those who were present, and viewers of the TV series "Everest" will recognize some key participants and scenes. The author does a nice job of describing and analyzing the challenges of the climb and the morality involved in certain decisions. Even if you are familiar with the events, there are still things to be learned from this book.

The narration is well done.

It isn't necessarily the best account of Everest expeditions or the deepest analysis of what motivated those involved to act as they did, but it was still enjoyable and worth the credit.

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Great adventure!

I've always been drawn to stories of Everest and this one drew me in right away. This book covers the controversy of 2006 although as the author points out at the end it should not have been a controversy. News flash Everest is a very dangerous place. Trying to pin the blame on Russell Brice seems misplaced. Great book, great voice reading!

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Excellant!!

Great read! Good story, well written, and great reader. I have read a handful of books about Everest and this is one of the really good ones.

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