Buried in the Sky

The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day

By: Peter Zuckerman, Amanda Padoan

Narrated by: David Doersch

Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

When Edmund Hillary first conquered Mt. Everest, Sherpa Tenzing Norgay was at his side. Indeed, for as long as Westerners have been climbing the Himalaya, Sherpas have been the unsung heroes in the background. In August 2008, when eleven climbers lost their lives on K2, the world’s most dangerous peak, two Sherpas survived. They had emerged from poverty and political turmoil to become two of the most skillful mountaineers on earth. Based on unprecedented access and interviews, Buried in the Sky reveals their astonishing story for the first time.

Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan explore the intersecting lives of Chhiring Dorje Sherpa and Pasang Lama, following them from their villages high in the Himalaya to the slums of Kathmandu, across the glaciers of Pakistan to K2 Base Camp. When disaster strikes in the Death Zone, Chhiring finds Pasang stranded on an ice wall, without an axe, waiting to die. The rescue that follows has become the stuff of mountaineering legend.

At once a gripping, white-knuckled adventure and a rich exploration of Sherpa customs and culture, Buried in the Sky re-creates one of the most dramatic catastrophes in alpine history from a fascinating new perspective.

©2012 Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

" Buried in the Sky is a compelling account of the men who have literally shouldered the rest of the world’s mountaineers up K2." (Norman Ollestad, best-selling author of Crazy for the Storm )

Compelling Story written with Amazing Detail

This well-written story was cleary thoroughly researched and written with great sensitivity and compassion for the protagonists, particularly the high-altitude porters and guides. I was often reminded of Jon Krakauer’s writing, and will be on the lookout for more books by Ms. Padoan and Mr. Zuckerman.

The Narration by David Doersch was top notch and only enhanced the experience. I will also be looking for more books he has narrated.

wow, what a journey both for me and the climbers

I finished this book in 2 days. what a rollercoaster of emotions. just wow.. ..

A different perspective...

I was surprised to see the other reviews for this book.

This is an outstanding story of tragedy and survival for a group of elite climbers who rarely get the spotlight: the Sherpas.
The book also shines the spotlight on a mountain peak that might be overlooked because it is not as high as Everest, but it turns out that K2 is actually considered the most dangerous mountain in the world. The tragedy that occurred on its peak in 2008 is shocking!
The book explains the culture and history of the native mountain climbers, often referred to as Sherpas. We get to know a little about the climbers who were trying for the K2 summit. The politics and cultural issues that surrounded the 2008 climb all play a part in the life and death struggle of these climbers. It makes for a very compelling book. I couldn't stop listening!
The narrator is excellent.

The only problem I had was my own fault- it was difficult to remember the unfamiliar names of each climber. I was a little confused during the critical moments of the story, trying to figure out exactly what went wrong. I had to go back a little at that point to clarify the sequence of events.

The author is very neutral and does not place blame on any one or any group. It is obvious that those involved did place blame, and there was significant friction and drama when the event was over.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book!

Simply said: Wow!

Such a sad story but so well done. The authors go into detail about what goes on behind the scenes with the sherpas ans porters. I found a lot of the info new and informative.

Must read!

If you enjoy the topic of mountaineering and respectful inclusion of Sherpa and hired high altitude expert guides, this is a great book. Finally a inclusive look at all the individuals involved in a K2 climb...and a robust study of the workers who go to these mountains to earn a living from their athleticism and expertise. The wealthy western climbers would never survive these treks without the help of the amazing, indigenous athletes.

Great story, narration..not so much

Not a big fan of the narration but the story was excellent. Overall, still a great listen

Thoroughly enthralled

As you listen, you feel as though you can see these mountaineers ascending, and hear the clink of icepicks and crampons digging into the icy slopes. It’s interesting to hear about their social interactions and relationships with fellow climbers and Sherpas.

Unsung Heroes

An excellent account of mountaineering from the perspective of the unsung heroes of the mountains, the HAPs and Nepali guides. a fascinating account of a tragic event and what brings these men to the mountains in the first place. I can't recommend it enough to anyone with a passion for climbing

Great book!

What made the experience of listening to Buried in the Sky the most enjoyable?

Typically I don't finish audiobooks because I get very bored. However, this audiobook kept my interest. I think the best part of this book was that the concentration was on the native climbers and not Westerners. There was so much information on the culture of the Sherpa's and the concentration was on them.

Above average book, annoying narrator

I wanted to love this book but it was just okay. I disliked the narrator’s use of multiple accents. It just felt awkward and almost silly. I thought the story was good although some of it will inescapable be familiar to those who already know the tale of the K2 disaster. This was good in that it illuminated some of the Sherpa background.