Into Thin Air

"A harrowing, deeply moving journey into the extremes of human endurance and the high price of ambition."

In March 1996, Outside magazine sent veteran journalist and seasoned climber Jon Krakauer on an expedition led by the celebrated Everest guide Rob Hall. What was intended to be a report on the growing commercialization of the world’s highest peak turned into a desperate struggle for life.

Into Thin Air is the definitive, 24-hour account of three separate expeditions caught in a sudden, catastrophic storm. Trapped in the "Death Zone" and battered by hurricane-force winds, climbers faced the lethal effects of extreme altitude and exposure. By the end of summit day, eight people were dead, marking what was then the worst single-season death toll in the mountain's history.

Written within months of the events, Krakauer’s narrative is visceral and hauntingly evocative. He masterfully blends the majestic allure of the Everest landscape with a raw, honest analysis of the factors—from human error to sheer bad luck—that led to the disaster.