Into Thin Air Cont'd

This week, the actual climbing began. Jon and his crew began going from Base Camp to Camp One, Camp Two, and back down again. Part of their day would be going from Base Camp to Camp One, and then back again to acclimate themselves to the air pressure, so as to prevent any pressure related diseases or sicknesses. This method works very well, Hall, the guide, explains to his group. The expedition continues from Base Camp to Camps One and Two for days, not allowing actual exploration of any new land until they are sure they can handle the air pressure. There is one journey from Base Camp to Camp One which involves climbing onto a set of ladders aside the mountain while giant blocks of ice lie careening over, threatening to fall and take the lives of those in its way. One of the Sherpas, however, at Camp One, begins to fall ill and in a race to the bottom of the mountain to get him to safety, many obstacles, like other climbers, lie in the way. Could this be foreshadowing some kind of tragedy? However, the Sherpa makes it down okay and is flown to a hospital, where he dies from an altitude related sickness.