Читать книгу Edge of the Map. The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff онлайн

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Accessing Broad Peak requires a trek of a week or more from Askole, the last village in Pakistan connecting climbers to the rest of the world. The hike to base camp funnels expeditions directly along the top of the Baltoro Glacier, a thirty-five-mile-long, three-mile-wide expanse of breathtaking beauty. Dividing the Indian subcontinent from Tibet, this part of the Karakoram Range packs in a few 8,000-meter peaks along with many just below that height, like younger siblings but nearly as formidable. An intoxicating stretch of rock and ice reaches a pinnacle at the convergence of the Baltoro with the Godwin-Austen Glacier. Known as Concordia, the intersection gives climbers their first views of K2 and Broad Peak. The sight has been known to stun and shock mountaineers in such a way that some climbers immediately wither, surrendering any hope of making it to the top.

IN JULY 1995, KEITH AND Chris took leave from their Atlanta jobs to climb Broad Peak. It would be the first attempt at this altitude for both of them. After years of partnering with Keith, Chris was going to get the chance to test her fortitude with others, including Scott Fischer. Scott had gathered a team of friends suited to the challenges of the mountain. He’d also hired Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, a high-altitude guide, who had become a trusted team member after summiting Everest with Scott. This climbing season bridged the gap between Scott’s 1994 clean-up expedition to Everest and the Everest expedition he was planning with clients for the next year.