Everest, Inc.

November 1, 2023
There's something both inspiring and off-putting about humanity's fascination with Mount Everest, at 29,029 feet a mountain two times higher than Pike's Peak. Inspiring for the stamina, strength, humility, and courage required for anyone to succeed at summiting it; off-putting for the vast "guiding" industry that, for the past 30 years, has trafficked thousands of often ego-driven, often wealthy "clients" up and down the peak, with terrible losses to hikers and their Western and Sherpa guides and to the integrity of the mountain itself. Adventure writer Cockrell (Outside, Men's Journal) teases out both sides of the issue, clearly conveying how exceedingly difficult the climb can be while describing in great detail the exponential growth of the industry. The mega-success of Jon Krakauer's firsthand account of a disastrous 1996 Everest climb, Into Thin Air, notwithstanding, this title might find only a niche audience--for example, most readers are probably unaware that 2023 was the deadliest year for climbers trying to reach the mountain's summit. Yet Cockrell has done readers a service in setting it all down.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 26, 2024
Journalist Cockrell chronicles the simultaneous democratization and commercialization of high adventure in his deeply researched debut account of the guided climbing industry on Mt. Everest. Setting himself in opposition to tales of “tragedy or triumph” on Everest, Cockrell aims for a more nuanced story of entrepreneurial gumption, local economic uplift, and expanded access. Once attempted only by the most elite climbers, in the 1980s a ragtag assemblage of mountaineers saw an opportunity to make Everest attainable for a hefty fee. Through a combination of imported scientific innovation (satellite phones and oxygen tanks), Sherpa know-how (including the quick building of stone shelters at high altitudes), and permanent infrastructure (a series of camps up the side of the mountain), a booming industry was born. Everest has now been climbed by nearly 12,000 people, the vast majority of them clients of guiding companies. Cockrell doesn’t always fully convince in his effort to push back against common criticism of these developments—the fact that deaths are “less than 0.5%” of climbers isn’t totally inspiring, and his highlighting of the local Sherpa people’s prospering off the industry, while illuminating, is noticeably missing any figures on how much the guide companies actually make. Still, this is a sure-footed, and at times riveting, history of Everest. Fans of mountaineering adventures will want to add this to their shelf.

Starred review from February 15, 2024
An examination of the modern history of Mount Everest and its guiding industry. In this enlightening book, Cockrell, an adventure writer for Outside, Men's Journal, and other publications, expertly traces the industry behind the majesty. As the author notes, the media has presented the mountain in a variety of ways: "Some painted Everest as the tragic, overcrowded mess, some the awe-inspiring natural wonder, some as the ultimate symbol of human triumph." Furthermore, the narrative is often "hijacked," presenting a "skewed view of the mountain, especially what it's like today." In order to tell the complete story, writes the author, we must acknowledge "uncomfortable facts and inconvenient truth." At the center of much of Everest's historical controversy is the relationship between Westerners and the Sherpa people. During the mid-1980s, climbing Everest became "more of a logistical challenge than technical one," as climbers began taking advantage of technology to increase their chances of reaching the summit. Over time, Western guide companies began welcoming people with more diverse backgrounds and less technical climbing experience. As the mountain began to become overcrowded, Sherpas, "indisputably...the backbone of the industry," began to feel increasingly marginalized and unappreciated, particularly by Westerners. Tensions came to a head in the mid-2000s when a series of tragedies befell the mountain, resulting in Sherpas demanding a voice and seeking reforms. From Texan Richard Bass to Nepal-born Nirmal Purja, Cockrell details the gnawing desires that have brought climbers to the top of the world, offering illuminating firsthand accounts and perspectives of mountain climbers, guides, Sherpas, and anyone else involved in the Everest industry. Fortunately, a promise of hope exists, as Cockrell relates: "For most guides, Western and Sherpa alike, that appears to be the feeling in Everest base camp today, that integration and cooperation, not elimination, is the way forward." An astute history and powerful cautionary tale.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.