Stranded Summit | National Geographic

as the second day draws to a close the

as the second day draws to a close the windchill factor drops well below 10

windchill factor drops well below 10

windchill factor drops well below 10 degrees all night long 45 mile-per-hour

degrees all night long 45 mile-per-hour

degrees all night long 45 mile-per-hour winds pound the ridge and as morning

winds pound the ridge and as morning

winds pound the ridge and as morning breaks the storm rages on with no let-up

breaks the storm rages on with no let-up

breaks the storm rages on with no let-up making it nearly impossible to see or

making it nearly impossible to see or

making it nearly impossible to see or climb how’s the weather the men have

climb how’s the weather the men have

climb how’s the weather the men have less than 30 hours left to reach the

less than 30 hours left to reach the

less than 30 hours left to reach the summit time to make a tough call stay or

summit time to make a tough call stay or

summit time to make a tough call stay or go here’s the deal we have choices one

go here’s the deal we have choices one

go here’s the deal we have choices one is to sit here and enjoy the comforts if

is to sit here and enjoy the comforts if

is to sit here and enjoy the comforts if we will have a Quonset hut on top of a

we will have a Quonset hut on top of a

we will have a Quonset hut on top of a mountain with a raging storm outside or

mountain with a raging storm outside or

mountain with a raging storm outside or open that door and head for that summit

open that door and head for that summit

open that door and head for that summit and it seems like all these guys want to

and it seems like all these guys want to

and it seems like all these guys want to go for the summit from base camp the

go for the summit from base camp the

go for the summit from base camp the summit is up a dangerous IC Ridgeline me

summit is up a dangerous IC Ridgeline me

summit is up a dangerous IC Ridgeline me looks like we got a few more miles so

looks like we got a few more miles so

looks like we got a few more miles so we’re made that made right there man

we’re made that made right there man

we’re made that made right there man we’re gonna go yeah so we definitely

we’re gonna go yeah so we definitely

we’re gonna go yeah so we definitely need to move today mm-hmm it’s kind of

need to move today mm-hmm it’s kind of

need to move today mm-hmm it’s kind of like that turtle unless it sticks its

like that turtle unless it sticks its

like that turtle unless it sticks its neck out it goes nowhere let’s get out

neck out it goes nowhere let’s get out

neck out it goes nowhere let’s get out there we don’t know what’s gonna happen

there we don’t know what’s gonna happen

there we don’t know what’s gonna happen this week stick our necks out that’s

this week stick our necks out that’s

this week stick our necks out that’s well let’s open that door and get back

well let’s open that door and get back

well let’s open that door and get back in the elements let’s roll back it up

in the elements let’s roll back it up

in the elements let’s roll back it up the wind blasts at 45 miles per hour

the wind blasts at 45 miles per hour

the wind blasts at 45 miles per hour visibility is near zero still the men

visibility is near zero still the men

visibility is near zero still the men decide to go for it it’s not the first

decide to go for it it’s not the first

decide to go for it it’s not the first time that I’ve stepped out into a storm

time that I’ve stepped out into a storm

time that I’ve stepped out into a storm raging intentional that’s what you do if

raging intentional that’s what you do if

raging intentional that’s what you do if you’re a mountain climber in Alaska

you’re a mountain climber in Alaska

you’re a mountain climber in Alaska especially if you’re not tough you know

especially if you’re not tough you know

especially if you’re not tough you know you’re not gonna make it but the higher

you’re not gonna make it but the higher

you’re not gonna make it but the higher they climb the worse it gets

better looking good for that rig the

better looking good for that rig the whole time we’ve been up here the

whole time we’ve been up here the

whole time we’ve been up here the visibility hasn’t been better than 15

visibility hasn’t been better than 15

visibility hasn’t been better than 15 feet and now visibility is the front of

feet and now visibility is the front of

feet and now visibility is the front of your hand in your face it’s about zero

the others have no idea Austin’s fallen

the others have no idea Austin’s fallen and push on nothing I can do to fix it

and push on nothing I can do to fix it

and push on nothing I can do to fix it right now

austin recovers only to find himself

austin recovers only to find himself completely alone in a whiteout