I think something's wrong with my throat. At 17:30, Adventure Consultants guide Andy Harris, carrying supplementary oxygen and water, began climbing alone from the South Summit (8,749m or 28,704ft) toward Hansen and Hall at the top of Hillary Step. And, Scott Fischer was comfortable with that choice as well. site map. Furthermore, he notes that many of the poor decisions made on 10 May came after two or more days of inadequate oxygen, nourishment, and rest (due to the effects of entering the death zone above 8,000m or 26,000ft). Accounting for the increased volume of climbers in 1996 compared with previous years, the fatality rates on Everest dropped considerably, meaning that 1996 was statistically a safer-than-average year.[37]. In the end, I think this is one of those things where many factors were at play. The bodies of Doug Hansen and Andy Harris have never been found. Douglas Hansen, CPA - Former Executive Director - Summit - LinkedIn Hall's Sirdar, Ang Dorje Sherpa, and other climbing Sherpas waited at the summit for the clients. Perhaps the Everest film will help to resurrect his memory, and I hope to also do my humble part here. FRONTLINE series home. Yes, there were many other factors that attributed to their situation, but Doug killed Rob by being the weakest climber and forcing Robs hand. We hung out together - He was certainly no wimp & he was a good man, Blaming Doug Hansen is so much b. sh. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on April 07, 2020: Thank you Johnathan. The sudden illness of two climbers at or near the summit after 15:00. Survey science aside, it is simply wrong and distasteful to try to assign blame in something like this. Sometime before 6 PM, Rob Hall finally descended alone to a place known as the South Summit, but at this point, neither Doug Hansen nor Andy Harris, a guide who had risked his life to go to their rescue, were with him anymore. Douglas Hansen is 58 years old today because Douglas's birthday is on 11/04/1963. People enjoy taking polls and surveys. I saw the movie when in came out and since gave read into thin air. Just authentic. That seems to be the consensus, that he was liked by everyone. The Adventure Consultants casualty list included guide Rob Hall, guide Andy Harris, Japanese female climber Yasuko Namba, and Doug Hansen. and whatever their final wishes were should be honored. I argued with him on the point; I did say I didn't think it would work. The First Mailman on Everest? - PostalMag The expedition leaders did not realize that the blizzard that would hit in full force on May 11 would be preceded by increasing snow throughout the afternoon and evening hours of May 10. Boukreev had prioritized Pittman, Fox, and Madsen (all of whom were from his Mountain Madness expedition) over Namba (from the Adventure Consultants expedition), who seemed close to death; he did not see Weathers (also from the Adventure Consultants expedition). View FREE Public Profile & Reputation for Douglas Hansen in Lees Summit, MO - See Court Records | Photos | Address, Email & Phone Number | Personal Review | $100 - $149,999 Income & Net Worth. It is one of my guilty pleasures. Liked by Douglas Hansen, CPA Join now to see all activity Experience Former Executive Director Summit Physician Specialist May 2019 - Present4 years Executive Director Summit Physicians. If it wasnt for Dougs stupidity, 4 people would have been alive now. I don't pretend that it is a professional poll. I meant no disrespect with the poll. Several climbers (e.g. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on September 23, 2018: Thank you Sonya. This is quite a story and I already look forward to the next installment. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on November 06, 2015: I can always count on a nice word from you, Davika. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on December 15, 2016: Thank you Seth for your great comment and for sharing your experiences. It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, but up on that mountain they were making life and death decisions. If you caught his eye, there was something about him that made you really want to know who this guy was. Seemed like a good all around guy from the book. No one really knows what happened to Doug and that's part of the mystery, he didn't just become a 'statistic' but became part of the legend that is EVEREST! I left the Post Office about 6 months before Doug passed. The Mountain Madness 1996 Everest expedition, led by Scott Fischer, consisted of 19 people, including 8 clients. At any rate, if you are a postal worker who knew or worked with Doug, please supplement this article by providing additional information in the comments below. There were witnesses to Rob Moore convincing Doug to continue the day before, however, when he was reluctant to do so. At 4.41 pm, Hall radioed base to say that he and Doug Hansen were in trouble on the Hillary Step shortly after summitting, and desperately needed oxygen. It was just one of the things we had in common for part of our fitness routine. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Especially if thats your friend. Second they were way past the 2pm turnaround time. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. introduction. Just watch documentary movie Everest. You first meet him and you think, "This guy's all business." The previous day (9 May), Taiwanese team member Chen Yu-Nan had died following a fall on the Lhotse Face. Deb Hirt from Stillwater, OK on November 14, 2015: This was an excellent read, but from what I can surmise, Doug was more of a "people pleaser" than logical in some cases. In May 2004, Kent Moore, a physicist, and John L. Semple, a surgeon, both researchers from the University of Toronto, told New Scientist magazine that an analysis of the weather conditions on 11 May suggested that atmospheric oxygen levels fell by an additional 6% as a result of the storm, resulting in a further 14% reduction in oxygen uptake.[34][35]. I appreciate you dropping in. Thanks for reading! Hall and Fischer received these before their planned summit attempts on 10 May. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on November 10, 2015: I don't agree Scott. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on July 24, 2016: Thank you Monique. He will be remembered as a solid, supportive, friendly companion who didn't back down from one of the most daunting challenges that face mankind - to summit the world's highest mountain while braving blizzards, ice avalanches, and potential death from plunging down deadly, dizzying rock faces; all while under the physical duress brought about by scanty oxygen above 25,000 feet. After a brief celebratory stay at the top, he headed back down with Rob. [17] When Hall arrived at the scene, the Sherpas offered to take Hansen to the summit, but Hall sent the Sherpas down to assist the other clients, and instructed them to stash oxygen canisters on the route. Per Krakauer, shortly before the final push, Doug told Rob Hall, "I'm fucked! Too much press has been given to other members of the expedition, I am happy the movie featured your father prominently. Pete Schoening had decided, while still at Base Camp (5,380m or 17,650ft), not to make the final push to the summit. The Website for the 2008 PBS Frontline television show titled Storm Over Everest. The following fatalities occurred on Everest during the fall 1996 climbing season. [17], Scott Fischer did not summit until 15:45. I guess you can't appreciate life any better than when staring down a sheer precipice at the top of a mountain. Guy Cotter: Rob had a very dry, laconic sense of humor. As is typical for Everest climbers, Doug complained of respiratory difficulties during this acclimatization, which he reported to team leader Rob Hall. I knew Doug. He could make the worst situation seem funny -- just sarcastic humor like you can't imagine. Known as the "mailman" due to his profession, Hansen was part of Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants team, which aimed to summit Everest during the 1996 climbing season. [6] In 2014, Lou Kasischke, also of Hall's expedition, published his own account in After the Wind: 1996 Everest Tragedy, One Survivor's Story. He really went back and just kept cranking, trying to save him. We had evening after evening of tall tales, and swapping lies, and everything else, and Rob could hold his own with the best of them. Man, I'm gettin' too old for this stuff." I remember this tragedy when it happened, but seeing the movie depiction was really something. I respect your suggestion, however, and perhaps I will modify the title. [citation needed] Krakauer's account notes that by this time, the weather had deteriorated into a full-scale blizzard: "Snow pellets borne on 70mph[110km/h] winds stung my face. To know climbers is to really experience a zest for life that many cannot relate. I wish you all the best in your life, I hope you are living the dream as well. Thanks for reading. . Devika Primi from Dubrovnik, Croatia on November 04, 2015: A very interesting hub! Here I am, nearly 23 years later witnessing people attack my father's abilities and character People passing judgements based on what what has been written in books and articles and portrayed in movies. Thank you for stopping by and filling in some of the gaps I couldn't find trying to research this. The 1996 disaster received widespread publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.[2]. Thank you for honoring him. "Mount Everest as seen from Drukair2 PLW edit" by Mount_Everest_as_seen_from_Drukair2.jpg: shrimpo1967derivative work: Papa Lima Whiskey 2 (talk) - Th Doug Hansen Featurette From the Movie "Everest" Comments does alan tudyk have a glass eye. And it was easy to get along with Doug. The climb is over for me." A movie review is beyond the scope of this article, but having read Jon Krakauer's book after the film, I believe Everest is an accurate depiction of what went on at and beneath the summit of Mt. The novel is now stuck; I have a beginning and end but no middle. Again, I am very disheartened to see this poll still exists. [citation needed], On 9 June 1996, three days after Sherpa Ngawang Topche died in hospital from high-altitude pulmonary edema,[11] a private memorial service was held for Scott Fischer attended by the climbers and sherpas from Mountain Madness at Kiana Lodge, near Seattle Washington. Thanks for reading! By that point, dark clouds had already appeared and snow was beginning to fall. All ages are as of 1996. I was in the Califnoria wildfire last year that wiped my town of Paradise off the map. Safe is boring. A moviegoer is likely to leave the theater believing that the disaster could have been avoided if that stubborn mailman had just turned around when told to. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on February 12, 2019: Nobody and no one is to blame about the tragedy of that fateful day.let us just pray that their souls have finally found the peace wherever they are now. Southeast ofSeattle on February 18, 2016: There is a picture of Doug on the wall at my post office where he worked. Following the disaster, the use and non-use of supplementary oxygen was the focus of much discussion and analysis, with a guide and a sardar both criticized by Krakauer for not using supplementary oxygen while performing guide duties. People gravitated toward him this lovely combination of life-loving and hard-working. Is it possible that mighty Mt. The article itself i found to be very well written and informative. I put it up there to reinforce the notion that nobody really was to blame. It is hard to place the blame on anyone in particular. Who knows, maybe the Hansen bloodlines extend across the waters. Email: ssmtoffice@gmail.com / ssmtpmu@gmail.com / ssmtjobs@gmail.com He was one of a small number of climbers to summit the two highest peaks on earth: K2 and Everest. And he laughed harder than anybody; not because the way he told a joke, he just loved a story, the camaraderie of it. Because some 33 climbers were attempting the summit on the same day, and Hall and Fischer had asked their climbers to stay within 150m (500ft) of each other, there was a bottleneck at the single fixed line at the Hillary Step. Everest. I live in Seattle and was recently out for a trail run near the Cascades and was surprised to see a memorial bench for Doug. I can't even talk. I was fortunate enough to play ball for my dad, coach with him for my younger sisters teams and then to take the field with him and compete. And he almost looked like Popeye, when he'd go and say, "You're not going to be one of them moaners, are ya?" Fischer, helped by Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa, was unable to descend below the Balcony (8,350m or 27,400ft) in the storm. Doug Hansen is absolutely responsible for the death of Rob. The Tragic Story Of The 1996 Mount Everest Disaster - Grunge I would encourage you to remove it. Mountain Madness guide Beidleman and clients Klev Schoening, Fox, Madsen, Pittman, and Gammelgaard, along with Adventure Consultant guide Mike Groom and clients Beck Weathers and Yasuko Namba wandered in the blizzard until they could no longer walk, huddling some 20m (66ft) from a drop-off of the Kangshung Face. The long and short is that at 2 PM, instead of turning Doug back, Hall put his arm around the struggling climber and assisted him up the slope. Bottlenecks at the Balcony and Hillary Step, which caused an hour-and-a-half delay in summiting. Guy Cotter: Andy Harris was a fun-loving, strong guy. It was recording the climb of another team 10 years after that tragedy, and their leader had made dramatic changes in business: - he had a best weather forecast money can buy. Truth is I had never heard of Doug either, until I saw the movie. Houston Astros non-roster invitee pitcher Austin Hansen catches a ground ball during an MLB spring training game between the Washington Nationals and. I hope I can find some more famous letter carriers to keep the series going. Local Utah Obituaries - Legacy.com I count myself very fortunate. They were joined by six client climbers, three guides, and Sherpas from Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness company, as well as an expedition sponsored by the government of Taiwan. I felt the movie was a decent reflection of what transpired. doug hansen everest photo Doug was my favorite in the movie. Everest came in 1995, as part of an expedition led by an accomplished New Zealand climber Rob Hall, who formed a company called "Adventure Consultants" to guide clients to the summit of notable peaks around the world. He was always somebody who, I thought, was thinking about the other person. And infuriating when they just dont get it right. Laborer at Concrete Repair Specialist. But because of high climber traffic at the base of the Hillary step, where a delay occurred because fixed ropes had to be installed after Sherpas assisting the expedition failed to put them up, by 2 PM, very few climbers had reached the top. The body was previously unidentified but is now believed to be of Tsewang Paljor. Doug told Jon Krakauer that Hall had called him "a dozen times" from New Zealand to urge him to get on board for a repeat attempt. Thanks for reading. Everyone has to accept the possibility the won't return from Everest. Four members of the Adventure Consultants expedition died, including Hall, while Fischer was the sole casualty of the Mountain Madness expedition. Hollywood did indeed take some liberties, but if they were following Krakauer's book I thought they were more unfair to your father than Krakauer was. Apparently he had some frostbite in '95 and he thought he had a system all worked out for batteries for his boots that was going to keep his feet warm. However the poll, especially since the famly has asked multiple times for it to be taken down, is very distasteful and is hurting your article. Additionally, a total of 84 climbers reached the summit that season, giving a fatality-to-summit ratio of 1 in 7significantly less than the historical average of 1 in 4 prior to 1996. Andy ultimately proved that he had the kind of character, and what it took, to be a superb guide. The climbing Sherpas and guides had not set the fixed ropes by the time the team reached the Balcony (8,350m or 27,400ft), and this cost the climbers almost an hour. Mountain climbing is a dangerous sport and every climber knows that sooner or later the day will come when it may be their final. Boukreev made a subsequent rescue attempt but found Fischer's frozen body at around 19:00. Now get this he returned a half of his climbers and saved their lives even though they didnt want to give up. I think it is thin ice to try to cast blame for anything that happens above 8,000m. I look forward to more installments in this series, this was very interesting to read. There is some question as to the cause of this failure, which cannot now be resolved as the expedition leaders perished. A wiry, hard partying man with a prematurely weathered face that brought to mind an old football, he'd been a postal worker for more than twenty-seven yearsBecause I'd earned my living as a carpenter for eight years before becoming a writer-and because the tax bracket we shared set us conspicuously apart from the other clients-I already felt comfortable around Doug in a way I didn't with the others. He was just a good, solid member to undertake this challenge with. Unfortunately, during the 1995 climb, Doug had been turned back just 330 feet short of the summit when Hall judged the conditions too dangerous to continue. More information And those people are, I think, very important to humanity actually, because they do change people by the way they conduct themselves in the world, by the way they give to the world, by the way they invite people into growing, to become bigger through daring, through, in Scott's case, adventure. . Hansen placed the flag of Sunrise Elementary school where he works when he and his fellow climbers summit Mount Everest. He was someone who worked very hard and played even harder. wgbh. Rob Hall's team also had an issue with a radio during a discussion over oxygen bottles that caused confusion. I still am sad. He was exhausted from the ascent and becoming increasingly ill, possibly suffering from HAPE, HACE, or a combination of both. Thanks for reading. He is my brother. But today I stumbled across a photo of the bench so I googled him and found your blog post about Doug. Click For Full Schedule. There was always a lot of fun, a lot of smiles, a lot of subtle, wry jokes that you had to know him for a little while before you'd get the hang of it. The content here may be outdated or no longer functioning. He had a true passion for life. Did people die because of Doug wanting to climb to the top? Happened to come across this article again. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on November 01, 2015: The picture of Ranier looks daunting enough Bill, and to think it is only half the height of Everest. NOVA Online | Everest | High Exposure, Epilogue - PBS Unfortunately, in this case there were tragic results. My dad was a good man. A phenomenon known in the climbing world as 'summit fever' may have played a part. Sometimes I wish it was me. It was shortly after 4pm. Photography DCPA Photography Douglas County . The movie made me think that Doug Hansen and Beck Weathers played a small role in the tragedies on the Mountain that day(s) but that Rob Moore was mostly to blame because Rob Moore should have rejected Doug Hansen's and Beck Weathers pleas to continue climbing and he should have turned them around and made them go down instead. Now get this he returned a half of his members and saved their lives even though they didnt want to give up. Thank you Cris Sp, I can certainly appreciated getting delayed because of Popeye's chicken. Both deserve respect. roundtable: the ethics of climbing He did not return. However, I still look forward to watching the movie and see Doug Hansen's character specially after your interesting introduction of him. Doug Hansen finally achieved his dream of climbing Mt. The story is very interesting and sad at the same time. did christian laettner win an nba championship; shimao property holdings australia; german russian dumplings Thankfully, there are plenty of photos of the real Everest disaster to tell us what it was like on the mountain that day. We had a Post Office Football team. He had failed to summit Everest the year before with Hall, and likely pleaded his guide to allow him to summit even though he was struggling and . [Laughter] And I was saying, "Nope, not me! The team leaders' decisions to exceed the normal turnaround time of 14:00, with many summiting after 14:30. The climbing Sherpas located Fischer and Gau on 11 May, but Fischer's condition had deteriorated so much that they were only able to give palliative care before rescuing Gau. Uploading 1 Photo. Neal Beidleman: Scott was an incredibly magnetic personality. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on February 19, 2016: Thank you Southeast. I like comments like this because they make Doug a lot more real than I could. Doug was my favorite character in the movie because he's like most of us who nornally could never afford the price or time to train for such a tough climb. Reynold Jay from Saginaw, Michigan on November 01, 2015: I think he was a sub mail carrier one day during a blizzard. Photos Of The Everest Disaster Show The Horrifying Events That - Bustle It pissed me off the way the movie portrayed him. pbs, FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of wgbh educational foundation. After this time, Krakauer noted that the weather did not look so benign. To this I would add: As a precautionary measure, in the event that some extraordinary demand was placed upon me on summit day, I was carrying one (1) bottle of supplementary oxygen, a mask, and a regulator. Some people found his character and his methodical approach a little too serious in some ways until they got to know him a bit better and then they realized that, yeah sure, Rob was all business when it came to organizing things, but he liked to let loose when all was done, everything was completed the way it should have been. It was a good one 'though and I really enjoyed it just like I enjoyed reading this hub. Eight people died during the Mount Everest disaster that unfolded May 10-11, 1996. Both men gave detailed written explanations as to why they preferred not to use oxygen; both carried a bottle on the summit day that could be used if needed in an emergency or extraordinary situation. I have seen several documentaries about climbing Everest but never heard this story. Everest but at the cost of his life. Both were trapped on the South Summit by the storm. A rescue team mobilized, hopeful of getting Weathers down the mountain alive. She just didn't have the body power. But tragic ending after the successful climb is much depressing. SANTA MONICA, CA - NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) Robert Hayward, Chief Operating Officer, Summit Entertainment, L.P, Patrick Russo, Principal, The Salter Group, Doug Hansen, President, Endgame Entertainment, Ashok Amritraj, CEO, Hyde Park Entertainment and Jared Underwood, Senior Vice President, Group Manager Entertainment, Comerica Bank Entertainment Group speak onstage during the 2011 American Film . Thank you Janine. The Sherpas listed above were the climbing Sherpas hired by Rob Hall's Adventure Consultants. It's an interesting write-up and I enjoyed learning a little more about Doug. sh., I do not even want to argue. I am busy trying to dig up more legendary letter carriers. I appreciate you dropping by. He was an Indian climber who attempted the summit with a team in 1996. I watch documentaries over and over again. I have a few mailman short stories with a character loosely based upon myself, and this same character is the main character in a novel I am trying to write. [27][pageneeded], 1996 is statistically curious as the fatality rates on Everest in the 1996 season were statistically lower than normal. Summit Physician Specialist, +7 more Utah State University Rob Hall was a good man. Mel Carriere (author) from Snowbound and down in Northern Colorado on October 20, 2016: That was the impression I got too, Danae, that he would have been fun to hang around with. As Krakauer reports, "a brief conversation ensued. Following the disaster, several survivors wrote memoirs. It was a succession of many details that attributed to the peril. When Jon Krakauer attempted to rouse Doug out of his sleeping bag at Camp Two (21,300 feet) on April 26th, two weeks before the final ascent, Doug complained, "I feel like shit. He had the experience of the mountain the year before; he'd gotten within 300 feet of the summit. Thanks for reading!
