Boukreev had begun to consider the Mountain Madness Everest equation. They were all factors: the guides, the clients, and the Sherpas. If they went up healthy and properly acclimatized and they made good decisions and their efforts were added and multiplied correctly and the weather gave them grace, he knew everyone could come back alive. But to what extent could he rely upon the clients´ abilities to look after themselves, to take appropriate action in critical situations when the guides weren´t looking over their shoulders?
Again, why are these people climbing up that mountain? How can they possibly think that someone will be able to hold their hands while venturing up into the death zone? Especially since they already require hand holding in the lower regions of the mountain and they aren´t properly acclimatized.
Admittedly, the Khumbu Icefall is pretty frightening and that would be the point at which I would descend the mountain and go home, should I ever try to climb that damn mountain. Which will never, ever happen ;)
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