Howling gales whipped rocks around like baseballs. The numbing cold, 22° below zero, made even the simplest movement a major undertaking. The Mt. Everest assault team, camped at the 24,600 ft. level for twelve days waiting for the wind to abate, was exhausted just trying to breathe at that altitude. One veteran mountaineer described the feeling last week: "When you get that high, you just don't care. It's almost beyond human endurance."
But the determined party of Swiss climbers still did care. Mount Everest was still there, unconquered. Headed by Swiss Guide Raymond Lambert, 38, who had come within 900 ft. of...
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