Status of the Michael Tracy and Jon Krakauer controversy

February 26, 2025

While not directly related to Mallory and Irvine, I’ll keep an update here on the controversy between myself and Jon Krakauer relating to the 1996 Everest disaster. More information is available at: https://github.com/mtracy-quantum/Everest/tree/main/ITA. In terms of all Krakauer’s name-calling, he has a long history of attacking anyone who criticizes him. https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/did-greg-mortenson-get-shaft/ ““I asked [Krakauer] for … More Status of the Michael Tracy and Jon Krakauer controversy

Comments on 2019 search

June 16, 2020

A recent National Geographic article describes a small search effort for Andrew “Sandy” Irvine conducted in 2019. The 2019 “search” consisted of climbing to the summit and then descending. Along the decent, a slightly different route was taken in the region near the exit cracks. This same area was searched in 2004 by Jake Norton … More Comments on 2019 search

The Crux: Mallory’s Planned Route to Bypass the Second Step

May 21, 2017

Mallory’s published statements show that he never intended to climb the entire crest of the North-East Arete.  Instead, he planned on following a route below the ridge in order to bypass the obstacles on the crest.  Mallory did not consider climbing the Second Step.  Indeed, in all his expedition journals, letters home, and documented conversations, the … More The Crux: Mallory’s Planned Route to Bypass the Second Step

Thus Spoke Mallory

May 20, 2017

The conventional wisdom is that Mallory attempted to climb the Second Step and may have been successful.  This theory is articulated in The Wildest Dream, Detectives on Everest, and numerous online postings.   In contrast, my website puts forth the idea that Mallory would not have bothered with the First or Second Steps because there was an … More Thus Spoke Mallory

The Cooker and the Compass: What Mallory told us about his climb

May 14, 2017

Mallory had a detailed plan for his climb that he discussed with the other people on the expedition.  On June 6, he discussed the details of the climb with expedition photographer John Noel.  Noel was up at the North Col that day and states in his book Through Tibet to Everest that “[w]hen the time came … More The Cooker and the Compass: What Mallory told us about his climb

Mallory’s Route to the Summit

April 26, 2017

The night before Mallory left Camp IV(North Col), he had spoke with Norton about Norton’s climb. Norton had just returned from his own summit attempt where he reached an altitude record of 28,126 at the top of the Great Couloir. Norton told Mallory that the route was climbable at that point but that he turned around because (1) he was out of energy, (2) he was out of time, and (3) he was climbing unassisted, as his climbing partner, Somervell, had fallen ill and was waiting below the Second Step while Norton climbed on ahead. … More Mallory’s Route to the Summit