Hall Vs Fischer

737 Words2 Pages

You wouldn't believe that two of the best climbing guides on Mount Everest could be so different. Both guides are brilliant men clever in the ways of climbing, but with two personalities both on either end of the spectrum. One guide is logical and organized when planning any climb while the other approaches things haphazardly leaving plans in disarray. The two guides, Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, from Jon Krakauer's book Into Thin Air, exhibit these two personalities throughout the progression of the book. Rob Hall is the organized guide who always plans ahead while Scott Fischer is rash and spontaneous. One could also claim that because of Rob Hall's expert planning skills, his responsible nature, and his abilities and experience with Mount Everest that is a far better guide than Scott Fischer.

Rob Hall started guiding Mount Everest in 1990 with his partner, and good friend, Gary Ball. Gary and Rob started their own company "escorting amateur climbers to the summits of big, remote mountains" (p.37). Their company was called Adventure Consultants. Sadly, Gary Ball died in 1993 during an attempt at the sixth-tallest mountain in the world. Regardless of the loss, "between 1990 and 1995, Hall was responsible for putting thirty-nine climbers on the summit of Everest" (p.37). In 1996 Hall was on his eighth expedition to Everest and he was charging a pretty hefty amount of $65,000 per person. Although, because of Hall's remarkable success rate in the past he had no trouble filling up his team fast. Rob Hall had led many teams up Everest and although not all of them reached the summit, a great number of them did. Also, during 1996 Fischer was going to be guiding his first team to Everest. This would only be his second time ...

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...ummit of Mount Everest safely, and being on his eighth expedition up Everest, Rob Hall was blowing Scott Fischer out of the water. Hall had more experience with Mount Everest as a guide as well as more experience as a climber than Scott Fischer. Rob Hall was also much more responsible than Scott Fischer because he didn't make quick impulsive decisions (such as racing two expert climbers up an icy fall when he had no experience (p.67)). Rob Hall was also an extremely organized guide. Rob Hall has earned a great deal of respect which was shown by the number of people who trusted him and paid so much money to be on his team. He has proven to be very reliable and very talented when it comes to guiding a team. And because of his experience, his excellent display of responsibility and his careful judgment it is easy to see Rob Hall is the better guide of the two.

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