The South Summit is 500 feet above them. Two and a half hours later, they are less than half way up. It is very steep and tricky climbing.

They stop briefly for the only food they will eat that day. Climbers at high altitudes lose their ability to digest food and so they also lose their appetite. When the body goes without oxygen for too long, it begins to shut down. The stomach is one of the first organs to stop working. Bishop and Jersted each eat less than half a candy bar.

Ten minutes later they start their climb again. At 28,500 feet Bishop runs out of oxygen. Jersted’s canister is almost empty as well. They stop to replace their empty canisters with new ones that are nice and full of oxygen. They are happy to leave the empty canisters behind; they are heavy even when they are empty. But, they are also aware that they are now using their last supply of oxygen. Suddenly, Bishop slips on one of the empty canisters. Fortunately, the two men are still attached by rope. Jersted catches Bishop before he falls too far. It is another close call.

At 2:00pm, the sky is “piercingly blue.” Bishop and Jersted have reached the South Summit. They are standing at 28,750 feet above the level of the ocean. The wind is gusting 60 to 70 miles per hour.