Bishop and Jersted wait for their friends. It is amazing that all four men have been to the summit of the world’s tallest mountain. But this is no time to celebrate. All four climbers need to focus on getting down the mountain alive.

Bishop and Jersted lean on their axes while they wait. They use their voices to help guide Unsoeld and Hornbein down the sharp slope in the dark. By waiting for the other climbers, Bishop and Jersted lose precious time they could have used to get back to Camp VI. They get very, very cold standing in one place. In fact, their feet begin to freeze. First there is great pain, then numbness. It is frostbite. They have very little oxygen left.

Two hours later Unsoeld and Hornbein appear out of the dark night. The four men band together to continue the descent. Bishop and Jersted have been hiking for 11 hours.

At midnight the four are still trying to find their way to Camp VI, but they can’t. They are at 28,000 feet above sea level and are forced to camp out for the night. They have no tents or gear. There is no oxygen left. They are not sure they will survive the night.

The four men lie huddled between some rocks. Each is freezing cold and in pain. By some miracle the wind that has been howling, stops.