Into Thin Air Characters

Hong Kong-based publisher who, along with Jon Krakauer, joins Rob Hall’s expedition to Mount Everest in 1996. Fischbeck is a talented climber, though he suffers from severe fatigue at several points in the expedition. Ultimately, he survives the journey without serious injuries.

Michigan-based lawyer who, along with Jon Krakauer, joins Rob Hall’s expedition to Mount Everest in 1996. Kasischke survives the expedition without any serious injuries, largely because he makes the wise decision to turn around on the afternoon of May 10, rather than continuing to climb to the summit.

The British-born leader of a South African Everest expedition, Ian Woodall is a tremendously unlikable man who selfishly manipulates his teammates for his own gain. He quickly alienates most of the people on the expedition, and is forced to recruit back-ups after his star mountaineer resigns in fury.

A legendary mountaineer who joins Scott Fischer’s Everest expedition, largely because he doesn’t want to wait for his permit to come through. The uncle of Klev Schoening.

Doctor who, along with Jon Krakauer, joins Rob Hall’s expedition to Mount Everest in 1996. Taske survives the expedition without any serious injuries, largely because he chooses to turn around on the afternoon of May 10, rather than continuing to climb to the summit.

A client of Scott Fischer.

A talented climber working for the South African Everest expedition.

A Sherpa man who, in 1947, climbed 22,000 feet up the side of Mount Everest.

The head Sherpa climber, or sirdar, of Rob Hall’s Everest expedition.

The partner of Rob Hall.

Highly respected guide working with his own expedition at the time of the May 10 Everest disaster.

Close friend of Rob Hall, who dies in 1993 of cerebral enema (a rare disease caused by high altitudes).

Guide working for Scott Fischer, and, after the expedition, one of the few people with whom Krakauer feels he can talk about his survivor’s guilt.

Old friend of Jon Krakauer’s, and the leader of the IMAX Everest expedition.

A Taiwanese climber who dies after falling into a crevasse.

Climber who communicates with Rob Hall during the snowstorm of May 10.

Guide for the South African Everest expedition.

Surveyor General before Sir Andrew Waugh, and the man for whom Mount Everest is named.

South African climber, named after Sir Edmund Hillary, who resigns from the South African expedition out of dislike for Ian Woodall.

Ian Woodall’s girlfriend.

One of the three guides working for Rob Hall on Krakauer’s expedition and, along with Krakauer, the only person on the team to climb to the summit of Everest and survive.

Guide for the South African Everest expedition.

A deputy leader for the South African Everest expedition.

New Zealand mountaineer who, with Tenzing Norgay, became the first human being to climb Mount Everest, becoming an international celebrity in the process.

Sherpa mountaineer who, with Edmund Hillary, became the first human being to climb Mount Everest, becoming an international celebrity in the process.

Mountaineer who, in 1963, with Willi Unsoeld, became the first person to climb to the summit of Mount Everest via the highly challenging West Ridge.

Mountaineer who, in 1963, with Tom Hornbein, became the first person to climb to the summit of Mount Everest via the highly challenging West Ridge. Unsoeld was a close friend of Jon Krakauer’s father, and Krakauer grew up idolizing Unsoeld.

Medic for Scott Fischer’s Everest expedition.

A British explorer who, in 1924, tried and failed to climb Mount Everest, dying in the attempt.

Jon Krakauer’s wife. Linda was once an enthusiastic mountain climber, but a bad back injury prevented her from climbing ever again.

Swedish climber who shows remarkable caution by refusing to climb Everest on the morning of May 6.

A Sherpa herder who falls to his death a few months before Krakauer begins his expedition.

A client of Scott Fischer, who suffers from HACE (a high-altitude disease).

Himalayas-based doctor who helps with Ngawang’s treatment.

Talented Sherpa climber who works for Scott Fischer, and idolizes him. Lopsang later confesses to Krakauer that he blames himself for Fischer’s tragic death.

Wife of Andy Harris, a doctor who works in a Himalayan medical clinic.

The medic for the team headed by Rob Hall.

A British explorer who, in 1924, tried and failed to climb Mount Everest, dying in the attempt.

Mountaineer who succeeded in climbing to the summit of Mount Everest without using compressed oxygen, inspiring a generation of “purists” who believed that real mountaineers shouldn’t use extra oxygen for their climbs.

A Sherpa guide from Scott Fischer’s team, and the father of Lopsang Jangbu.

Sherpa guide who suffers from severe mountain sickness but, partly out of a sense of machismo, and partly for concern about his job, refuses to get treatment until it’s too late.

A British explorer who, in 1924, tried and failed to climb Mount Everest.

Co-founder of MTV and husband of Sandy Hill Pittman.

Bengali mathematician who in 1852 discovered that Mount Everest was the world’s highest peak.

A former Olympic skier who joins Scott Fischer’s Everest expedition, the nephew of Pete Schoening.

A Sherpa herder who works for Rob Hall occasionally.

A Sherpa guide from the Taiwanese Everest expedition.

A Sherpa guide from Scott Fischer’s team.

An American climber who is starring in an IMAX film about Mount Everest, which is being filmed at the same time as Rob Hall’s expedition.

Surveyor General of India in the 1850s, when it was officially shown that Mount Everest is the world’s highest peak.

A mother of four who, along with Jon Krakauer, joins Rob Hall’s expedition to Mount Everest in 1996.

The brother of Ian Woodall, and a member of the South African Everest expedition.