Mark Inglis' journey to the top of Mt. Everest appeared to be one for the ages, courageous and inspirational, proof that with enough desire a person can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
But the first double-amputee to scale the world's tallest mountain may be remembered more for what he didn't do.
May 15, the day the New Zealand climber realized his dream of attaining the Himalayan peak, was also the day that David Sharp, a 34-year-old British climber, was hunkered down in a nearby snow cave, taking his last breaths.
Inglis was the first to reach Sharp and one of an estimated 40 climbers who marched on rather than help as Sharp sat in a daze, deprived of oxygen, disoriented and supposedly near death 1,000 feet beneath the summit.
Sharp was making his return after reaching the peak. He died on the mountain and remains there, as have many of the almost 200 climbers who have perished on Everest in the last half-century.
Since Inglis was the one who disclosed what otherwise might have remained a tight-lipped secret -- and such secrets do exist -- he received the brunt of criticism, including a harsh condemnation from revered Everest pioneer Edmund Hillary.
With this being one of the deadliest Everest seasons on record -- 10 confirmed fatalities among an estimated 300 summit attempts so far; second only to the reported 19 deaths in 1996 -- the revelation has stirred a contentious debate.
Some in climbing circles bemoan what they perceive to be a diminished moral code caused, in part, by overcrowding and by commercial outfitters adopting a summit-or-bust attitude to justify the high fees they charge clients who, in some cases, lack adequate climbing experience. The cost of joining an expedition can run from $10,000 to more than $40,000.
Others, however, say that high ethics are still maintained among the veteran climbing fraternity -- of which Inglis has been a respected member -- and that situations vary. Conditions are extremely harsh in what is known as the Death Zone, above 25,000 feet, where oxygen is sparse, winds are fierce and temperatures reach 100 below. Judgment can be impaired and rescue attempts are difficult and can be perilous.
But rescues do occur. Just this week Lincoln Hall, who had become separated from his party and given up for dead, was delivered safely to base camp by a group of climbers who abandoned their summit attempt to lend a hand.
