Touching the Void is a 1988 book by Joe Simpson, who tells of his success, yet it is but fatal and fatal from Siula Grande of 6,344 meters (20,813 ft) in Andes Peru in 1985.
Video Touching the Void
Appreciation
This book won the 1989 Tasman Prize for Mountain Literature and NCR Book Award 1989.
Maps Touching the Void
Movies
In 2003, fifteen years after it was first published, the book was converted into a documentary of the same name, directed by Kevin MacDonald. The film won the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film at the 2003 BAFTA Awards and was featured at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. In 2014, the book is used in the national AQA GCSE English literature in the UK.
Plot
Simpson and Yates reached the peak of the previously unopposed West Face of Siula Grande. Once down, Simpson sneaks onto the ice cliff and lands awkwardly, destroying the tibia into his knee joint, thus breaking his right leg. The couple, whose journey had been longer than they planned due to bad weather on the ascent, ran out of fuel for their stove and could not melt ice or snow for drinking water. With severe weather closures and fading during the day, they should descend rapidly to the glacier, about 3,000 feet below.
Andrea proceeded to lower Simpson from the North Ridge by tying two ropes along 150 feet together to make a 300-foot rope. However, because the two ropes are tied together, the knot can not penetrate the belay plate. Simpson had to stand on his right foot (left) to give Yates enough looseness to unclip the rope, in order to thread the rope back through the descending device with a knot on the other side. With the condition of the worsening storm and the darkness above them, Yates accidentally lowered Simpson off the cliff. Since Yates sits higher up the mountain, he can not see or hear Simpson; he could only feel that Simpson had his entire weight on the rope. Simpson tried to climb onto the rope using Prusik's knot. However, because his hands are very frostbite, he can not tie the knot correctly and accidentally dropped one of the ropes required to climb onto the rope.
The couple were caught in a very bad situation. Simpson could not climb the rope, Andrea could not pull it back, the cliff was too high for Simpson to lower, and they could not communicate. They remained in this position for some time, until it was clear to Andrea that the snow around her chair was running out. Since the couple are tied together, they will both be drawn to their death. Andrea had to make a tough decision to cut the rope to save her own life. Doing so well has also saved Simpson's life, because he will die of exposure if he is left hanging under strong strong winds for longer.
When Andrea cut the rope, Simpson climbed down the cliff and into a deep gap. Being exhausted and suffering from hypothermia, Andrea made a snow cave to wait for a storm. The next day, Yates continues down the mountain alone. When he reached the abyss, he was aware of the situation that Simpson experienced and what happened when he cut the rope. After calling Simpson and not hearing an answer, Yates made the assumption that Simpson had died and so continued down the mountain alone.
Simpson, however, is still alive. He survived the fall of 150 feet even though his leg broke and landed on a small ledge inside a ravine. When Simpson regained consciousness, she discovered that the rope had been cut and realized that Andrea would assume that she was dead. Therefore he must save himself. It was impossible for Simpson to climb up to the entrance of the crevasse (because of the jugging ice and broken leg). Therefore, the only option is to lower himself deeper into the abyss and hope there is another way out. After lowering himself, Simpson finds another small entrance and climbs back onto the glacier through a steep snow slope.
From there, Simpson spent three days without food and almost no water, crawled and jumped five miles back to their base camp. This involves navigating the glaciers (which are scattered with more slits) and the moraines below. Tired and almost completely delirious, he reached the base camp just hours before Yates intended to leave the base camp and return to civilization.
Simpson's survival is widely regarded by mountain climbers as one of the most amazing pieces of mountain climbing knowledge.
Note
References
- Simpson, Joe (1988). Touching Void . Eternal. p.Ã, 218. ISBNÃ, 978-0-06-073055-0.
- Touching Void - 25th Anniversary ebook Edition Interview
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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