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Supplementary Reading Peak Performance

Alan Hinkes is attempting to become the first Briton to climb all 14 of the world’s highest peaks over 8000 meters. While five men have already achieved this feat, he will be the first to climb six within a year. Even his good friends only give him 100:1 odds of achieving this goal. But Hinkes refuses to even listen to such doubting talk. It was during his first attempt at an “8000er” in the Himalayas in 1987 that he first thought about attempting “the 14”, as the world’s 14 highest peaks are known in mountaineering circles. Over the next 10 years, Hinkes gradually climbs another seven of the 8000ers. Then he makes three attempts on the world’s hardest mountain, Pakistan’s 8611-metre-high K2. “K2 is not much lower than Everest”, says Hinkes, “so you have the same altitude problems.” In 93 he helps a guy down who is in a really bad way, and then the next year he gets very near the top, but isn’t happy with the snow conditions. Hinkes` maxim, which he repeats to himself, is “No mountain is worth a life, the summit is a bonus”. It doesn’t stop him attempting to summit in 1995 though. “It is always difficult to enjoy it on top of the mountain because you know you have to get back down.” Descending is always harder, Hinkes says. “You are exhausted – particularly if you burn up loads of calories going “yahoo!” on the summit like some people do. You have to keep yourself under control for the descent”. Death is inescapable fact of high-altitude mountaineering. “You find lots of bodies on the north side of Everest but I don’t stop climbing just because somebody dies. And when somebody dies, I’m not going to be shocked, thinking “Oh I didn’t know that could happen”, because I know it can, just I know it can on a car journey.» Getting enough food is a crucial aspect of Hinkes` expedition. He compares climbing an 8000er with running three marathons. You can loose stones in weight because you are burning off calories every day and can’t carry enough food to get them back. Hinkes celebrates his 43^rd birthday on 23 April 1997, the day he intends to summit Lhotse. For all his pragmatism, flippancy and northern brusqueness, Hinkes is very obviously relishing the task ahead. He is angry at any reference to the fact that he is “conquering” anything. “Mountaineers never speak about “conquering” mountains. It is the media and non-climbers who talk in this way. You never conquer a mountain; a mountain lets you sneak to the top and sneak back down. It lets you have a good time or a bad time on it, but it never allows you to conquer it.”

Questions.

1. What record is Alan Hinkes hoping to beat?

a) to be the first Briton to reach the summit of Everest;

b) to be the first Briton to climb the 14 highest mountains;

c) to climb six of the world’s highest mountains in a year.

2. What does Hinkes find hardest about climbing?

a) coming down the mountain;

b) failing to reach the summit;

c) judging the weather condition.

3. What does he feel when he sees the bodies of dead climbers?

a) He finds it shocking.

b) He thinks they’re just unlucky.

c) He accepts it as inevitable.

4. Why is food a problem for Hinkes’ expedition?

a) He doesn’t usually feel hungry.

b) He doesn’t enjoy cooking.

c) He doesn’t like carrying it.

5. Why does it annoy him when non-climbers talk about “conquering mountains”?

a) Only climbers know what it really means.

b) Mountains cannot be conquered.

c) Not many people succeed in doing it.