Minus 148⁰

Minus 148 is one of the few true classics in the literature of mountaineering. It is no simple tale of heroism and valour, like Annapurna, but rather a vexed, uneven story of doubt, failure, whim, courage, tragedy. The expedition was unbalanced, with the strong members far superior to the others. Perhaps the strongest of all was killed in an absurd accident within the first hours. The leader himself seemed to lose heart in mid-stream. Yet everything was redeemed by the magnificent accomplishment of the summit in early March, and then by the even more magnificent survival of Art, Dave Johnston, and Ray Genet.