Tomek Mackiewicz and Nanga Parbat: a Shakespearean mountaineering tragedy

Tomek Mackiewicz and Nanga Parbat: a Shakespearean mountaineering tragedy

Tomek Mackiewicz’s death on Nanga Parbat carries a number of characteristics of a Shakespearean tragedy. It has a tragic hero with a tragic flaw that will ultimately lead to his downfall. It involves a tragic waste, an external conflict, and even a catharsis.

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Why a crowdfunded mountain rescue raised $200,000 in under a week

Why a crowdfunded mountain rescue raised $200,000 in under a week

When I first became aware of a crowdfunded appeal to search for two climbers who had been missing for days on a remote peak in Pakistan, my immediate impression was that it was both desperate and futile. Not everyone saw it that way, and what happened next was remarkable.

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