We Are Alive

John and Mike met when they got paired together on a college Mountain Climbing trip to Mount McKinley, North America’s tallest mountain.

“Hi, my name is John! Whats your name?”

“Mike.” With absence he said.

“This is my first trip out of Wisconsin!” He said eagerly.

Trying to stay awake Mike said,”I traveled a lot in my childhood.”

“Wow your lucky, I couldn’t travel because my Dad had cancer. We could never plan a trip without missing an important doctor appointment.” Passionately he said.

“Thats too bad, it really is” he softly said.

“My dad loves nature, so we moved to a house near a campground and every weekend we would head out into the wild for a camping trip.” With eager he said.

“Attention passengers, we will begin our flight to Alaska very shortly.”

“Well, sorry John, I’m going to catch up on my sleep.” He said sarcastically.

Little did John and Mike know that there little talk would turn into a great friendship.Mike and John did wonderful on their trip and got invited to many more climbs all around the world. With every mountain climbed their friendship grew. Mike and John had climbed mountains in all four corners of the world.

After five years of climbing, Mike and John got the chance of a lifetime to climb Mount Everest. Everest, the dream of all mountain climbers. Standing at an impressive 29,029 feet above sea level, it is the tallest mountain on Earth. Every year climbers from all around the world try to tackle Everest and all that mother nature can throw at them. A total of 189 people have died trying to climb Everest.

Everest has many natural hazards, avalanches, low oxygen levels, sub-zero temps, and killer crevasses. Low oxygen levels and sub-zero temps are what people can prepare for, but its the hidden things that kill you. Avalanches can happen at any second and they destroy everything in their path. Crevasses are deep cuts in the glacier that are usually hidden by snow. Crevasses range with how wide and deep they can be.

After months of physical and mental preparation, John and Mike prepare for the journey of a life-time. Mike and John find themselves in the same situation of when they met, the seats of a small airplane while waiting for takeoff.They started a journey together and now they are on their way to finish their journey.

“Attention passengers, we will start our descent soon. Please fasten your seatbelts and thank you again for flying delta air.”

“Mike, Mike, Mike.”

“What?”

“Wake up we are starting the descent.”

The start of their climb started as any other, laughing,joking, messing around. Little did Mike and John know that this would be a climb they would never forget.

“Mike! Avalanche!Mike! Mike! Where are you Mike?” John yelled.

The red hat, barely out of the snow was a sign. Sign of the danger they were really in.

“Come on Mike, Wake up! Wake up!” With tears falling down his eyes.

“Awww,” heavily breathing, “I’m alive!”

Mike had gotten a slight fracture in his ankle, but moves on slowly.

“Awwwwwwww, it hurts like a banshee!” He screamed.

John finds a stick and uses his athletic tape to make Mike’s ankle stable.

“Good thing we brought a first aids kits, huh Mikey?”

“O yeah, I can’t wait till you get hurt, so I can give you crap.”

After their trip on the summit, it’s time to start their descent down. The trip down is known as the crevasse path. With the 3 inches of snow that fell last night, Mike and John must be extra care on their way down.

“John! Look out!” With fear in his voice.

“Awwww!”

“Mike! Mike! Mike! Stop! Stop! Stop me!” He yelled.

Thud. The only sound that was made. The sound of two bodies and 50 pounds of snow. The landing spot, an area 10 feet wide and 14 inches thick. A small strip of ice in a deep crevasse.

John survived the impressive 80 foot drop onto a small ledge in the middle of a crevasse, with only a sprained ankle. Mike not so lucky tho. Mike had nobody to slow him down, like John had. Mike suffered the full strength of 80 foot freefall onto pure ice.

Gasping for air,” Ah, Ah, Awwwww! Mike! Mike! Where are you buddy? No, no, nooo.”

John doesn’t know it yet, but Mike is suffering from a serious concussion and has passed out. If Mike doesn’t get serious help he might have life long disabilities or even die. Mike has roughly 12 hours before Mike falls into a coma and may never wake up.

John instantly starts to scavenge for gear on their tiny ledge.He already has his gloves, goggles, a Satellite phone, and a ham sandwich. He finds 2 ice pick axes, a helmet, first aid kit, and 750 milliliters of water.

The climb up the crevasse is 80 feet with a ridge 70 feet up. The ridge jolts out 5 feet, which will make a difficult upside down climb. The climb is very dangerous, but there is no other option for John to make.

“Mike this climb is for you.”

No response.

“Awwww!”he yelped.

John had forgot to tape his ankle before he started the climb. The spain turned into a slight fracture that causes more pain with every step. John climb back down slowly to tape his ankle.

Chuckling,“Alright Mike, this climb is for you”

After 3 hours, John had only climbed 15 feet and was exhausted. The backpack was slowing him down, but he didn’t wanna lose it because it has all of his supplies in it. He reaches for the Satellite phone to put it it in his coat pocket.

“Ahh, Ahhh, Got it ! Don’t need that anymore!”

John had grabbed the phone, but forgot about the water and food. A rookie mistake, but John can’t waste any time if he wants to get both Mike and himself out of this mess.

“Mike, I know you can’t hear me, but you owe me a drink once we get outta here” Joking around.

The only thing stopping John now from getting out is a huge jolt in the wall. Once on the ledge John can sit down and massage his swelled up leg. The only thing he will need to do then is climb the remaining 10 feet and call for help on his Satellite phone.

“Awww, come on John you can do this, I can, I can,” He repeats himself, “ I can, I can, I can. Awww, one last pull… Yes!”

John had done it, he got on the ledge and now only has 10 feet standing between him and the world. The last 10 feet though would be very difficult due to the fact of the falling snow and his broken ankle.

“Mike, stay with me pal, I’m almost there. Don’t worry.”

“10 feet I got this. I can, I can, I can, I can, awww! That was a ledge was a little too steep for my liking..”

The rest of the climb went with constant slipping and close calls, but John eventually made it out.

“Yes!Yes! O crap now the phone, the phone where is the phone!” He yelled, “Where! Ah here it is, umm 911 I think?”

“911 whats your emergency?”

“My friend and I fell into a crevasse and we need help!”

“Is your friend still in the crevasse?”

“Yes, and he is unconscious.”

“We are sending a helicopter to your location stay put.”

“Mike! Mike! We are going home. We are going home.” He yelled.

1 week later Mike was released out of the hospital and was sent back to U.S. He had a full recovery and is acting normal as can be. John got a cast for his ankle and will be walking without support in a month. Mike thanks john every day for saving both of them .

Mike and John now teach a mountain climbing safety class and alway swarn climbers about never underestimating mother nature. Every year they make a trip in honor of life and how fast it can be put in jeopardy or taken away.