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- [00:01]
Jules Mountain
This episode is brought to you by Greenlight. Get this Adults with financial literacy skills have 82% more wealth than those who don't. From swimming lessons to piano classes, Us parents invest in so many things to enrich our kids lives but are we investing in their future financial success? With Greenlight you can teach your kids financial literacy skills like earning, saving and investing and this investment costs less than that. After school treat start prioritizing their financial.
- [00:24]
John Hopkins
Education and future today with a risk.
- [00:26]
Jules Mountain
Free trial@greenlight.com Spotify greenlight.com Spotify.
- [00:34]
John Hopkins
It'S the afternoon of April 25, 2015. 17 and a half thousand feet above sea level on the Himalayan border between Nepal and Tibet lies Everest Base Camp. The enormous bright white glacier is dotted with dozens of orange, blue and green tents, all held down by ropes which creak and sway in the brisk breeze. Surrounding the tents are hundreds of flags from all over the world, adding patriotic splashes of color to this monochromatic landmass. As an icy gust of wind blows through the camp, 49 year old Jules Mountain emerges from the mess tent. He isn't feeling his best head. Still reeling from a party at camp last night, Jules tucks his gloved hands into the pockets of his jacket and buries his face in his thermal buff. He wades through the snow, taking quick shallow gulps of oxygen with every labored step until he reaches his own two man tent. As he's settling down on the cold floor to undo his snow boots, he feels the ground beneath him shift.
- [01:49]
Jules Mountain
All of a sudden the ground just moved up a meter. I was like whoa. And then it shunted to the left and it shunted to the right and I sort of thought what the hell. I thought that can't be alcohol. It felt like somebody pushed in my back.
- [02:04]
John Hopkins
Jules throws his hands down to steady himself. He waits a few seconds for the shaking to stop, his heart rate rising and his breath quickening. But instead of ceasing, the vibrations grow more violent. There is a loud rumble like an approaching thunderstorm.
- [02:23]
Jules Mountain
I got out the tent, I'm in my socks and I'm looking around and oh my gosh, the whole sky, the whole sky is just filled full of snow and it's all coming towards us in every direction.
- [02:35]
John Hopkins
There is a wall of white. There's no telling where the ground ends or the sky starts. The mountainside is on the move, crumbling before his eyes with every second that passes. The rumble increases as the colossal mound of snow picks up speed and hurtles towards Base Camp.
- [02:52]
Jules Mountain
It's all billowing around, flowing. The whole sky, everything I can see is full of snow and it's hurtling towards us. And I'm thinking, what do I do? What do we do? I'm about to die.
- [03:11]
John Hopkins
Ever wondered what you would do when disaster strikes? If your life depended on your next decision, could you make the right choice? Welcome to Real Survival Stories. These are the astonishing tales of ordinary people thrown into extraordinary situations. People suddenly forced to fight for their lives. In this episode, we meet Jules Mountain. As his surname suggests, Jules is a man destined to scale the heights. And in 2015, the 49 year old sets off on an expedition to conquer the greatest height of all, Mount Everest. But a few days after reaching Base Camp, an enormous earthquake in Kathmandu triggers an avalanche in the Himalayas, sending hundreds of tons of snow cascading from Everest's summit.
- [04:01]
Jules Mountain
I had no idea what it was. It was like, is this the Third World War? Is this Armageddon? Is this the end of the world? You imagine you're sitting here now and all of a sudden in front of you, the sky just fills for the snow. And it's so big. It's so big.
- [04:13]
John Hopkins
With the snowy juggernaut plummeting towards him and seconds to react. There is nowhere to hide.
- [04:18]
Jules Mountain
I thought, well, what do I do? I'm looking at the two Polish climbers because they're standing outside their tents looking at it and I saw him dive into his tent. I thought, that's the thing to do. So at the last minute, I just dived into my tent and covered my head and next thing, all hell broke loose.
- [04:33]
John Hopkins
I'm John Hopkins from the Noiser Podcast Network. This is Real survival stories. It's February 2015 in the east of France, near the Italian and Swiss borders. Surrounded by the picturesque peaks of Chamonix, 49 year old Jules Mountain is relaxing with his friends in a lively bar. It's been a long, tiring day in the mountains for Jules, leading tourists up and down the slopes as part of the Ski Club of Great Britain. As the sun sets and the empty beer glasses pile high on the table, he and his friends exchange their best stories of adventure and misadventure in the mountains. Jules has a number up his sleeve, having skied with the club for many years. There is one man here whose tales trump even his a friend of a friend. The man explains that he's a skier, climber and adventure enthusiast whose many accolades include reaching the summit of Everest.
- [05:57]
Jules Mountain
We're chatting about Everest. I said, are you going this year? He said, yeah, yeah. He said, it's you know, April and May. And then before I'd even thought about it, I just said to him casually, I said, oh, can I come? And as the words came out of my mouth, I thought, oh, my God. I thought, jules, what have you just said? I knew if he said yes, I'd have to go.
- [06:17]
John Hopkins
Summiting the world's tallest and most famous peak is a challenge that's been on Jules bucket list for as long as he can remember. Ever since childhood, he's been drawn to the rugged beauty of the mountains.
- [06:30]
Jules Mountain
Best day for me in the world is go out in the mountains and pick a route away from the ski lifts, away from the madding crowds. Look out over the mountains. It's so beautiful. It's all white, it's so peaceful. And sit there and have a nice sandwich and a cup of tea, you know, and then get ready to ski down and then just have a great ski and some great powder, that is. There's no day better than that. That is it for me. That is perfect.
- [06:54]
John Hopkins
His love for the outdoors resulted in him taking a job with the ski club of Great Britain. For years, he spent the seasons leading tourists up snow capped peaks, across icy glaciers and through Arctic forests. He became adept at balancing leisure work and family as he raised two young daughters and founded and built his own business, hoping to sell his company one day and enjoy the fruits of his labors. It seemed like everything was on track until catastrophe struck. In 2007, aged 41, Jules was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
- [07:37]
Jules Mountain
It's like a tidal wave comes over, you know, it's like, bash, am I going to die tomorrow? Am I going to die next week? I've got too young daughters. I might kind of see them grow up all the places, get a treatment. You don't want it in your head. You know, if you get in your arm, cut your arm off. Getting your leg, cut your leg off. Getting your head, not so good, really. Cut the head off. It's a bit terminal.
- [07:56]
John Hopkins
The odds of surviving the cancer were slim. Within a week of the diagnosis, Jules was wheeled into hospital as medics prepared him for a lengthy operation to remove the tumor. Even if the surgery was successful, there was a good chance he'd never regain his normal life. There was the possibility that his voice box may become so damaged in the process that he'd never be able to speak again. After a grueling seven and a half hours on the operating table, Jules woke up.
- [08:29]
Jules Mountain
You wake up and you can't move your mouth and all your eyes dropped Everything's dropped on this side of your face and it's like you've done five rounds of Mike Tyson. My brain didn't know what was going on. My brain was like, what's happening? You know, I've gone to sleep, I've woken up and I'm just in screaming pain. Everything ached like mad. And then I got an itch, and I knew the itch was on my ear and I couldn't find my ear. I couldn't. I'm like, where's my ear? I couldn't actually locate anything on this side of the face because they'd reconnected all the nerves, but they were all wrong.
- [09:00]
John Hopkins
Thankfully, though, despite the discomfort, the surgery was a success. The tumor had been removed and his speech was unaffected. But this was far from the end of the journey. While adjusting to the cocktail of drugs flowing through his veins, Jules suffered an anaphylactic shock just days after the operation. His brother was by his bedside at the time and alerted the nurses.
- [09:25]
Jules Mountain
The next thing, the bells go off, you know, and they bring the crash team in, the registrarleans over me. He said, I may have to cut you open down the sternum. It'll be very messy. So I get my hand in and massage your heart. Next thing, they stick an oxygen mask on me, they roll me over, stick a blooming great needle in my backside, start pumping me full of stuff. And they got it under control. No need to slice me open. And then I said to my brother, don't leave me, don't leave me. I said, you can't leave me, you know? And they brought a camp bed in. He slept there for the whole night, held my hand all night and slept in a camp bed next to me. And even now, even now, when I think about that, it makes me quite emotional, actually. I just thought, I don't want to die alone.
- [10:04]
John Hopkins
Jules recovered from this close shave. But soon he had another obstacle to overcome. Over the next four months, he was going to have to undergo six rounds of chemotherapy.
- [10:14]
Jules Mountain
Six as hell, because everyone you have, you get worse, you get weaker, you get weaker, you get more ill, and you feel more sick. So it's a brutal process, but it gives you the best chance of survival.
- [10:28]
John Hopkins
Four slow, painful months passed as Jules grappled with his new reality. Half of his time was spent in lawyers offices, drawing up deals to sell his business. Otherwise, he was in London's University College Hospital, where nurses took countless samples of blood and doctors pumped his body full of drugs. Finally, the treatment came to an end.
- [10:54]
Jules Mountain
It worked. It worked. I'm very grateful. And I wanted to prove to myself that I was still as capable after chemo and the surgery as I was before.
- [11:04]
John Hopkins
Surviving cancer gave Jules a renewed vigor. He vowed to come back stronger and make the most of every opportunity. So when, eight years later, in February 2015, while on a skiing trip in Chamonix, Jules meets a man in a bar who is heading to Everest, he takes his chance.
- [11:25]
Jules Mountain
I just said to him casually, I said, oh, can I come? He looks at me and he goes, yeah. He said, you seem to be reasonably experienced in the mountains. He said, you, you do the guiding and, and you know, bit of climbing. And he goes, he said, yeah, I think it'll be all right. Yeah, you can come. And I was like, oh my gosh, what have I done? Everest, you know, it's like metal stuff right up here. But I said, there's no buts. It's you want to do it or you don't. It's simple. You know it's simple. And trust me, when you've had cancer, you tend to take every opportunity that arises because you never know when it's going to come back and it's going to bite you. So take the opportunity when you give the chance.
- [12:07]
John Hopkins
You chose to hit play on this podcast today.
- [12:09]
Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
That's that allows you to compare your.
- [12:17]
John Hopkins
Progressive car insurance quote with rates from other companies. So you save time on the research and can enjoy savings when you choose the best rate for you. Give it a try after this episode@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy. Lowes knows when you're looking for reliability. The right brand makes all the difference. And now Lowes is the exclusive home improvement retailer Tailor for the Whirlpool water treatment line including their WI fi softener under sink filtration system and more.
- [12:55]
Jules Mountain
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- [12:58]
John Hopkins
Low prices, better tasting, better quality water is within reach. Shop Pro trusted brands like Whirlpool and more in store or online Lowes we help you save. There's just one catch. Most people train for around four years before attempting to summit Everest. But this trip begins in April. Jules has eight weeks. The clock is ticking. But he remains determined and crams as much preparation into the two month window as possible. He purchases the necessary kit, secures the expensive permit and spends time on the slopes of the Alps to get in some much needed climbing practice and altitude training. When April arrives, Jules says an emotional goodbye to his partner and two young daughters, Aware that he won't be seeing them now for eight weeks. Then, passport in hand and bags full of climbing gear, he boards the plane from London to Kathmandu. On arrival in Nepal, Jules travels to the hotel where he meets the rest of the expedition team. All in all, there are 16 climbers in his group, A motley international crew. The prospect of spending the next two months with this gang is exciting and a little intimidating.
- [14:20]
Jules Mountain
I turned up in Kathmandu, turned up at the hotel, and we had a meeting that night with everybody. And this guy walks in the room and he's big, a muscly American guy, and he's got these tattoos. He's got a bald head and he's got tattoos of like Incas, you know, all over him. I'm like, oh, my gosh. And he was just big and muscly and terrifying. And I thought, wow, I'm going to be the little tiny guy at the bottom here. There were two Polish guys there, and again, they were bald headed and they were really wiry and they were wearing special clothing, you know, climbing clothing. And they just look like they've climbed the whole their lives. They look like they were born climbing, you know.
- [15:02]
John Hopkins
But the climbers are friendly and welcome Jules into the group. Like him, most of the others have hired Sherpas to accompany them on the trip. Highly skilled guides native to Nepal who know Everest well. The Sherpas will prepare the route, fix ropes in place, and transport the necessary gear up the slopes the following day. Once the climbers and Sherpas are acquainted with one another, the team flies from Kathmandu to to the little rural town of lukla. Sitting nearly 10,000ft above sea level, its colorful houses are shrouded in the shadows of the mountains. And it's from here that the long climb up Everest begins.
- [15:44]
Jules Mountain
The track from Lukla to base camp is literally like a walk in the Alps. And there's a trail and there's some incredible suspension bridges that they built across the valleys. And there are yaks with us, you know, the big cow looking things. So you have two bags, two expedition bags. One bag's full of your climbing equipment that goes straight up to base camp. The other bag has all your sort of day gear in it, and then any electronics gear like your mobile phone or your laptop or whatever you want with you that's in your own backpack.
- [16:13]
John Hopkins
Over the course of 10 days, the team hike up the Himalayas. They make slow but solid Progress. Passing key points on the Everest map. The bustling mountainside town of Namche Bazaar, the holy monasteries of Tengbuche, and the Sherpa village Dingbuche. With its wide green roofed homes, it's an ethereal journey through some of the remotest settlements on earth, all surrounded by the glorious mountain range. The altitude slowly increases and by the time they reach the frozen lakebed of Goruk Shep, they're standing nearly 17,000ft above sea level. With each stage of their ascent, the air becomes thinner as the oxygen supply dwindles. Altitude sickness becomes a growing danger, as does the ever dropping temperature.
- [17:03]
Jules Mountain
So every night, you know, going to sleep in your tent is like getting into a freezer and hoping you wake up in the morning. It is hell on earth. It's horrible. I remember the first night in that tent, I thought, oh my gosh, this really is horrific. I got in the tent and I'm freezing cold. So I've still got my trousers on, I've still got my jumper, my T shirt, my gloves on, I've got a beanie hat on. And I took that off and I realized next day what a big mistake that was. You want to sleep with your beanie hat on because it is so bloody cold.
- [17:35]
John Hopkins
Finally, after more than a week of trekking through the day and freezing through the night, the team arrives at the first major checkpoint of their trip. Everest Base Camp. The climbers begin setting up their tents. The sprawling white glacier is a polka dot pattern of colorful fabric and flags. Gigantic peaks enclose the camp, at once inspiring and imposing. From here, the team eases into a pleasant rhythm.
- [18:12]
Jules Mountain
We got settled into Base Camp and it was great. We're all very excited to pick Base Camp. I remember the first morning they ding the bell. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. They're bringing a cup of tea in your tent, which is lovely. Ding the old bell, sort of say, time to get up. The sun comes up at about 8 o'. Clock. Once the sun's up, it's quite pleasant. I mean, you've still got a jacket on, but it is quite pleasant. You know, I then go to the mess tent. You eating times are very important because eating times when everyone gets together.
- [18:40]
John Hopkins
Over time, the camaraderie of the group grows stronger, an important factor as the conditions become increasingly intense. The next few days are all about adjusting to the altitude. Base camp is 17,500ft above sea level, meaning oxygen is in short supply. Every step up requires six breaths. Each movement is as slow as walking through water and head rushes and Dizziness become part of daily life. Jules cannot simply power onto the top from here. He needs to complete shorter climbs to tackle the summit in increments, constantly returning to camp to recharge.
- [19:20]
Jules Mountain
Every time you go higher, your body produces lots of red blood cells. You oxygenate and you acclimatise. The body adjusts to a higher altitude. Then you spend several days back at base camp to relax. So eat well, rest well, sleep well, eat well, rest well, sleep well, eat well. That's what they were saying to us all the time. So there's no rush.
- [19:46]
John Hopkins
It's the morning of April 25, 2015. As the pale sun rises in the sky, casting weak yellow beams through the thick snow clouds, Jules wakes up inside his tent. As usual, he is shivering inside the cocoon of his sleeping bag. His ice cold hands are tucked into his pockets. Each breath he takes emits an icy cold cloud. But this morning, it's not just the temperature that's testing Jules. He and his expeditionary group partied hard last night to let off some steam. And now the cocktail of alcohol and altitude has made for an unpleasant hangover. Taking things even slower than usual, Jules rules out climbing today. Not that he'll miss much. The sky is already overcast and dark, rendering visibility poor. So heaving himself to his feet, he gets up and heads to the mess tent to get some food in him. In the early afternoon, having spent some time with his fellow climbers, Jules returns to his tent to relax and to try to keep warm. But as he's zipping up the flap to keep the heat in and the snow out, he suddenly feels something strange. A small hum. At first, the vibration. And then, unmistakably, the ground starts to tremble.
- [21:25]
Jules Mountain
All of a sudden, the ground just moved up a meter. Ground was like, whoa. And then it. It shot to the left and it sh. To the right. And I sort of thought, what? What the hell? I thought that can't be alcohol. I felt. It felt like somebody pushed in my back.
- [21:42]
John Hopkins
Jules is violently thrown forwards towards the front of his tent. The ground shifts this way and that, rocking him sideways as though he's on a fairground ride. The air outside is pierced with screams and shouts from his fellow campers. Amongst the panicked voices, there's also the crash of heavy objects. Metal scrapes against metal. Heavy thuds hit the snow and fabric tears as base camp is ripped apart. And still the shaking continues. Jules tries to steady himself, tensing every muscle in his body as he reaches for the tent. Zip. Despite the violent tremors, he manages to open the flap and slowly clambers out onto the snow covered ground.
- [22:26]
Jules Mountain
I got out the tent under my socks and I'm looking around and everyone's looking to the left, so I'm looking to the left and oh my gosh, the whole sky, the whole sky is just filled, full of snow and it's all coming towards us, it's all billowing round and flowy. The whole sky, everything I can see is full of snow and it's hurtling towards us and I'm thinking, what do I, what do I do? What do we do? I'm about to die. I'm about to die. I'm looking, I'm thinking, can I run? You know, I'm on the glass here, it's all ice. I've got my socks on, I've got no shoes on, no time for my shoes on. I thought, what do I do?
- [23:02]
John Hopkins
Jules stands, mouth agape, rooted to the spot. Little does he know that 100 miles away in Kathmandu, there has been a massive earthquake and the resultant shock waves are causing the Himalayan slopes to collapse. Jules looks all around him, but everywhere is the same. Every inch is covered in a giant blanket of fast moving ice, rock and snow.
- [23:28]
Jules Mountain
I had no idea what it was. I had, it was like, is this the Third World War? Is this Armageddon? Is this the end of the world? Yeah. You imagine you're sitting here now and all of a sudden in front of you, the sky just fills for the snow and it's all just coming towards you and it's so big, it's so big, you know, the ground shakes. And then I say, the whole sky, everything you can see. Look out the window now. Everything you can see, as high as you can see, up to the clouds, is just full of snow and it's all billowing, it's rolling like this, it's coming towards you.
- [23:58]
John Hopkins
There is no escaping this immense icy tidal wave. And then Jules notices the two Polish climbers from his expedition group in the near distance. Panic is etched on their faces too. But they suddenly burst into action, diving headfirst back inside their tent. Without wasting any more time, Jules does the same.
- [24:20]
Jules Mountain
I just dived into my tent, uncover my head, and next thing, all hell broke loose and I'm buried alive in my tent.
- [24:32]
John Hopkins
Within seconds, the freezing barrage is upon him. Tons and tons of snow flatten his tent and trap him in an icy grave. Thick layers pile above, squeezing the space, blocking out the light. Jules lies flat on his face, arms protecting his head, eyes clenched shut. The patter of snow grows softer, more muffled but it's not a sign of the avalanche slowing. Rather, it's that the powder is piling higher around him, burying him deeper and deeper. Seconds stretch into minutes. There's no room to move, barely any to breathe.
- [25:16]
Jules Mountain
I'm buried. I'm buried alive in my tent. And I'm sort of thinking, what? What the hell is. You know, what. What's going on?
- [25:23]
John Hopkins
Suddenly, everything goes quiet. For a few moments, Jules stays still, his breath shallow. Then he decides to wriggle around to see if he can move at all. He finds he is able to adjust his position ever so slightly. Unbelievably, he doesn't seem to be injured in any way. Gently, slowly, he shimmies his body around and reaches for the zip on the front of his tent.
- [25:59]
Jules Mountain
There's snow everywhere. So I end up, end up the craziest thing. I end up scrabbling through the snow. I'm trying to pull the snow off to get to my bags, to find my phone and my laptop. Isn't that crazy? I've just nearly died and I'm looking for electronics because I think it mustn't get wet. So I'm raking through all the snow and then I'm trying to push snow out the tent. You know, I'm trying to shovel it on that snow.
- [26:19]
John Hopkins
Jules fingers claw at the dense, frigid mass all around him. He fights through the snow, moving as swiftly as he can, trying to escape before everything collapses.
- [26:31]
Jules Mountain
Luckily, I was able to push up out the snow and lift myself up and get my head out of the snow. I came out my tent and we're all looking at each other. We're like, what? What the hell? What's happened? You know, everyone's completely confused. No one really knows what the hell's going on. Ford Blue Cruise hands free. Highway driving takes the work out of being behind the wheel, allowing you to relax and reconnect while also staying in control. Enjoy the drive in bluecruise enabled vehicles like the F150 Explorer and Mustang Mach E. Available feature on equipped vehicles terms apply. Does not replace safe driving. See Ford.com BlueCruise for more details. Prime delivery is fast. How fast are we talking? We're talking puzzle toys and lit pad delivered so fast you can get this puppy under fast. We're talking chew toys at your door without really waiting. Fast pads, cooling mat, peg, hammer. Fast and fast. And there's training. T R E A T S faster than you can say fast. And now we can all relax and.
- [27:42]
John Hopkins
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- [27:44]
Jules Mountain
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- [27:58]
John Hopkins
As his eyes adjust to his surroundings, the extent of the damage becomes clear. It's like a bomb has exploded on the mountainside. Base camp is now a disaster zone. The camp's two satellite dishes, their best means of communication, have been crushed beyond repair. Tents and climbing gear lie strewn across the blanket of white as giant displaced rocks and boulders lie haphazardly across the camp. Meanwhile, the toilet block has been utterly destroyed. Its poles pierce the canteen like spears. Jules gingerly steps out of his tent to assess the situation more closely. And that's when he sees it's not only equipment that has been affected.
- [28:47]
Jules Mountain
Looking over and I can see that the cook. And he's standing there, and I've never seen anybody like this. He was caught outside in the blast. He's still alive, but there's nothing. He's got his glasses on. His glasses are completely frosted up. He's covered in snow, absolutely covered in snow. Luckily, none of the gent toilets poles have gone through him. And I'm like. I rushed over to him. I'm like, are you all right? Are you all right? All right? And he's just like. He's like this. He didn't move, couldn't say anything. He was absolutely so deeply in shock.
- [29:19]
John Hopkins
He gently guides the cook towards the mess tent, which somehow is still largely intact, and sits him down. But there are others here who need help. Jules jumps into action, racing around the camp. Wherever he looks, it's hysteria and horror.
- [29:40]
Jules Mountain
The first person I saw was this woman, and she's with her husband and another couple. They're in shorts and T shirts, and she's like, we gotta go. We gotta go. We gotta go. I said, go where? Go where? She said, we've gotta go, we've gotta go. I said, wait, where are you going? And it was like this sheer panic of needing to get the hell out of the place where she perceived the danger was.
- [30:02]
John Hopkins
It's pandemonium. Some people are trying to rush away from the glacier. Some are wailing in pain. And some stare blankly into the distance in complete shock at what's happened. It's clear that someone needs to take charge to help the injured organize a rescue mission and prevent the ensuing chaos from becoming even more deadly than the disaster itself. Unhurt, calm under pressure and a natural leader, Jules falls into the role. He instructs people around him to move the injured into the mess tent where they can make cups of tea to keep them warm. Any spare blankets or clothes can be handed out too. Trained in first aid, Jules is able to provide basic treatment himself. Amid the chaos, one of the team has managed to retrieve their satellite phone. It's not the most reliable form of communication by any means, but at least it's something. The stranded climbers gather around the phone as it crackles into life, holding their breath in anticipation. And then suddenly, through the static, a voice croaks through the receiver.
- [31:18]
Jules Mountain
We started to get the information coming through. There'd been a massive earthquake. Lots of buildings were destroyed in Kathmandu. No flights were leaving Kathmandu. No flights were coming in. Only emergency aid workers were coming in. And the earthquake had kicked off a massive avalanche that had wiped out a lot of base camp and killed a lot of people. Killed 19, 20 people died instantly. And then there were over 100 people injured. Well over 100 people injured, some very badly.
- [31:50]
John Hopkins
For a while, the countless tasks keep Jules busy as he dashes about camp. But as the minutes become hours, the bleak reality of the situation becomes too great to ignore. Dozens of injured climbers from different countries and different expedition groups are stuck on Mount Everest, 17,000ft up. With the air temperature dropping below freezing, the mess tent is filling up with patients with injuries ranging from severe bruising to deep lacerations, and even in one case, a suspected broken neck.
- [32:27]
Jules Mountain
There was me and a Sherpa, so there was two of us on duty sort of all night. You know, that tent absolutely stank of blood. The volume were bleeding badly. So let's try and get some fluids into them and the hot soup, very thin soup, so they didn't choke. Try and survive the night, basically, with 18 very sick people. If we can survive the night, then hopefully, hopefully some help will come in the morning.
- [33:01]
John Hopkins
It's the next day, April 26, around 6am Jules only managed to get to sleep a few hours ago, having spent much of the night tending to his stricken companions. Exhausted from the traumatic events of yesterday, he is tucked up in his sleeping bag on a rocky patch of Everest base camp as an icy cold wind rustles the corners of his tent. He starts to wake up, and it's then that he hears an unexpected noise. It sounds like the whirring of helicopter rotor blades. But that can't be the case. The weather was terrible last night. Surely they won't have risked flying up here. Besides, the last Jules and his fellow survivors had heard, all rescue resources were being directed to Kathmandu, not to the stranded climbers on Everest. But as he stirs in his tent, the sound is unmistakable.
- [34:00]
Jules Mountain
To my absolute amazement, the helicopters have come. That Morning, six o', clock, and they'd taken most of the people out of the hospital tent. They'd gone. They'd managed to ship them away. And, you know, I felt this huge sense of relief and a huge sense of guilt that I felt relief. You know, I felt really, really guilty about it.
- [34:19]
John Hopkins
With the most severely injured now being cared for away from the mountain, the burden on Jules lessens. But that's not to say the struggle is over. Firstly, he must help recover the bodies of those who have perished before covering them respectfully with tarpaulin. Then his focus returns to those who have survived. With so many camps and groups dotted up and down Everest, it's difficult to know who still needs help. Jules takes it on himself to track around and investigate. It's while doing this that he discovers the camp of another expedition group, Adventure Consultants, or rather, what's left of it.
- [35:03]
Jules Mountain
I went up to Adventure Consultants camp. I was just absolutely gobsmacked. I mean, there was nothing left standing. The whole thing was completely flat. I mean, every tent, everything pole, it was just like completely obliterated.
- [35:18]
John Hopkins
There was nothing half buried. Possessions poke out of the snow here and there. Jules bends down to pick something up.
- [35:28]
Jules Mountain
I found somebody's driving license. I thought, I'll take it back to our camp. There was a lady in our expedition, and she was a heart surgeon, and I showed her this driving license and she burst into tears. She said, that's the guy that I was climbing a new cemetery with last summer, and he's dead. I said, I'm so, so sorry. I am so, so sorry.
- [35:57]
John Hopkins
Though the wounded have been evacuated, it isn't quite so simple for Jules and his companions as just trekking back down the mountain. There are questions around how to descend safely in the wake of the disaster. And even if they can get down, would that even be sensible right now?
- [36:15]
Jules Mountain
We knew there's no point in going back to Kathmandu. It was absolute chaos in Kathmandu. Yeah, absolute chaos. People injured, hospitals absolutely full rammed. So no point in going back to Kathmandu.
- [36:25]
John Hopkins
Should they stay or should they go? Two days after the avalanche conditions have settled somewhat. There have been no more tremors. The sky is starting to clear. Having done everything he can for those around him, despite everything, Jules finds his thoughts turning back to the original purpose that brought him here.
- [36:51]
Jules Mountain
Do we carry on and climb the mountain or do we not climb the mountain? If we do climb the mountain, is that a disservice to the people that have died? Or if we don't climb the mountain, is that a disservice to them because if we make something of the expedition, they, you know, it's not that they haven't died in vain, but we've made the best of the season. It's in honoring them. You know, which way is it? Which way? Which way did you go? People may judge me for that, but it's very addictive. You know, I've left my two daughters behind. I'm away for eight weeks. You know, they're very precious to me. I did not want to come back again the following year and spend another eight weeks doing this.
- [37:33]
John Hopkins
The group is divided. Some agree with Jules that at this point now there is a case to be made for attempting to summit. But understandably, others are unconvinced and just want to get home as fast as possible. And now the clear skies mean a descent is certainly more feasible. It's frustrating having come so far and committed so much.
- [37:57]
Jules Mountain
It's such a dangerous mountain because you know, you get summit fever. People go for the summit, they get close to the summit, you get summit fever, you go for it. And that's why people die. People die every year. Lots of people die every year. And it is that summit fever. You get so close, you think, no, I'm going to go.
- [38:13]
John Hopkins
But ultimately, as tempers flare, it's the group who want to leave who win the debate. Jules and the others prepare for departure.
- [38:24]
Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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- [39:34]
Jules Mountain
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- [39:40]
John Hopkins
The descent will be long and draining. Jules estimates it will take him the best part of five days to navigate the icy trails. With tensions Running high, the climbers agreed to descend at their own pace, independently. So, rucksack packed and strapped to his shoulders, jacket zipped up and hands squeezed into gloves, Jules casts a final glance around the debris strewn base camp, its remaining flags fluttering sadly in the breeze. With a deep sigh, he heads off down the mountain. After half a day of walking, he reaches the nearby village of Gorakshep, the first of multiple planned stops. And it's here that his luck turns around. Over a meal, he gets talking to a Dutch climber who has special insurance covering the trip, which means there is a helicopter due to pick him up in a few hours. It's a chance for Jules to get home far quicker and he takes it.
- [40:48]
Jules Mountain
Because when it's over, it's over. I just want to get home, you know, there's no chance now. I just want to get home and see my kids, you know. I got in the helicopter and went straight back to Kathmandu.
- [40:57]
John Hopkins
From Nepal's devastated capital, Jules eventually manages to get a plane back to England. It's only when he finally makes it home and is reunited with his family that he has an opportunity to really take stock of what happened on Everest.
- [41:17]
Jules Mountain
I thought I'd been through an incredible experience. I felt very honoured, very honoured to have been there when the earthquake and avalanche happened and to have survived, to survive pretty much unscathed. I felt very honored to have been there and to have experienced that. And it's an amazing story.
- [41:36]
John Hopkins
The avalanche of April 25th will be called the deadliest day on Everest. The earthquake in Kathmandu reached 7.8 on the Richter scale. Reports vary, but around 9,000 people were killed, including approximately 20 on Everest. It's estimated that there were a total of 140 climbers stranded up the mountain in the days following, including Jules and his expedition group. Due to the unprecedented scale of catastrophe, Everest is closed for the rest of the 2015 season.
- [42:11]
Jules Mountain
And the Nepalese government was so worried. 25% of its tourist income comes from Everest. They were so worried about the impact of this, they thought, potentially no one will ever climb Everest ever again.
- [42:28]
John Hopkins
On a personal level, for many reasons, it seems Jules dream is over. Until it isn't. Later that year, he receives some unexpected news. The Nepalese government announces they are extending Everest permits for another two years, so that people who were unable to complete their expeditions the first time now have another shot. Jules wastes no time.
- [42:56]
Jules Mountain
I thought, I'm in remission from cancer, which could come back at any time. I, I can't wait two years, I can't wait to 2017, because I may not be alive then. So it's got to be 2016. Of course I want to do it. It's so addictive, Honestly. Honestly, it's so addictive, you can't explain somebody you go and you don't succeed. I would have had to keep going back until I'd either killed myself trying it or I'd done it.
- [43:21]
John Hopkins
And so Jules returns to Everest in the spring of 2016. He joins a different expedition group made up of Nepalese climbers with whom he traces the same steps, ledges, ladders, and slopes. As he ticks off the familiar locations on the Everest map, he remembers those who lost their lives a year earlier. Along the trail, memorials are laid for the deceased.
- [43:46]
Jules Mountain
A lot of the people are still. The bodies are still there on Everest. They're still there. They can't get them down, you know. And I remember looking at it, and there was this woman, and it said. It said loving mother and wife of. And it listed the husband and the three children down below it. And it said, you know, you lived your dreams. Really nice inscription. 2015, she died at base camp. She was One of the 20 people that had died. I remember that really shocked me. That really brought home to me how lucky I was to be alive.
- [44:24]
John Hopkins
Jules pushes on up into the thin, freezing air until finally, a year later than planned, he reaches the Summit. Standing over 29,000ft up, he has a view of the world, and he won't let anything bring him down.
- [44:50]
Jules Mountain
I get to the summit, Some miserable git on the summit. I get there and there's some guys sitting there. I say, is this the summit? And they go, yeah, yeah, yeah. But bloody fogs come in. Can't see the bloody view. You know, this is crap. And I said, oh, you miserable idiot. I've ever. It's the first thing you say to me. It is crap. I couldn't believe that. I was like, what? I'm on top of the world. I'm so happy I can go back and tell my daughters. I'm really happy I'm there with this miserable idiot. Like, I couldn't believe it. I'm like, no, come on, come on. This is it. I made it. Yeah.
- [45:28]
John Hopkins
But even after this triumph, Jules receives a stark reminder of the perils of Everest. Suddenly, his breath gets short and he starts experiencing tunnel vision. Thankfully, an altruistic Sherpa is nearby and can provide him with oxygen. A year on from surviving one tragedy on Everest, Jules very nearly falls to another.
- [45:52]
Jules Mountain
I was that close to death in 2016.
- [45:55]
John Hopkins
It really was.
- [45:56]
Jules Mountain
It was like if that Sherpa hadn't come, I would still be up there now, frozen to death.
- [46:04]
John Hopkins
When Jules returns to England in the summer of 2016 after climbing the world's highest mountain, he is able to truly celebrate. After overcoming cancer, he once vowed to prove that he was just as strong, if not stronger, than before. Having battled through two very different kinds of survival story, he does his best to embody a mindful and positive approach to life.
- [46:28]
Jules Mountain
Now it's very much yes. My answer to everything is yes. I don't want to be on my deathbed thinking about my bucket list that I haven't done. I want to be on my deathbed thinking I've lived a full life and I've done lots of really interesting things that I can tell my daughters about, and I hope that inspires them. Life is short. You never know how short it's going to be. You get an opportunity, take it.
- [46:58]
John Hopkins
Next time on REAL Survival Stories. We travel to a wild tropical outcrop off the northeast coast of Australia in April 1997. Warren McDonald is relaxing on Hinchinbrook island when a chance encounter with a total stranger presents him with the opportunity of a lifetime. But one night, a bizarre accident changes everything. Smashed to pieces and immobilized, Warren has to pin all his hopes on a man he only met the day before. That's next time on REAL Survival Stories. Listen today ad free and without waiting a week by joining Noiser Plus.
- [47:45]
Jules Mountain
This episode is brought to you by FX's Alien Earth, the official podcast.
- [47:50]
John Hopkins
Each week, host Adam Rogers is joined.
- [47:52]
Jules Mountain
By guests, including the show's creator, cast and crew. In this exclusive companion podcast.
- [47:57]
John Hopkins
They will explore story elements, deep dive.
- [48:00]
Jules Mountain
Into character motivations, and offer an episode.
- [48:02]
John Hopkins
By episode behind the scenes breakdown of.
- [48:05]
Jules Mountain
Each terrifying chapter in this new series. Search FX's alien Earth wherever you listen to podcasts.
- [48:13]
John Hopkins
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- [48:32]
Jules Mountain
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John Hopkins
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Jules Mountain
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