I have always had a fascination with mountain climbing, not because it was something I wanted to do, but rather, because it was something I could not possibly see myself doing or ever wanting to do. What would compel a person to want to climb a mountain? It is an obvious question and an even more obvious answer with, “because it’s there” being the most common. But there are lots of things that are “there” and which do not announce themselves with a siren’s call to the rocks. I suspect that mountain climbing enjoys a romantic difference to many people because in addition to a declaration of fitness, it represents something rather unique that one can claim that they can do that others cannot. That form of dominance has always been a draw for people who are alpha dogs.
Alpha dogs refer to dominant dogs that take leadership positions within a group or pack. This concept originates from studies on wolf pack dynamics, where researchers observed what appeared to be a hierarchical structure with one wolf (the “alpha”) leading the pack. However, it’s worth noting that modern animal behaviorists have largely moved away from the strict “alpha dog” theory. More recent research suggests that wolf packs in the wild are typically family units led by breeding pairs, rather than dominance-based hierarchies. Domestic dog social structures are more flexible and situational than once thought as well. Many behaviors previously labeled as “dominance” are often more related to confidence, resource guarding, or learned behaviors. In popular culture and some traditional dog training approaches, the term is still used to describe dogs that display confident, assertive behaviors or to refer to training methods that emphasize human “dominance” over dogs. However, many contemporary trainers favor positive reinforcement methods rather than dominance-based approaches.
Mountain climbing isn’t inherently an “alpha dog” activity in the traditional sense, though it does share some characteristics that might be associated with stereotypical “alpha” traits. Mountain climbing requires determination, physical strength, risk tolerance, and leadership skills (especially when climbing in groups) – qualities sometimes associated with the popular concept of “alpha” personalities. The challenging nature and element of conquering difficult terrain might appeal to those who enjoy testing their limits and demonstrating competence. However, the mountain climbing community is actually quite diverse in terms of personalities and approaches. Many climbers are drawn to the sport for reasons unrelated to dominance or status. It can be about connection with nature and wilderness, mindfulness and mental clarity that comes from focused activity, community and camaraderie with fellow climbers, personal growth and self-discovery, or the meditative aspects of methodical movement. Rather than being dominated by competitive, status-seeking individuals, climbing communities often emphasize collaboration, safety, mentorship, and respect for the mountains – values that don’t necessarily align with stereotypical “alpha” behavior.
Back in the late 1980s I had a young Cornell business school graduate working for me in the Latin America area. She was a smallish blonde woman with a perky smile and a very upbeat personality. She was a world-class mountain climber. She would arrange to take six weeks of every summer and head over into the Himalayas to climb some monster mountain or another. One year she made it onto the American Ascent team that was scheduled to climb Mount Everest. That was well before the most publicized incidents on the mountain. The deadliest single incident on Mount Everest was the April 25, 2015 avalanche triggered by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal. This disaster claimed at least 22 lives at Everest Base Camp when a massive avalanche swept through the area, giving climbers little time to escape Before that, several other major incidents marked Everest’s history including in April 2014, when an avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall killed 16 Nepali mountaineering guides, most of them ethnic Sherpas, when a hanging serac (ridge of ice) collapsed while they were waiting for a ladder to be replaced over a crevasse. The most well-known disaster was the 1996 Mount Everest incident that occurred on May 10-11 when eight climbers died in a blizzard while attempting to descend from the summit This disaster was extensively documented, including in Jon Krakauer’s book “Into Thin Air,” and highlighted issues of commercial competition and overcrowding on the mountain. Of course, there were also lots of incidents in the early climbing days as well. During the very first British expedition in 1922, on June 7, an avalanche killed several climbers when George Mallory, two British teammates, and 14 Sherpas were caught in deep snow near the North Col. This sort of set the danger tone for the mountain in the first place. Over 340 people have died attempting to climb Mount Everest since expeditions began, making it the mountain with the most deaths. None of that deterred my friend from making the climb.
During the climb, all of her Ascent teammates got dysentery and by Camp IV. It is the last camp before the summit of Mount Everest and is also known as the South Col Camp or High Camp. Camp IV is situated at approximately 7,900-8,000 meters (26,000 feet) above sea level on the South Col, which is a relatively flat area between Mount Everest and Lhotse. This is the final staging point before climbers make their summit push. This camp is located firmly within what mountaineers call the “Death Zone” – the altitude above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) where the oxygen levels are so low that the human body begins to deteriorate rapidly. Most climbers use supplemental oxygen from this point onward. From Camp IV, climbers typically begin their final summit push around midnight, aiming to reach the summit (at 8,848 meters or 29,029 feet) in the morning and return to Camp IV before afternoon, when weather conditions often deteriorate The journey from Camp IV to the summit involves navigating several challenging sections including the Balcony (8,400m), the South Summit (8,750m), the Hillary Step (8,790m), and finally the true summit. This final push usually takes between 8-12 hours to ascend and another 4-6 hours to descend, making it an extremely demanding day even for experienced mountaineers. Due to the extreme altitude and harsh conditions, Camp IV is typically a temporary camp where climbers spend as little time as possible – usually just one night before attempting the summit and possibly a short rest on the way down. My friend could not attempt the summit on her own and so she had only one shot to get another team to agree to let her join. The two teams ready to summit the next day were the Bulgarian team and the Russian team. She chose the Russian team, who voted (with only a one vote margin) to let her go with them. I’m not sure, but I might have wanted a unanimous vote…
They started their climb with five climbers and by the time they reached the South Summit only two of them were prepared to go on, her and the leader of the Russian team. They did, indeed summit and Catherine Gibson, 35, conquered 29,029-foot Everest with the man who would become her husband, Aleksei Karasnokutsky, making her only the 14th woman at the time to have climbed the worlds highest peak. Since then, that total has risen to 870 women, but that takes little away from the accomplishment.
Every once in a while, Cathy’s name pops up on some LinkedIn feed since we are connected via Bankers Trust and Cornell. Were it not for her mountain climbing, she would be one of thousands of people from those two institutions that I connected with over the years. Instead, she stands out and I think of her every so often and wonder if her life has continued to be as exciting as it was back then. I guess that’s why people climb mountains.