They do carry oxygen. But they can only bring so much.
They have to save it for when they REALLY need it. When their oxygen depletes, their muscles fatigue, their brains start to shut down, their ability to make rational decisions is reduced, etc. Plus they lose their appetite at a time when they need calories and water the most.
One of the other posters here (DoctorMichael) is much more knowlegable of this. He is a climber.
Ok. It didn't occur to me that they were limited in the oxygen they could carry. I thought they would carry enough to carry them thru the climb.
Deathzone = Usually considered anything above 22,000 feet; it is the altitude at which, no matter how much bottled oxygen you carry, or how acclimitized you get, the human body starts to eat itself up and you waste away and die.
If I might also add another point to my public comments........Most of the posts on the Thread fault the people that didn't help the dying climber. The point I tried to make in my Post #79 (and in my life; this is also why I'm a Conservative!!!) is...........What about the responsiblity of the dying climber? What decision did he make? Is he not responsible in some manner for his own actions? Everest is dangerous; Everest kills people. He knew that when he placed his first foot on it and started the climb.
BTW......10 years ago I did the 14 day trek to Mt. Everest Base-camp at 18,000 feet, solo in the Himalayas. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will always treasure. It was 7 days of hiking up and 7 days back to the helicopter pad in Luklha, and then back to Kathmandu.