[oust the louse]

"They were at an elevation where brain damage has already started.."

I think brain damage started when they decided to climb that big dirt/rock pile with snow on it....

[eddie willers]

I think brain damage started when they decided to climb that big dirt/rock pile with snow on it....

Here's a very large (thus the link) picture of the North Face at a time when most of the snow has blown off.

The rock formation at the far left of the picture is the "Second Step".

The more common Southern Route is the other side of the mountain (which is a three sided pyramid)

Large Picture of Everest North Face