Mountain climbers aren’t heroes, the people who rescue mountain climbers are.
- Anonymous

My non-fiction “recreational” reading and video consumption focus of late has been on mountain climbing. Not the mechanics of climbing, I have little to no interest in the endeavor. It just ain’t my ‘thang. What is of incredible interest to me are the human factors; the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of a high altitude climb (Mt Everest especially). The subject grabbed hold of me and is living rent free in my head the last few weeks. The sheer number of dead bodies scattered across Everest is stunning; somewhere between 250 and 300 human remains are frozen in time above the 26,000 ft “death zone”. A testament to the risks and finality associated with the environment. Other than the ocean depths or outer space I cannot think of a lonelier place to die.

Don’t worry fellas, this isn’t a mountain climbing newsletter, I’m getting to the point.

People who decide to climb Everest (or any other mountain for that matter) are driven by one thing, to get to the summit. That is it. Abandoning civilization and what could be the rest of their life many will not let anything stand in their way. They are not embarking on a rescue mission; they are not attempting the summit to bring back some rare mineral that will cure the world’s ills. They are risking all just to reach the top and come back down. Tens of thousands of dollars in permits and guides, years of training, thousands of dollars in equipment are all allocated to the end goal. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not ragging on climbers or the required effort needed to accomplish the goal. I think anyone willing to put in superhuman work for any goal is worthy of respect. Climbers are no different. The rub comes when we read accounts that show the complete loss of an individual’s humanity during their narcissistic quest for the summit. As you read accounts of tragedies on the mountain there are shining examples of heroic efforts, strangers saving strangers from certain death. Unfortunately, there are also far too many dark stories of climbers making the decision to continue their summit push vs abandoning their goal to help a fellow climber. Flipping the rationalization switch of “he is going to die anyway” or the old standby of “it is what it is” is ok in some people’s minds (David Sharp’s death on Everest in May 2005 is a prime example). The reaction to adversity is no different at sea level, the conditions of a fully oxygenated crisis are just a bit different. We have discussed crisis ethics and trust a bit in past newsletters, we all understand that people change as stress piles up. But how do you get a read or indications during the good times? How do you find out now how your peers will react during the bad times?

Some of you have well established groups for community crisis response, some of you are just starting the process of building teams, and some are relegated to simply having small friend groups to count on when things go sideways. How do you figure out who you will really be able to count on, who will stop and help your family vs pushing on to their own personal “summit”? The kindness of strangers is real as well, but it is unpredictable and cannot be relied on. Sure, there are a few potential heroes right next to you in the coffee shop as you wait in line, you just don’t realize it. Unassuming men like Eddie Hunnell who risked his life as he jumped into a flooded river during Helene to rescue a complete stranger. Conversely there are people in your MAG or friend group you have known for years who cannot be trusted; those who will abandon you if helping is to their detriment. Deep in your heart you already know, just be honest with yourself and understand they cannot be counted on.  

How do you find out who? Elite organizations like SEALs and Delta have this dialed in through selection criteria developed over the decades - informed by PhD research and hard-earned experience. Repeatedly we hear our friends who are or were associated with these kinds of elite selections say they aren’t looking for the PT studs per se. Yes, physical fitness is a large part of it, but the individual’s refusal to quit and personal integrity is what they use to weed out those who have a high chance of letting their team down. They must identify those who will either quit, let the team down, or screw their buddy over to get ahead. The stakes are too high to for them to just “wait and see”. These units are so effective because they know they can let it all hang out; they can take extreme risks since the man on the left and right will never let them down. Be aware this approach also has an expiration date; guys who once made the cut through these gates can become the biggest self-serving disasters ever (we see this every day). There are plenty of former super soldier types I wouldn’t trust to get my mail while I am on vacation. Conversely, I know a chunky unkempt tank mechanic I would readily trust with my kids’ lives. In our world of unorganized, self-funded crisis response the trick is discovering who is who long before times are tough.

The point here is you have to find a way to overlay a formal or informal selection process to your inner circle or group. Develop a way to identify those who might let your family, team, or group down in a moment of weakness. If you are running MAGs have training events that will bring out the worst in people. Cold, tired, physically challenged, and hungry has a way of skylining dudes who will be an issue when it is bad for real. Put them in situations where they can choose personal well-being to the detriment of the team or their buddy and see what they do. Have a set of criteria to gauge the trustworthiness of your group or friends. We all have low points, and no one is perfect or without sin. But there are still unforgivable shortfalls. You must know who you can count on long before you are headed to that summit, no matter what it is.

Today’s Discount Code (only good ‘til midnight)