Boukreev provides a rebuttal to these allegations in his 1997 book The Climb. In his book, Krakauer acknowledged Boukreev's heroism in saving two climbers' lives, but questions his judgment, his decision to descend before clients, not using supplementary oxygen, his choices of gear on the mountain, and his interaction with clients. Boukreev later mounted repeated solo rescue efforts, saving several lives. An experienced high-altitude climber and guide for Scott Fischer, Boukreev descended the summit prior to his clients, ostensibly out of concern for their safety and in preparation for potential rescue efforts. Much of the disputed material centers on Krakauer's accounting of the actions of Russian climber and guide Anatoli Boukreev. Krakauer's recounting of certain aspects of the climb has generated criticism, both from some of the climb's participants and from fellow mountaineers such as Galen Rowell.

In the book, Krakauer alleges that essential safety methods adopted over the years by experienced guides on Everest are sometimes compromised by the competition between rival guiding agencies, in order to get their clients to the summit. From there, the book moves between events that take place on the mountain, and the unfolding tragedy, which occurs during the push to the summit. Krakauer asked his editor to put off the story for a year so that he could train for a climb to the summit. However, the idea of Everest reawakened his childhood desire to climb the mountain. The original magazine story was to have Krakauer climb only to base camp, and report on the commercialization of the mountain. Krakauer, a journalist for the adventure magazine Outside, said initially his intention to climb Everest was purely professional. This was the third-highest recorded number of deaths on the mountain in a single day the April 2015 Nepal earthquake caused the most at 21. The 1996 expedition season recorded eight deaths, including that of Krakauer's guide Rob Hall. Krakauer describes the events leading up to his eventual decision to participate in an Everest expedition in May 1996, despite having mostly given up mountain climbing years before.

Other groups were trying to summit on the same day, including one led by Scott Fischer, whose guiding agency, Mountain Madness, was perceived as a competitor to Hall's agency, Adventure Consultants. Krakauer's expedition was led by guide Rob Hall. It details Krakauer's experience in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, in which eight climbers were killed and several others were stranded by a storm. Everest Disaster is a 1997 bestselling nonfiction book written by Jon Krakauer. Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt.

Krakauer into thin air