When reading choose to read either '200 metres' OR '700 feet' )

Introduction to be Copied and Pasted into a document for printing.

INTRO FOR LINCOLN HALL

We are delighted to have with us today a man who survived one of the toughest challenges in mountaineering history. Lincoln Hall played a key role in the success of the First Australian Everest Expedition in 1984, but he didn’t reach the world’s highest summit until 22 years later. And even then, in 2006, he scarcely had time to savor his triumph. Only 200 metres /600 feet below the summit, he collapsed and was declared dead by the few people still high on the mountain. Darkness fell, and the news went out from Base Camp via radio and satellite phone that Lincoln was the 12th fatality on one of Everest’s deadliest climbing seasons. He was completely on his own for the entire night, and without oxygen or shelter. And yet the next morning he was found alive, perched on the lip of the world’s highest precipice. “Lincoln Hall” became a household name overnight.

Lincoln’s survival was declared miraculous, but, in fact, it was based on the lessons learned during 30 years of climbing on more than 40 mountains in 9 countries. He wrote about his Everest ordeal in Dead Lucky, Life After Death on Mount Everest, now published in Australia, the USA, Canada and Germany. His ninth book, Alive in the Death Zone, is written for younger readers.