Family Of Climber Was Told He Died On Mount Everest Before Sherpas Discovered Him Alive And Exposed On The Mountain

A climber on Mount Everest was discovered alive even though his family had already been told that he had died during the extreme expedition. The shocking discovery came after hours of confusion and desperate attempts to revive him during the climb.

Lincoln Hall had set out to reach the summit of the world’s highest mountain in 2006 when he encountered serious trouble, much like many other climbers who push themselves to their limits in the hostile conditions near the peak. His challenge quickly turned into a fight for survival.

Everest remains one of the most dangerous mountains on the planet, and countless climbers have tragically died on its slopes. Many bodies never make it down, and some have become well-known landmarks for those making the climb.

Lincoln's team spent several hours trying to revive him as they ascended, holding onto hope that he might recover. But after repeated attempts, they came to believe that he had passed away, and they made the painful decision to continue their climb.

At that point, Lincoln, who was 50 years old, remained alone on an exposed ridge with no shelter from the brutal altitude and cold. His team thought there was nothing more they could do, so they moved forward, believing they had lost him.

The following day, Lincoln’s family received the heartbreaking message that he had died during his attempt to summit Everest, unaware that the situation would soon take an unbelievable turn.

Lincoln got into difficulty while ascending the mountain Jamie McGuinness/Project-Himalaya.com via Getty Images

But another group of climbers, led by 45-year-old mountaineer Dan Mazur, made a startling discovery when they came across a figure sitting upright on the mountainside. What they first assumed was another lifeless climber turned out to be Lincoln — alive.

The sight was especially alarming because bodies on Everest are unfortunately common. Some have even become familiar “markers” used by climbers as reference points. Mazur and his team, which included a sherpa and two fellow climbers, knew immediately that something about this scene was different.

As they approached, Mazur later shared how surreal the moment felt when they realized Lincoln was still conscious.

"We came upon him suddenly," Mazur told PEOPLE at the time. "He was just sitting there on the brow of a ridge, with a cliff on one side that had a drop of about 8,000 feet."

They quickly noticed something even more worrying. Lincoln was missing most of the gear he needed to survive the freezing conditions near the summit.

"He's got his arms out of his down suit, wearing just a thin fleece top," said Mazur. "He's got no hat, no gloves and no goggles. There's no oxygen. He's got no equipment and he was just sitting there gaping."

Lincoln descending the mountain after his rescue Jamie McGuinness/Project-Himalaya.com via Getty Images

Mazur later explained that Lincoln’s original team believed he had died, so they took his equipment with them, assuming he no longer needed it. In the thin air and brutal cold, every piece of gear can mean the difference between life and death.

"He'd had three Sherpas, and I heard they were like poking fingers in his eyes and he wasn't moving. They figured he was dead," said Mazur.

"Maybe he was almost dead. A couple of people later told me they did everything they could."

Despite the impossible conditions, Lincoln was still sitting up and able to talk to Mazur’s group as they came across him. They immediately stopped to help, knowing how dire his situation was.

He was suffering from severe frostbite, and his behavior showed clear signs of hallucination. At one point, he told rescuers that he thought he was on a boat instead of stranded on an icy mountain ridge.

Doctors later confirmed he had frostbite along with brain swelling caused by altitude sickness, a condition that can be deadly if untreated.

Thankfully, because Mazur’s team chose to stop and help him instead of continuing toward the summit, Lincoln survived the ordeal. Their quick action likely saved his life, giving him the chance to recover fully after being left for dead.