Alpinists at Large: The 1981 Attempt on Mt. Siguniang in China

“Throw me off now. Throw me off. I’d rather die fast than slow.” —Jim Kanzler

In 1981, during a complicated time for relations between the US and China, a team of climbers embarked on one of the first American expeditions to the mountains of China.

Not all partnerships start off on perfect footing, and some expeditions go sideways. The members of the Mt. Siguniang expedition learned a lot of lessons during their “trip,” but forged lifelong friendships nonetheless.

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