Up in the “Death Zone” of Mt. Everest, world famous freelance photographer Aaron Temple is dying. Paralyzed by altitude sickness, he has been left behind by Dave Horton, leader and financial backer of the 50th anniversary climb of the famed mountain. As the deep sleep of hypothermia edges closer, his unsettled consciousness still ponders the question of why this was happening to him.
“Not here,” he whispers as the light begins to fade and the wind whips sheets of cascading snow down upon him. “Not now.”
Aaron perishes on the mountain. Back in Orlando, when hotel accountant Hank Longo, Aaron’s best friend, hears the news, it is a crushing loss. The buddy who had been his life sharing, brother-in-arms comrade had died and questions still remain as to how he had succumbed to the harsh elements when everyone else managed to get off the mountain.
Hank dreams about Aaron lying half buried in the snow with an arm outstretched and frostbitten fingers reaching for a handhold.
When he meets Umesh Bhuju, a former Sherpa climber, he is told that the dreams will continue as long as Aaron’s body remains on Everest and his spirit trespasses with the deities that protect the mountain.
Hank concludes he cannot leave his friend where he is. In spite of his lack of climbing skill, the power of loyalty compels Hank to travel to the Himalayas in order to find his friend and bring him home. With an amazing assembled crew of men & women, he journeys to retrace the same steps Aaron had taken, hoping that the answer as to why his friend had died lies somewhere between Katmandu and the 29,000 foot summit of Everest. Bringing back Aaron from the highest point on Earth will be the greatest challenge of his life. The road he is about to take, “The Road to Sagarmatha,” is the only one that can once again make him whole.
