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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
People File • Mountaineer

Rob Hall

Rob Hall was a New Zealand mountaineer, expedition leader and mountaineering guide known for co-founding Adventure Consultants and for leading a 1996 Mount Everest expedition that ended in disaster.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Rob Hall was a New Zealand mountaineering guide and entrepreneur who co-founded Adventure Consultants. He is best known for his five Everest ascents and for dying in the 1996 Everest disaster, later chronicled by Jon Krakauer.

Early life and career

Rob Hall was born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1961. He became a skilled mountaineer and guide, co-founding Adventure Consultants with Gary Ball in 1991. The company organized commercial climbing expeditions, including guided trips to Everest.

Everest ascents

Hall summited Mount Everest five times between 1990 and 1996. At the time of his death, this was the most by any non-Sherpa climber. His fifth ascent was completed shortly before the 1996 disaster.

1996 Everest disaster

In May 1996, Hall led an expedition that was caught in a severe storm near the summit. He and several others died during the descent. The disaster was documented in Jon Krakauer's *Into Thin Air* and later in the 2015 film *Everest*.

In short

  • Born in Christchurch, New Zealand.
  • Co-founded Adventure Consultants.
  • Summited Everest five times.
  • Died on 11 May 1996 during descent.
Canadian angle

Rob Hall is relevant to Canadian readers through *Into Thin Air*, by Canadian-American journalist Jon Krakauer, which helped make the 1996 Everest disaster widely known in Canada and elsewhere.[1][8]

Quick questions

Who was Rob Hall?
He was a New Zealand mountaineer, guide and expedition leader best known for co-founding Adventure Consultants and for dying in the 1996 Everest disaster.
How many times did Rob Hall climb Everest?
He summited Mount Everest five times.
How did Rob Hall die?
He died on 11 May 1996 during the descent from Mount Everest, during the storm and collapse of the 1996 expedition.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall
    Supports: Birth, death, nationality, five Everest ascents, 1996 expedition, and later portrayals in *Into Thin Air* and *Everest*.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rob-Hall
    Supports: Biography, professional role, five Everest ascents, and death during the 1996 Everest disaster.
  3. Adventure Consultants — https://adventureconsultants.com/world-renowned/about-us/history
    Supports: Co-founding of Adventure Consultants and company history.
  4. American Alpine Club Publications — https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199739600/Rob-Hall-1961-1996
    Supports: Hall’s death on Everest and summary of his climbing career.
  5. Wikipedia (Spanish) — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Hall
    Supports: Mention of *Into Thin Air*, the 2015 film *Everest*, and five Everest ascents.