Susan:

As usual, the news stories do not offer complete details and often conflict each other. One of the news articles I read summed it up the best: Many details of the incident remain unclear. Truth be told, we will probably never know the complete story...and that is fine with me.

From what I read, and I carefully heed my own words above. By the time Rob Plankers was assisted into the bivy bag, he was non-ambulatory (unable to walk unassisted) and hypothermia had set in. Unforgivably at 13,000 feet there is not a lot of options left and Planker's climbing partners had to make a very tough choice. Rest assured, every climber I have ever talked to on this subject will categorically tell you that this is the one decision they hope to never have to make.

As for "He had gotten away with it before"...well we all have in one pursuit or another in life. Climbing at high altitude such as 13,000 feet or more is always a big risk. I have done it a lot more then once and if I ever have the chance again, I would do it in a heartbeat.