It saw an influx of European and American professional climbers in its first two decades of operation.

In 1999 they kidnapped a group of Japanese geologists and in 2000 some American climbers.

Another rich American social climber no doubt." "

Todd Skinner, 48, American free climber, climbing accident.

After that, says Alan Watts, a leading American climber, "there might not be another woman in the top 100."

Being an advocate and resource for American climbers wherever they go.

Friends and fellow mountaineers have since retained an American climber familiar with China to lead an independent team in search of the missing pair.

In Litang a search team has questioned local shopkeepers, but none have seen any American climbers.

Why, they wondered, didn't he turn Hansen around much lower on the mountain, as soon as it became obvious that the American climber was running late?

Layton Kor, 74, American climber, kidney failure and prostate cancer.