When his team met with Gau, Krakauer says, Gau agreed to give up on the May 10th summiting that had been planned by the American and New Zealand teams, but later went back on his word.
書中還指稱高銘和與會時，同意避開美國隊、紐西蘭隊預定登頂的 5 月 10 日，但最後卻失信食言。