American journalist, writer and mountaineer, Krakauer is especially recognized for his books on mountaineering, although he has also collaborated with different media such as Playboy, National Geographic or Rolling Stone. He was born in Brookline (Massachusetts), but grew up in Corvallis (Oregon) from the two years Krakauer, third of five siblings, graduated in 1972 and four years later earned his degree in environmental studies from Hampshire College, Massachusetts.

In 1974, he was part of a group of seven friends who climbed the Arrigetch Peaks of the Brooks Range (Alaska) and was invited by the American Alpine Journal to write about his experiences in the mountains. In 1977, he met rock climber Linda Mariam Moore, whom he would marry three years later. Back in 1996, Krakauer left for the Himalayas to write a report on the growing commercial exploitation of Everest. He wanted to analyze the reasons why so many people are willing to face risks previously reserved for professional mountaineers, the result was one of his most notable books: Altitude sickness (1997). His bestseller Towards Wild Routes (1996) built him a good reputation as an adventure writer. It tells the story of Christopher McCandless, a young American who, after graduating from college, donated his money to charities and embarked on a journey through the American West until, two years later, he was found dead in Alaska.