Sherpas are the local people who are highly skilled and experienced climbers. They are paid to do things such as prepare the route for foreign climbers to follow, fix ropes in place, and carry the necessary climbing kit up the mountain. it is a really risky job.
The author believes that the law of the heart is stronger. The boy learns this throughout the book. The heart is what makes the boy go back to his pack and save his own life.
