About Mount Everest

Everest - the highest mountain in the world

Other names: Sagarmāthā (Nepal), Chomolungma (Tibet, China)
Altitude: 8848 meters
Location: Nepal, China (Tibet)
First ascent: May 29, 1953 (Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary)
Most popular route: South Coast (Nepal)
Chain: Himalayas
WGS84: -(27 °-59 '17)-("N, 86 °-55'-31"-E)

Everest (or Chomolungma as it is called in Nepal) at 8848.43 meters high, is the dream of any mountaineer, but without a doubt, it is the most dangerous challenge and the most deadly mountain on Earth. Yes, it's the highest place on our planet and the most famous summit that every child in every country knows. But the story of his discovery and the good people who tried to climb it, is often unknown to the public. Having a pyramid-like shape due to glaciers, Everest rises just at the border of two Asian countries - China and Nepal.

Infographics

Shocking truth

This peak is really considered one of the most beautiful places yet one of the most tragic and dangerous in the world. Its rocky silhouette has attracted many courageous and brave people to reach its summit. Unfortunately, many of them remained trapped in its snow and rocky cliffs forever. More than 235 climbers and locals died while trying to reach the highest peak of the globe, although the exact number is still unknown because everyone does not register before his trip. This is because of the pressure and the scarcity of air, which makes it impossible to breathe for a long time. However, despite the danger, the cold air and the lack of oxygen in the air they breathe, many people risk their lives for the chance to spend a short time on the roof of the world. What is special about this?

How much does it cost to climb Everest?

Today this issue is very popular because we all know that high altitude expeditions are a "game" for which you have to pay to participate, and you need not only to be physically ready and qualified to participate. mountaineering, but you must also be willing to pay for it. The minimum price is around $ 30,000 if you do it alone. Travel companies often offer guided expeditions, for the price of their service goes around 60,000$. The VIP shipping service, which includes a permanent Internet and telephone access, amounts to no less than $ 90,000. Overall, it depends on the guide and the number and quality of services included in the package. However, when choosing your guide and the company you are going to work with, it is important not only to look at the price and the name of the supplier. It is always best to research this and see if the flight is included. In addition, it is recommended to see if the Sherpa service is included as well. Because sometimes you will have to pay the Sherpas when you are in base camp, in order to avoid unexpected surprises, it is always better to pay attention to the details.

Why is it so expensive?

The Nepalese government levies a mandatory fee for all foreigners who want to climb Everest. Depending on the size of the group and the time period, this can range from $ 11,000 to $ 25,000.

Many readers are now indignant: "Such a scam! ". But on the other hand, think better more for yourself of course. Even at this price, we count on the tracks more than 200 dead and dozens of tons of garbage. Imagine what would happen if this tax did not exist. The number of climbers would increase considerably, and Everest would then become either a dump or a morgue.
Another important thing is the necessary equipment set, which also costs a lot of money. Expenses for guides, mountaineers, and sherpas often depend on the size of the group, so they vary from year to year.

Facts on Mount Everest

1. Everest, part of the Mahalangur Range, is 29,035 feet (or 8848 meters).

2. An inactive Hawaiian volcano, Mauna Kea, ranks first in the world's highest mountain rankings, not counting sea level.

3. It is over 60 million years old and was formed due to the pushing movement of a tectonic plate (Indian) directly into the Asian plate. So because of the tectonic activities in this area, Everest gains near about some quarter inch (0.25 ") each year.

4. The summit is located on the border of Nepal (south) and China (Tibet) to the north.

5. Chomolungma (derived from Tibetan) means Holy Mother of the Universe.

6. To stay warm, climbers are encouraged to use oxygen at the top. Similarly for food, before the summit, they eat a lot of rice and noodles because they consume a lot of energy when they climb. Yet, on average, mountaineers burn more than 10,000 calories on a daily basis, and this number is doubled during the ascent of the summit. Overall, mountaineers typically lose between 10 and 20 pounds of weight throughout their expedition.

7. Throughout history, it has been reported that 282 people (including 169 Western mountaineers and 113 Sherpas) died in Everest during the period from 1924 to August 2015. Speaking of the dead and their reasons, 102 mountaineers died while attempting to climb to the summit without the use of additional oxygen. The majority of corpses all remain to this day in the snows of the mountain, although China has reported having removed many bodies. The main reason for the death is due to falls, then avalanches and explosions, and because of altitude sickness.

8. The youngest person, whoever crossed the summit was the young American Jordan Romero, at the age of 13, May 23, 2010 (he managed to do it on the north side).

9. 14 mountaineers managed to cross from one side to the other.

10. There the wind can blow at a speed of over 200 mph.

11. Basically, it takes about 40 days to reach the summit of Mount Everest, as it takes time for the body to get used to the high altitude.

12. The first mountaineers, who managed to reach the summit of Everest without using bottled oxygen, were the Reinhold Messner and Peter Habler (Italian) teams in 1978. Later, following their example, 193 mountaineers also managed to reach the top without using bottled oxygen (that's about 2.7% of all peaks). Overall, there is about 66% less oxygen in each breath at the summit of Everest than if you were breathing normally at sea level.

13. There have been more than 7000 ascents to the summit of Everest so far, conducted through all routes spotted by more than 4,000 different people.

14. The oldest person who managed to conquer the mountain was Miura Yiuchiro (Japan), aged 80, on May 23, 2013.

15. There are 18 different official climbing routes to climb Everest.

16. The first woman to set foot on Everest was Japanese climber Junko Tabei (in 1975).

17. To avoid falling, mountaineers use nylon ropes (10 mm in diameter). To ensure the success of their ascent, mountaineers wear spikes on their sneakers, which are called crampons. In addition, they use ice axes that can hold them if they fall on the rocky and icy surface. As for the clothes, they wear thick suits, stuffed with goose feathers.

18. Sherpa is the generic name of people who live in the western part of Nepal. Originally, they migrated from Tibet several centuries ago. They help mountaineers transport food, tents and supplies to intermediate camps above the base camps.

19. Mountaineers begin to use their bottled oxygen at the altitude of 7925 m (26,000 feet), however, there is only a difference of 915 m in the way they feel. In general, at an altitude of 8230 m, one will have the impression of being 7315 m above sea level, which does not represent a significant difference.

20. The temperature can go down to -62 ° C.

History

Everest was created by the mother Earth, near 60 million years ago. The mountain has a fairly long history of "first climbers", starting with the first unsuccessful attempt in 1921 by the British expedition of George Mallory and Guy Bullock, passing by the first humans on a mountain peak in 1953, which were the brave mountaineers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, until today, when, for example, May 23, 2013, Yuichiro Miura at the age of 80 became the eldest person to climb Mount Everest. But the highest peak in the world is not only a place of visit or challenge for climbers, but it is also a habitat for mountaineers, people of Sherpa, who have lived there more than near 500 years. This small nation has the best guides and porters for tourists and professionals who have decided to challenge death and climb the highest and most challenging mountain on our planet.

Where is Mount Everest?

Everest is not only the highest mountain, but it beats another record - it is also the highest border between two countries. The mountain extends between the territories of China and Nepal, but its summit is located in China - or, rather, in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Everest is included in the Himalayan mountain range and is just one of the nine peaks of the Himalayan mountain range. Interestingly, the Himalayan mountains are made up of the 39 highest peaks in the world, so Everest has many younger brothers. Together, they form a barrier between the Tibetan plateau and the Indian subcontinent.

The entire mountain range is located in South Asia, passing through Pakistan, Bhutan, Tibet, India, and Nepal. That's why Mount Everest has many names. In Tibet, it is called "Chomolungma" or "Qomolangma". In Chinese, it is Shèngmu Fēng. Locals in Darjeeling call it "Deodungha", which means "Holy Mountain". For several years the location of the highest mountain in the world was supposed to be in the Andes, and it was only in 1852 that an Indian mathematician and a geometer from Bengal discovered the true highest peak in the world.

How was he named?

The tallest mountain in the world was discovered by George Everest, who was once the general surveyor of India, in 1841. Since then, the official name, which was given to the highest peak of the Earth is drawn of his name. This name was provided in 1865 only because there were various local names for this impressive peak, but the highest peak, indeed, had to have only one name, recognized internationally. Andrew Waugh was the one who insisted on giving the name of his Indian predecessor to the mountain he reported as the highest.

In which country is Mount Everest?

Throughout history Mount Everest was part of China or Nepal, just as it happened with the Tibet Autonomous Region. But even today, the Tibetan authorities are trying to return to independence from the People's Republic of China after the annexation in May 1959. Relations between Nepal and China are purely sympathetic, and it's almost symbolic. , that the border between the two countries meets at the highest summit of the world. So, theoretically, the peak that is closest to the cosmos is not part of a single state, it is the common property of Nepal and China. Every tourist who has decided at least to attack Everest by himself, can choose which side he would like to do, but the fact is that Everest on the Nepal side is much more beautiful, and also easier in terms of climbing.

How high is Mount Everest?

Imagine that you live in a world where Mount Everest does not exist, it has not been discovered yet, and at school, your teacher tells you that the highest mountain is called Kangchenjunga, or Dhaulagiri, for example. But even in the twentieth century, society was sure that the highest point on our planet was anything but Everest. It was only in 1852 that Everest was confirmed as the highest mountain in the world. The height of the mountain is 8848 meters above sea level, and increases each year by about 4 millimeters, due to the movement of the plates. In addition, earthquakes in Nepal can move Everest and even change its height. And scientists today continue to prove that neither Nepal's nor China's measurements of the mountain are true. Chomolungma continues to grow. The continental plates are not immobile, they constantly push Everest upwards.

It is curious to note that the exact height of Everest is always a subject of dispute. In 1856, when British explorers were able to assess the height of the peak for the first time with the help of a theodolite, the record was 8,840 m. Today, the official height of Everest is declared at 8,848 m. To imagine how high Everest is, just say that its summit would be just below the normal flight altitude of a jet. This is why it is not surprising that there is practically no fauna at this height, because of the low pressure and the rarefied air with low oxygen content. However, Everest is the home of a rare type of spider, which hides in the crevices. This jumping black spider feeds on frozen insects, which reach the summit through winds and masses of snow.

"Neighborhood"

Speaking of the Everest Massif, it consists of several separate peaks, such as Changtse, which is 7.580 meters high, Nuptse with 7.855 meters, and Lhotse 8.516 meters high. It was extremely difficult at that time to measure the exact height of the mountain because there were devices, called theodolites, which weighed more than 500 kg, which required between 10 and 15 men to wear it. They made numerous attempts to measure the exact height of Everest, eventually arriving at the proper measure of Everest's height in 1949 alone.

The closest place where people live is the Rongbuk Monastery, it is a Buddhist temple that was founded in 1902, and was recently rebuilt after its total demolition during the Civil War in this region in the 1970s Today is really the last resort for these mountaineers, who come to one of the base camps. In Rongbuk Monastery you can stay in a small hotel and a tiny restaurant.

About the height

For nearly three hundred years, the highest point known on Earth was Chimborazo, an Andean volcano. Its height is "only" 6.267 meters. In the nineteenth century, this presumption was belied, and a new champion was found - Mount Nanda Devi in India with a height of 7,816 meters. It might sound like a joke, but today the Nanda Devi is ranked only 23rd in the world's highest mountain rankings. But there is a reason why these "children" were supposed to be the highest - the whole region of Nepal with its "roof of the world" was inaccessible to the outside world for a very long time.

Interesting things to know

Mount Everest is officially considered one of the most polluted mountains in the world, due to the lack of infrastructure and a large influx of tourist garbage, ranging from simple food wrappers to bottled water. oxygen and old equipment, which are stored and accumulated for decades on this sacred mountain for the local community.

It is also interesting to note that today's scientists regularly find remains of marine life, which have remained in rock for 450 million years, the time when the surface of Everest was no higher than the seabed, despite the fact that the Himalayas were formed only 60 million years ago. And if we are talking about the facts of man, then, for example, one can ask a question, who visited the summit of Everest more than anyone? These are two sherpas - Apa Sherpa and Tashi Purba, they were able to enjoy the highest landscape in the world 21 times.

Dead

Unfortunately, Mount Everest is known to be a very difficult place to reach, and one of the most dangerous places in the world, because its low temperatures, low oxygen levels in the air and dangerous avalanches have taken many lives of citizens locals and brave mountaineers. The biggest tragedy in Everest's history came in 2014 when a massive avalanche killed 16 local Nepalese guides. It happened near a base camp. Later, the second most tragic accident occurred in 1996, when nearly 15 people died during their attempt to return from the top of the world.

These people died for different reasons, some - because of inadequate equipment, others - because of lack of oxygen in the gas cylinders and because of an unexpected snowstorm, which rendered impossible for the team to get back to where they started. This was the second deadliest accident in terms of human lives in a year at this location. The third most tragic situation occurred in 2012, when 11 people remained forever prisoners of their way to Everest. Overall, there are about 200 bodies of dead people on the mountain, although the exact number is still unknown. They are buried in the snow and rocks of Everest. Avalanches and falls are the most common reasons for fatal accidents on Everest.

Mount Everest Base Camps

For those who have dared to climb Everest, there are, as already mentioned, two alternatives - either you go to China, or you decide to conquer the giant hill on the Nepali side of the mountain. In order to get used to the specific weather and climatic conditions at such an altitude, for both paths, there are two basic camps, where everyone, absolutely every tourist who plans to continue climbing, is forced to really go a lot of time, so that the body can get used to these conditions and avoid altitude sickness. In both camps, there are doctors, who can give advice to climbers before the ascent. Staying for a while, as needed, in a base camp helps mountaineers reduce the potential for health problems related to pressure changes and altitude sickness.

Camp South is located in Nepal, while Camp North is located on the territory of Tibet (China). Despite the fact that the northern camp during the summer days is accessible by car, however, it is the camp on the south side that is increasingly popular. And of course, all the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, who were already farming and raising livestock, are now fully focused on providing visitors with everything they need - they help carry luggage to the mountain. they offer food and water, as well as a variety of products. In addition to the two camps above, on the way to Everest, there are several other camps, before and after, but they are intended for those who have really decided to go to the highest point of the Himalayas.

Supplies to the southern base camps are delivered by Sherpas and porters, as there is no transportation to bring food and medicine, as well as other necessities to this area. The most popular shipping method here is to use yaks, local animals capable of carrying heavy baggage.

Ascent

If you think that everyone can climb Everest, even with a great will, you are wrong. First of all, it costs a lot, about $ 60,000. Climbing the highest mountain in the world is not so fun, it's not an easy and comfortable mode of tourism, it's a real challenge and a mortal danger. Each year, many tourists die in their attempt to conquer this giant stone, some fall into the abysses or crevices between glaciers, others do not withstand extreme temperatures, and still, others suffer altitude sickness.

Naturally, for such a challenge, professionals will need a large amount of specific equipment - shoes, clothes, tools, and electronic gadgets, as well as a large team of experts to accompany them, and years of experience in the ascent of the other peaks. But if you talk about the process, it is obviously something fascinating. Whichever way you go, it is advisable to travel with a sherpa companion. Today, the Himalayan region is home to about 3,000 Sherpas, and all are first class guides, bearers, and conquerors of summits. In short, Highlanders. If you have seen the famous photo of the first people on Mount Everest, you will understand how indescribable this feeling is. In the words of Tenzing Norgay, "I wanted to jump, dance, it was the best feelings of my life, I stood in front of the whole world."

The most popular season for climbing Everest is spring. Fall expeditions are less popular. Today, the most popular way to climb Everest is through guided climbing. This ensures that the professional guide, who is sure to know the safest way to the top, among others, can always bring his expertise on things to do if something extraordinary happens, and he will always stay with the group. In addition, the guide will explain everything you need to know before starting the climb, it will help you to choose the necessary equipment and will check the physical condition, as well as the state of health of the participants in advance.

The plan 

The very first stage of climbing Everest is an excellent physical condition and adequate experience in climbing climbing, as this process is risky and dangerous and requires certain skills. The expedition begins in one of the base camps (north or south), according to the plan of climbing. Then, participants spend some time (about a week) in a base camp, located at an altitude of about 5,000 meters. Here, they can talk to experienced guides, check their physical condition and take some rest before climbing Everest. Then mountaineers receive food, supplies and oxygen and review the equipment they will carry. For an additional cost, groups may choose to take Sherpa Assistance, which means that all extra oxygen will be worn for them.

How long does it normally take to climb Mount Everest?

Surely, climbing on the roof of the world does not mean walking a few days through the picturesque snow-covered slopes. For inexperienced climbers, for people with the slightest risk of disease, the acclimatization period at the average altitude (in the base camp, the altitude is 5100 meters) can in some cases go up to 30- 40 days, during the whole month you will be surrounded by the Sherpa and your colleagues, until your body is accustomed to the pressure of the air and the lack of oxygen. Only then can you continue to climb. On average, when it comes to tourist destinations, the total ascent from your arrival in Kathmandu to the last stop at the highest point in the world takes about 60 days. When everything is ready, it takes about 7 days to go from the base camp to the summit. After that, it takes about 5 days to get back to base camp.

The first person to climb Mount Everest

Even though the first man on the roof of the world was Edmund Hillary, long before him, there were many attempts to conquer Everest. In the 1920s, the special expedition of the newly created Mount Everest Committee discovered the most practical routes, and the members of these expeditions were the first to set foot on the "sacred mountain", as they call the locals. And yet, two completely different people, Sir Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander, and Nepalese mountaineer Tenzing Norgay, climbed together by the southern route, finally reached the summit, in a place that never the foot of the Man had not walked in history.

In 1953, during this extraordinary event for all of humanity, China closed Everest for visits, and the international community was only allowed one expedition a year. Together, constantly tormented by strong winds, which is why they often had to stay in one place for a few days, Norgay and Hillary climbed onto the roof of the world. His feat, Edmund Hillary dedicated it to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and it was the best gift for this historic event in the UK. Although Hillary and Norgay stayed only 15 minutes at the top of the mountain, these 15 minutes are now comparable only to the first step on the moon.

The youngest person ever to reach the top was a 4th-grade student from California, and he was only 13 when he climbed Everest. The 15-year-old Nepalese girl, Ming Kipa Shira, was the second youngest person ever to conquer Everest in 2003. The oldest man ever to climb Everest was an 80-year-old Japanese man. Miura Yiuchiro's name. The oldest woman ever to set foot on the summit of Everest is Japan's Tamae Watanabe, at the age of 73.