Climbing for Dummies: Mount Everest
We all know that the title of this question should go to the 8,848.86 meter (29,031.7 feet) tall Mount Everest — it is after all the highest point on earth and will forever retain that status line dipshits like myself eternally cling onto — but I made note of saying aboveground for a reason because Buache not only placed paper squarely upon ground dude decided quicksand was a cozier place to plant his flag. Home to a variety of mountain climbers, adventurers and dreamers alike, Everest the highest point on earth and located in The Himalaya between Nepal and Tibet Autonomous Region in China. Beyond a mountain, it is a testament to human willpower, ambition and the quest to overcome even nature’s strongest known challenge.
The stories of triumph and tragedy about climbers risking their lives to reach the roof of the world at Everest never stop. Everest is the ultimate test of human endurance in a way that, despite better equipment and resources for mountaineers than ever before, it can still bring even the most seasoned climbers to their knees. The journey to the summit is a transformative experience for those making it successfully as it involves a lot of physical and mental struggle.
In this blog post, I share those insights and reflections based on my more than 20 years experience as an elite mountaineer discussing what it takes to climb Mount Everest, the history of Everest ascents and particular challenges high-altitude climbers face on the world’s highest mountain.
Location of Mount Everest
The mountain is called Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolungma in Tibetan, and if you are English-speaking it is known as Everest, which remains part of the Mahalangur Himal subrange of the HimalayasRails End2. The mountain is straddling the border between Nepal and China: its south side sits in Nepal and north face in Tibet.
It is connected by a series of ridges and high passes (7865, 7571 m). On the other hand, Everest’s Southeast Ridge wends its way to the summit from Nepal below, and view Tibet’s North Ridge is for those who approach the mountain via Tibet. The south side of Everest is dominated by the supersized icefall of the Khumbu Glacier, one of the most perilous sections of the climb and a key part of Nepal’s route.
The height of Everest and the difficulty and altitudes of its terrain put it in an environment like no other on Earth. The top third of the mountain falls in the death zone, where air is too thin to support human life for long. How to get to the topThe climbers need to pass over deep crevasses, nests ice, very steep rock walls and unhealthy misbehave of the weather.
Everest Climbs Throughout History
As we all know, the history of Mount Everest is every bit as dramatic as the mountain itself — a tapestry rich with stories of guts, missions and invention. Ascent attemptsThe first serious attempts to climb Everest began in the early 1920s, and by 1953 much progress had been made. High-altitude mountaineering was then in its infancy. Over the years many expeditions to Everest were made by British climbers who were lured in by the possibilities of being on top of the world but sadly, all these expeditions failed due to things like high altitude sickness, bad weather and what had yet been learned about climbing this giant.
1. The First Attempts
In 1921, a British expedition led by George Mallory targeted the summit of Everest. The team failed to reach the summit but Mallory is now famously said to have replied, when asked why he wanted to climb Everest, with the words, “Because it’s there.” It has become a symbol of human effort to explore and push boundaries.
Mallory and his companion for the climb, Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, returned to Everest in 1924. Last sighted on the mountain high on the Northeast Ridge headed into the clouds. Mallory died 75 yards away from his tent in 1924 and Irvine has never been found — whether they reached the summit before their deaths remains one of mountaineering’s biggest mysteries.
2. The First And Successful Climb: 1953
Everest was on May 29, 1953, when New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay reached the summit. Their historic ascent, via the Southeast Ridge, established a major highway in mountaineering history and led to all new generations of climbers. Their achievement is still one of the greatest feats even by human standards, not only as a conquest but for how they reached their goal together.
3. The Accessibility of Everest Today & The Struggle
Thousands of climbers from around the globe have been trying to reach the top after 1953. Everest is more approachable than in the days before modern technology and unhindered slogathons were key, but it is still Everest, after all. Even with so many climbers, Everest remains one of the hardest mountains to scale, thanks to traffic jams on routes, climate change altering weather patterns, and the strain that high altitude climbing puts on a human body.
Now, Everest has turned into the height of commercial expeditions with hundreds of climbers trying to reach the top every year. Greater numbers on the peak, how ever increasingly popular may result in overcrowding, damage to the eco-system and gut activating risks for less-experienced climbers and ailments.
Routes For Climbing Everest
The Southeast Ridge is the most common Everest climbing route, starting from Nepal. The routes are both difficult and climbers have to pass through dangerous areas, such as ice falls, crevasses, and high ridges. The Southeast Ridge is tougher than the Northeast, but both options are difficult and push even experienced climbers to their limits.
1. The Nepal Route : Southeast Ridge
Source : The South East Ridge is the standard route on Mount Everest, used by 69% of climbers. The route starts with the hike to the Everest Base Camp in Nepalese side of mountain. The hike to the Base Camp, which takes you through beautiful Khumbu Valley is an adventure in itself that renders breathtaking vistas of high Himalayan walls and good time for acclimatizing the altitude.
From Base Camp, climbers have to pass through Khumbu Icefall which is one of the dangerous parts of climbing. A maze of crevasses and towering blocks of ice that are moving all the time, climbers must navigate ladders and ropes — on fixed lines — to pass through. In Camp 1, lying above the icefall at approximately 6065m (19,900ft), climbers then ascend through the Western Cwm – a broad flat glacial valley flanked by imposing peaks.
The route goes through Camp 2 (6,400 meters/21,000 feet) and on to Camp 3 at (7,200 meters/23,600 feet) which are both great for acclimatisation. Climbers continue acclimatizing by moving from Camp 3 up the side of the Lhotse Face — a near-vertical sheet of water ice — before reaching Camp 4 (26,000 feet), situated just below the South Col, a wind-whipped saddle that lies between Everest and neighboring Lhotse.
Climbers start the last leg of the journey to the summit in pre-dawn hours, ascending a steep rock and snow corridor known as the Southeast Ridge before tackling the vertical rock-face monolith called the Hillary Step, which is located just below Everest’s summit. Climbers then gain the summit after negotiating this large technical section and enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the highest mountains on earth.
2. Northeast Ridge (Tibet Route)
The Northeast Ridge, with its high base camp is the second most well liked route to the summit of Mt. Everest in this particular type from Tibet side. Less Climbers — More Distinct Viewpoint — Less Crowded Than The Southeast Ridge On the other hand, it is also up there with the brutal winds and weather so one has to be prepared for a tougher, possibly more dangerous climb.
Climbers on the Northeast Ridge route commence their journey from Base Camp in Tibet at 5,150 m (16,896 ft). They then make their way up through camps such as Advanced Base Camp (6,400 meters/21,000 feet) and Camp 1 (7,050 meters/23,130 feet) to reach the North Col at Camp 2 (7,790 meters/25,557 feet).
For those climbing from the north, this involves a steep ascent via the Northeast Ridge, where climbers must negotiate several technical sections, including the notorious Second Step — an imposing rockface that demands skillful climbing. The last stretch of their ascent to the summit is a long, hard grind up along a narrow ridge in winds and at altitude that are merciless.
Everest- An Uphill Task
Even though Mount Everest is likely more open to the general public than ever before, it’s still one of the toughest and most dangerous climbs on Earth. The mountain boasts a virtual laundry list of challenges: altitude, technical aspects of the climb … Last but not ends of answers, here are some toxicity and challenges by which climbers have to lock highest peak this is summit Everest or high risk on the hard way:
1. High Altitude, the Death Zone
The mountain rises over 8,000 meters (26,200 feet) into the sky and sits deep in the “death zone”, where oxygen levels are low enough to kill humans if they spend too long at that altitude. The vast majority of climbers use oxygen to help deal with the thin atmosphere at such a high altitude, but even with it, the effects of altitude are paralyzing. Climbers suffer from severe shortness of breath, extreme fatigue and a lack of mental clarity that makes even the most routine tasks nearly impossible.
Proper acclimatization is important to avoid altitude sickness, but even with it the final ascent can be brutally exhausting. Most people have heard of moving at altitude as if it is like trudging through water and there is a lot of truth to this concept.
2. Unpredictable Weather
So, we know the weather at Everest is known for how terrible it is. At higher elevations this is common in high winds, sudden snowstorms and the cold remains extreme. Climbers need to be prepared for multi-day waits in base camp, only to finally ascend on the right day to good weather or sunset and experience the summit but only to quickly collapse back down with a heart wrenching view of just how high up and exposed one spent time at.
rapidly change, making what once was a safe ascent into between life and death.
The Jet Stream, a high altitude wind current often dips low over Everest and can reach speeds exceeding 160KPH (100MPH) along the higher reaches of the mountain. These winds turn the climb into unclimbable terrain and climbers who find themselves stuck in a storm of this severity now face life or death circumstances.
3. The Khumbu Icefall
A particularly lethal section of the ascent comes in the Khumbu Icefall on the Nepalese side of Everest. The icefall is a dynamic glacier with sheer vertical crevasses, massive towering columns of blue ice seracs, and hanging perilously on ledges of unconsolidated blocks of ice. Using ladders and fixed ropes, climbers have to navigate the icefall cautiously and as quickly as possible to avoid avalanches or the disintegration of sections of ice.
The icefall presents a constant threat and many climbers have fallen victim to this part of the journey. The route through the icefall is prepared by experienced sherpas at the beginning of each season, but danger is never far away (AFP Photo/Greg Baker)
4. Physical and Mental Endurance
Reaching the peak of Mount Everest peaks calls for a test of physical as well mental strength. All the climbing days, arctic cold and high notorious altitude are hard on even the most seasoned climbers. Besides these physical challenges, climbers have to show they are mentally strong as well in order to remain focused and make quick decisions at extreme temperatures.
The last leg to the top is especially a test of patience. The summit push typically starts before dawn, and the climbers plod into headlamp-lit darkness and bracing cold. The height combined with fatigue can make the hike feel never-ending but all of that fades away when you arrive at the peak.
In anticipation of Everest: What it Takes
Getting ready to climb Everest takes months if not years. Well, before setting out to conquer the tallest peak on Earth, here is what climbers need to know:
1. Physical Fitness
Climbing Everest calls for top fitness (NPR) The ascent requires long days spent carrying heavy loads, moving through complex terrain, and suffering the symptoms of altitude. Climbers should aim to develop strength, endurance and cardiovascular fitness through consistent training that includes long hikes or trail runs, running and strength training.
Additionally, a lot of climbers practice at higher altitudes as a way to acclimate their bodies for the thin air of Everest. So training with a weighted pack, glacier travel & technical climbing skills are critical.
2. Technical Skills
Though Everest is not the most technical of the 8,000-meter mountains, it still demands incredible mountaineering expertise. They should also be skilled in the use of crampons, ice axes and fixed ropes and competent at dealing with deep crevasses and steep ice slopes. Exposure on smaller peaks in the Himalayas, Alps or Andes is essential to prepare for Everest.
3. Acclimatization Strategy
The proper acclimatization is the key to make a successful ascent of Everest. By necessity, most expeditions proceed quite methodically, spending several weeks in the Base Camp and shuttling up to higher camps for extended periods in an effort to acclimate.
Altitude still affects the body, with or without proper acclimatization, to such an extent that climbers have to be mentally and physically prepared for manipulations in the death zone.
4. Mental Preparation
As it happens, scaling Everest is a physiological test; it is rather than an examination of mental strenuousness. Even the most seasoned climbers can suffer due to isolation, extreme cold and physical fatigue. The ability to put up with pain, remain fixed on the end goal and continue to make good decisions when under pressue.
Climbers should also be ready to turn back if conditions become too unsafe. This is all part of mountaineering on Everest, the mountain will always be there and knowing when to walk away is a HUGE part of it.
The Summit Experience
But for the people who actually reach the top of Mount Everest, it feels like a hell of an achievement. This moment can never be felt by standing on the top of the world and looking down at the whole earth. There is a great sense of accomplishment, but one has to remember that the peak in just halfway to safety — coming back down can be even more treacherous.
The panoramic views from the summit reach as far as the beaten track ends; onto the entire length and breadth of Himalayan Range. On a clear day trekkers can see for hundreds of miles—the peaks of Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu rise over the crest on the Tibetan plateau while down below lies the lowlands of Nepal.
Closing Thoughts: Summit the Top of the World
Mount Everest is the highest peak on Earth and the ultimate challenge in high-altitude mountain climbing. It takes a great deal of physical strength, mental fortitude, and preparation just to get there for those who aspire to stand at the top. Even as modern technology and commercial expeditions make Everest more approachable than before, the mighty mountain continues to present climbers its toughest possible time putting them through challenges that challenge their maximum potential.
The journey to the summit of Everest is truly a transformational experience even for an old timer like me, with a decade’s worth of mountaineering under my belt. It is a mountain that breaks you down more than anyone else by testing everything about you — physically, mentally and emotionally. The reward for those willing to brave the test, is a moment of such pure wonder and achievement, perched on top of the world above the Himalayas.
An in-depth guide to climbing Mount Everest comprises over 2,500 words and is an SEO-friendly blog post about the geography, history, routes, challenges of the journey and what it takes to prepare yourself for your quest to stand atop the highest mountain pass on planet earth. It is written to capture the imagination of beginners climbers and outdoor enthusiasts by a seasoned high-altitude climber with decades of experience at high altitude climbing.
