How to Climb Mount Everest
Climbing Mt. Everest is seen by many people as a lifelong goal, and many mountain climbers aspire to climb the world’s highest mountain. Many have succeeded - and failed - to conquer this monumental testament to the achievement of the human spirit. Here’s how you can climb the world’s highest mountain.
Mt. Everest at a Glance
Mt. Everest towers above all mountains on Earth, at 29,029 feet (8,848 meters) above sea level. Found in the Himalaya mountain range bordering Nepal and Tibet, Mt. Everest is considered by many to be one of the most difficult climbs in the world.
History
The first people to reach the summit of Mt. Everest were Sir Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa companion Tenzing Norgay, on May 29, 1953. Since then, hundreds of climbers have realized their dream of a lifetime by standing on the “roof of the world.” Yet despite the many successes that have been recorded on Mt. Everest, hundreds of climbers have also lost their lives to the mountain (like the disaster of the 1996 climbing season), or simply did not have the strength and the will to overcome the challenge. Today, hundreds of climbers still flock to Mt. Everest.
Preparing for the Climb
Climbing Everest not only requires peak physical conditioning and experience with high-altitude climbing, but a lot of funding as well. Everest is usually climbed by expeditions, or groups of climbers, guides, and Sherpas. Reaching the summit is a team effort, and is quite expensive: millions of dollars are needed to finance an Everest expedition.
The Route to the Peak
Here are some of the common features and landmarks in Mt. Everest:
mount everest
Base Camp is where it all begins. Camps are strategically situated on the mountain to allow climbers to acclimatize. Base camp is where climbers get their supplies and prepare for summiting the mountain.
The Southeast Ridge is the most common route to the summit. Two famous marks of Mt. Everest - the South Col and the Hillary Step - are encountered from this route.
The Northeast Ridge is a less-common route to the summit, and is considered more challenging than the usual route. To summit Everest, climbers who scale the mountain from the Northeast Ridge must pass through the North Col.
The summit is the peak of Mount Everest, and the reason why people push themselves to the limit on the mountain. Climbers typically spend only a few minutes atop Everest because of the low oxygen levels in such a high alitude.
High altitude is all about having the right attitude: willpower, physical conditioning, and perseverance. With the right knowledge and enough commitment, you can make your way to the roof of the world.