Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, is every mountain climber’s fantasy! The mystical mountain is located in Nepal and stands as a border between Nepal and Tibet. Each year, hundreds of adventurers attempt to summit Everest, but only a handful are successful. Standing on top of the world and discovering the splendors of the tremendous Himalayas is an uplifting experience.
The mountain also includes several fascinating facts you may or may not be acquainted with. We have assembled 10 fascinating facts about Mt Everest.
1. Edmund Hillary may not have been the first person to ascend Mount Everest:
Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander who accomplished the first successful ascent of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, may not have been the first person to reach the summit. He was accompanied by a Nepalese sherpa, Tenzing Norgay. Some people believe the summit of Mount Everest may have been reached much earlier. Climbers Andrew Irvine and George Mallory attempted to ascend Mount Everest’s peak in 1924. On July 8 of that year, right below the summit, they were last seen going upward. Since they disappeared after that, it is uncertain if the two made it to the summit.
2. Ten weeks and at least $30,000 is required to climb Mount Everest:
Although the actual ascent from the lowest base camp to the top only takes a few days, you also have to descend. The majority of an expedition’s regular two-month period is spent getting acclimated and waiting for good weather to leave camp and continue. Each climber on Mount Everest must spend at least 30,000 USD annually. Each climber must give the Nepali government a US$11,000 licensing fee to ascend the south face of Everest. It would be important to spend money on supplies, equipment, transportation, and oxygen. Along with paying for their gear, services, and oxygen tanks, your squad also needs to pay for the Sherpa.
3. The age of Mount Everest is roughly 60 million years old.
Everest and the surrounding mountains are part of the Great Himalayas, a vast mountain range that is the focal point of this tectonic upheaval. Explorer Noel Odell discovered marine fossils on Mount Everest first; this was in 1924. This demonstrated that Mount Everest was once submerged under water. The limestone and sandstone on the lid are found to be marine sedimentary rocks that were created some 450 million years ago. Mount Everest was constructed when the Indian and Asian tectonic plates collided, and historians and experts estimate its age to be around 60 million years.
4. Mount Everest is 8,848.86 meters high.
The height of Mount Everest has already been discussed. The new elevation of Mount Everest has been certified by the foreign ministers of China and Nepal at 8848.86 meters above sea level. There has been an 86-centimeter rise in the mountain. In the past, it was 8848 meters.
The new height of Everest after the 2015 earthquake piqued the interest of scientists all over the world. The procedure to measure a new height was advanced under the joint administration of China and Nepal. The official height was determined to be 8848.86 meters above sea level in the year 2020.
5. Sherpas are the only people who can climb Mount Everest without using oxygen.
A people group known as the Sherpa has established itself on both sides of the Himalayas. Living in mountainous areas with thin air gave the Sherpa people a unique physical characteristic: increased hemoglobin production. They can flourish in the low-oxygen environment of the Himalayas thanks to their intrinsic traits. Sherpas are now considered the best mountain guides on Mount Everest. In addition to pointing out the route to the climbers, many Sherpas help haul supplies for the climbers as well as some gear for camping and search-and-rescue missions.
6. Mt. Everest has one of the harshest climates in the world.
One of the world’s harshest climates can be found on Everest. At such a high altitude, when all you can see are glaciers and snow-capped mountains, how could it not be? The mountains are covered in snow and ice year-round above 5,300 meters. Strong winds and violent storms are common. You should constantly wear protective clothing as necessary if you ever have dreams of reaching Everest Base Camp and the Everest Expedition.
The warmest temperature ever recorded on the summit of Everest was -20°C. When embarking on the Everest Expedition, participants are required to wear specially made warm clothing to avoid exposure and frostbite, as well as goggles to avoid snow blindness. The weather can often be hazardous and challenging.
One of the extremes is the Everest weather. The lowest possible temperature is -60°C. With the appropriate equipment and clothing, cold weather is still bearable. The hurricane-force wind is another difficult Everest obstacle. The maximum wind speed ever measured was 285 km/h. Every climber attempts to reach the summit of Everest in May because the wind somehow stays calm during that month.
7. No life exists atop Mount Everest.
At Mount Everest’s summit, there are no signs of life. Additionally, no one lives on the summit. How could it sustain life when the temperature is constantly below -20°C? There is also no way to get food to survive. Other factors that make life on the equator impossible include harsh weather and a shortage of oxygen.
Unexpectedly, there is still life below 6,700 meters. A tiny, poisonous jumping spider that can survive up to 6,700 meters above sea level is called the Himalayan Jumping Spider. It is known as the planet’s highest permanent resident. Other creatures like the Snow Leopard, Himalayan Tahr, and Himalayan Yak can be seen below the elevation of 6,000 meters.
Gorakshep, where lodging is offered, is situated at a height of 5,167 meters. Additionally, it is the highest location on Everest where you may find a human settlement. On the summit of Mount Everest, there is no life, nevertheless.
8. On Mount Everest, dead bodies are a common sight.
Their bodies are left on the mountain after climbers perish while scaling Everest. The ice-hard ground makes it nearly impossible to bury a body. It takes more physical effort and depletes oxygen to drag or transport dead bodies. So, it’s not unusual to see dead bodies on Mount Everest.
On Mount Everest, there are reportedly more than 200 dead bodies. The precise number is yet unknown. On Mount Everest, two-thirds of those who perished during the ascent are still in peace.
9. While climbing Mount Everest, there is a “2 o’clock rule.”
Every climber who ascends a mountain adheres to the 2 o’clock rule. Climbers have till 2 pm to reach the top because of the harsh and unpredictable weather. The outcome might be disastrous. You might not make it back to camp if you get stuck in the death zone. Additionally, the fact that it gets dark earlier and the temperature is dropping is a problem.
There is also a tragic history involving Mount Everest. In 1996, Rob Hall, Scott Fischer, and their group attempted the summit. But they miscalculated the decision and made the wrong call. Despite successfully reaching the summit of Mount Everest, they overlook the negative effects of descending. On the walk back to their tent, tragedy strikes.
Fischer later referred to it as the “2 o’clock rule.” It indicates that the ascent of Mount Everest should be completed before 2:00 pm. A group must abandon the summit if they can’t get there before 2:00 p.m. and start the descent immediately before it’s too late.
10. The Everest Movie Was Partly Filmed On Mt Everest.
The book “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer, which details the disaster’s facts, was published in 1997. Later, a movie with the working title “Everest” was made based on the book. In a realistic version, the movie tells the actual story of the mountain disaster. Only a tiny part of the action in the film was shot on Everest. Studios were used to film the majority of the scenes.
When the second unit filming crew traveled to Camp II in 2014 to do the shooting, an avalanche struck, killing 16 Sherpas. The filming team, however, was unscathed because they were not present when the calamity struck. Later, the entire film was shot on greenscreen using CG effects provided by studios.