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Mount Everest: How do you climb the world’s tallest mountain?

Everybody wants to be special. Each person who dreams of climbing Everest has their own motivation, but the typical answers will be to test their limits, appreciate Mother Natures extreme beauty, bragging rights (they may not admit that one), personal growth, and because its there.

The garbage that now litters the worlds highest peak says that climbing Everest isnt as special as it once was. Now any wealthy Westerner can ease his mid-life angst with a trip up the mountain, with the help of a team of professionals. The fees rival other toys of the rich; Id go with the Porsche.

Youd think it would be obvious that Mount Everest is not for amateurs, right? Nepal plans to introduce regulations to ban people who havent already completed a significant climb, as well as those too old, too young or physically disabled, reported The Guardian.

What is Everest?

First conquered officially in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, Mount Everest, which spans Nepal and China, is the earths highest mountain. Its peak is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level. For comparison, Torontos CN Tower, the world's tallest until 2010, is 553 metres high. It would take 16 CN Towers stacked on top each other to equal Everests height.

The Mount Everest south base camp after a huge earthquake-caused avalanche killed at least 17 people. REUTERS/6summitschallenge.com
The Mount Everest south base camp after a huge earthquake-caused avalanche killed at least 17 people. REUTERS/6summitschallenge.com

The name

Everest is also known in Nepal as Sagarmāthāand; in Tibet as Chomolungma. The name was chosen by the Royal Geographical Society in 1865 to honour George Everest, the Surveyor General of India, despite his objections that it was unpronounceable by the natives of India. Until then there had been a number of different local names for the mountain.

A climber makes his way to the peak of Mount Everest, on May 18, 2007 in Nepal. (Photo by isifa/Getty Images)
A climber makes his way to the peak of Mount Everest, on May 18, 2007 in Nepal. (Photo by isifa/Getty Images)

How many climb it?

Every year hundreds successfully reach the top. Since Hillary and Norgay arrived at the summit in 1953, more than 4000 climbers have made the attempt.

In an account in National Geographic of his 2012 climb, Mark Jenkins writes of passing dead bodies on his ascent, and finding it so crowded that there was no room to stand at the apex when he reached it with his guide Panuru Sherpa. The pair were stuck behind a line of 100 slow climbers, but had missed the two hour wait at the Hillary Step, where climbers would grow cold and weak despite the good weather.

As of 2012, 56 per cent of climbers succeed thanks to better gear and more guides, compared with just 18 per cent in 1990, reported the magazine.

South base camp. REUTERS/6summitschallenge.com
South base camp. REUTERS/6summitschallenge.com

Is this a male-dominated pursuit?

Largely yes. Nepals Tourism board broke down the numbers for climbers in 2014. Nepal had 542 climbers that year, but only one woman. There were 209 Nepalese summiteers, all men. The U.S. had 242 climbers, including 52 women (women were three of their 13 summiteers), and 20 of Canadas 82 climbers were women - although of Canadas summiteers, four of nine were women.

REUTERS/Gopal Chitrakar
REUTERS/Gopal Chitrakar

How dangerous is it?

Of more than 200 people who have died on Everest, one third of them were sherpas, says the BBC movie Climbing Everest with a Mountain on my Back - The Sherpas Story. Climbers can succumb to altitude sickness, extreme weather, wind, and avalanches.

In 2014 an avalanche killed 16 at people Khumbu Icefall and Camp I, making it the deadliest day in the mountains history. They were all sherpas, carrying gear to Camp II and preparing the route in preparation for the seasons mountaineering tourists. In 2012, 10 people died on Everest during the climbing season.

A man pays tribute to the 16 sherpas who lost their lives. (Omar Havana/Getty Images)
A man pays tribute to the 16 sherpas who lost their lives. (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

How do you get there?

For an attempt at the southern side of Everest, the most common route, fly to Kathmandu, Nepal. From Toronto, a ticket to Nepals capital for next June will cost at least $1500 and from there youll fly to Lukla for $285 U.S. plus baggage fees.

The History Channels Most Extreme Airports named the Tenzing-Hillary Airport the worlds most dangerous airport. One of the worlds highest airports, it is surrounded by mountains and its runway is only 460 metres long with a 12 per cent gradient. You cant appreciate how scary it is until you fly in,says one man interviewed. Sir Edmond Hillary initiated construction, but it was sherpas who built it.

To get to base camp, there are no roads so youll be on foot, likely with porters and/or guides. It can take over a week to walk there, with time to acclimatize built in to the journey. Climbers will spend four to eight weeks at Base Camp to prepare for their climb and become acclimatized to the high elevation. From there, successful climbers will go to Camps II, III and IV.

What does it cost?

If you want to climb Everest, youll need deep pockets. A climb costs an estimated $35,000 to $100,000, or more, which includes an $11,000 permit. Nepal brought in $3.25-million from these fees last year.

The high end of the estimate includes a western guide, a sherpa and oxygen all the way. Youll need sherpas, porters, guides, not to mention high-end gear and this isnt the time to save money on the cheap boots and gloves.

What gear will I need?

ArcTeryx Alpha SV jacket, $800, and pants, $650.

Gloves: ArcTeryx Lithic: $280

Boots: At Mountain Equipment Coop, a pair of climbing boots will cost between $400 and almost $800.

Backpack: A Gregory Denali 100 will set you back $395.

Sleeping bag rated for -40 C: North Face Inferno, $899.

Sun glasses, a hat and balaclavas.

Climbing gear will include an ice axe, crampons, harnesses, rappelling devices and more.

Youll also need warm clothes with lots of layers and a tent for your time at base camp.

 

There are no bathrooms

When the first climbers attempted to climb Everest, it was pristine wilderness. Now? Well, this is gross. There are more than 700 people who attempt the climb every year during the March to May climbing season, reports the Associated Press, and its not as if you can pop into a public or restaurant bathroom to take care of business. The base camps have toilet tents with drums to store the waste. But unless climbers bring travel toilet bags, the waste gets left on the mountain.

Nepal has now implemented a rule that each person must bring down 8 kilograms of garbage from the mountain, including their own oxygen tanks, or lose their deposit, $4000 per team. It is estimated that each person creates that much waste on average, so the mountain wont become any more polluted. Its not clear exactly how the Nepalese government will enforce the rule.

When do you go?

The main climbing season is in the spring, between March and May, just before the monsoon season which makes climbing impossible. Your adventure will take approximately two months.

Should the sherpas get more credit?

Sherpas, literally the people from the east,from Tibet, are the unsung heroes of the mountain who guide, prepare the route, carry equipment and rescue climbers who get into difficulty, says the BBC documentary Climbing Everest with a Mountain on my Back - The Sherpas Story.

They risk their own lives so others can claim the glory.

Sherpas breathe more efficiently at high altitude, and scientific studies have shown that they have at least 10 genes specifically adapted to high altitude. Their resistance to high-altitude sickness makes them invaluable on expeditions.

The natives who guide climbers up Everest are an impressive bunch. They guide, carry gear and keep their charges safe for a fraction of the total expenditure for an attempt at the peak.