The dizzying height of Everest. Everest - the highest mountain on Earth Characteristics of Mount Everest

Mount Everest (also called Chomolungma) is known as the highest in the world, but only if you do not take absolute height as a criterion. Everest rises above sea level to the maximum distance among other mountains of the Earth, but there is a volcano growing from the bottom of the ocean, so in fact its height is greater. However, since the summit of Everest reaches the highest mark on the planet, it is the main goal of most climbers who dream of conquering a giant at least once.

Mount Everest location and characteristics

It is unlikely that there will be those who do not know on which continent the highest peak (Eurasia) is located. They talk about Everest in geography lessons, showing where the mountain is, which hemisphere it belongs to. Many people miss in which country Chomolungma is located, but geographical coordinates will help determine the exact position of the highest point on the planet, and this is China. Its latitude and longitude in degrees are as follows: 27°59′17″ s. sh. 86°55′31″ E d.

The mountain is part of the mountain range, being part of the Mahalangur-Himal range. In fact, it belongs to two countries: Nepal and China, while the highest point, the North Peak, is part of China. Its height in meters is 8848. The southern peak is slightly inferior in its indicator, but, nevertheless, reaches 8760 meters.

Due to its outstanding height, Everest was measured relatively recently. The first estimate appeared as early as 1852 in the course of trigonometric calculations. In the 1950s, theodolites were already used: with their help, it was possible to fix the exact value equal to 8848.13 meters. Later, various information appeared in which measurements fluctuated either up or down. The reason for this was that the peak consists of glaciers, which, for a number of reasons, can grow and shrink. It is officially recognized that the height of Everest is 8848 meters, and its solid rock ends at around 8844 meters.

The shape of Everest resembles a pyramid with three faces, while from the south the slope is steep and bare, as snow and ice slide down from this side. Due to the high altitude, it is not surprising that wind speeds can exceed 200 m/s. In summer, the temperature fluctuates around 0 degrees, in January it drops to -35 degrees during the day and -50 and even -60 at night.

origin of name

Chomolungma is a Tibetan name that means "Divine Mother of vital energy." This unusual name was chosen to honor the Bon goddess Sherab Chzhamma. She is a symbol of mother energy. The Tibetans also gave the mountain a second name with the same etymology - Jomo Gang Kar, which translates as "Holy Mother, white like snow."

Another popular name comes from English, as it was given as a tribute to George Everest. At the beginning of the 19th century, he was a well-known figure in geodetic research. The scientist's successor put forward his last name as a name after an employee of the service where Everest worked made the world's first measurement of "Peak XV", considered the highest in Eurasia and presumably on the planet.

There is another name given by the inhabitants of Nepal. In their language, Mount Chomolungma sounds like Sagarmatha, which means "mother of the universe." In Nepal, the highest peak is treated with special warmth, so they prefer to call it in their native language.

mountaineering center

Mount Everest, due to its outstanding size, has long attracted the attention of rock climbers, but today climbers climb established routes. Many groups are prepared in camps, trips during the season are organized almost daily. This is one of the popular tourism destinations, so the uninhabited Mount Chomolungma can hardly be called.

The history of ascents included the pioneers Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, who first reached the highest mark in the world in 1953 on May 29. After their luck, many expeditions managed to get to the peak, but only from the beginning of the 19th century, hiking became available to a wide range of people.

Climbing to the top is allowed in spring and autumn, as there are less winds during these seasons. In autumn, use the rise only from the south side. Preparation lasts about two months, as the body must go through a period of acclimatization. The last 300 meters are considered the most dangerous, but the impressions from the opening view are worth it. You can’t see in any picture or photo what the conqueror of the mountain will receive, because emotions will greatly enhance the effect of what he saw.

Mount Everest, also known as Chomolungma, is the highest mountain peak, its height is 8,848 meters. It is partly part of the Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal.

Where is Mount Everest

Everest is part of the Himalayan mountain range. Its southern peak runs along the border between China and Nepal, and the northern part adjoins the territory of the People's Republic of China.

Name

"Chomolungma" is a Tibetan word meaning "Divine Mother of Life Energy". The mountain was named after the goddess Sherab Chzhamma, who personified maternal energy.

The mountain also has another Tibetan name - Chomogangkar, which means "Holy Mother, white as snow."

The mountain got its English name "Everest" in honor of George Everest, the head of the geodetic service.

Description

In its shape, Mount Everest resembles a trihedral pyramid with a steeper southern slope. Due to its steepness, it never has long-term deposits of recrystallized snow, called firn.

With the fourth highest eight-thousander of the planet, Mount Lhotse, Chomolungma is connected in the south by the South Col Pass. The North Col, a completely ice-covered pass with very steep slopes, connects Everest to Mount Changze ("North Peak"). In the east, Chomolungma ends with the Kangshung wall, the upper part of which is covered with glaciers.

mountain height

Chomolungma was called the highest peak in the world in 1852. This was stated by the Bengali topographer and mathematician Radhanat Sikdar on the basis of the trigonometric calculations made.

However, the first height measurement was taken by the British India Survey four years later. In their calculations, scientists were mistaken by eight meters and announced that the height of Chomolungma is 29,002 feet, or 8,840 m.

Their mistake was corrected only after almost a hundred years, in 1950. Then, with the help of theodolites (measuring instruments for determining horizontal and vertical angles), Indian topographers established the correct height of the mountain peak, which is 8,840 m above sea level.

In 2010, the officially recorded height of the mountain was 8,848 m.

But the attempts to determine a more accurate height did not end there. The height of the Chomolungma was measured by the American expedition, the Italian geologist Ardito Desio. However, the results of their studies were not recognized as reliable.

Facts about Chomolungma

1. Mount Everest is over sixty million years old. It owes its appearance to the Indian tectonic plate, which, moving steadily, collided with the Asian plate.
2. The cost of climbing the mountain is not cheap at all. Those wishing to climb to the top will not only have to shell out 85 thousand dollars, but also obtain official permission issued by the Nepalese government. It, by the way, is also not free and costs ten thousand dollars.
3. Did you know that many hours of traffic jams happen not only on the roads, but also when climbing to the top? Often they are accompanied by fights between climbers.
4. The strongest winds blow at the top of Everest. Their speed sometimes reaches 200 km/h. The situation is exacerbated by low temperatures. The average monthly air temperature in January drops to -36 °C (sometimes it drops to -60 °C).
5. Forty days is the average time it takes to climb up.
6. Periodically, when climbing Everest, Sherpas (descendants of Tibetans who emigrated to the south of the Himalayas) help climbers carry supplies and things.
7. Tourists cause serious damage to the environment of Chomolungma - they destroy trees and use them for heating, leave a lot of garbage after visiting. In this regard, it was decided that every climber who climbed to the top must take out at least eight kg of garbage from Everest.
8. Due to global warming, the glaciers of Everest have decreased by thirty percent, which in the future may adversely affect the water level in the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.
9. The only living creatures that can live at an altitude of 6,700 m above sea level are the Himalayan jumping spiders. They then chose the slopes of Everest.
10. For a long time, Chomolungma was an inaccessible place for white people. The reason for this was the prohibition of the governments of Nepal and Tibet, imposed on visiting the mountain by foreigners.

Who conquered Mount Everest

The first ascent to the summit took place in 1953. All fifty attempts so far have failed.

English climbers George Finch and Jeffrey Bruce were the first climbers to use oxygen, which allowed them to climb to a height of 8,320 meters.

Two years later, an expedition consisting of George Mallory and Andrew Irwin went to Everest. Until now, disputes have not subsided about whether the climbers have reached the summit. The last time, before they went missing, the men were seen 150 meters from the summit.

Among the climbers there were those who did not differ in common sense. So, the Englishman Maurice Wilson went to conquer the mountain without special mountaineering training, completely relying on the help of supernatural forces. The man never made it to the top.

Until 1948, the part of the mountain adjacent to Nepal was inaccessible for climbing. For this reason, the Europeans stormed only the northern part of the Chomolungma. The very first attempt to reach the summit from Nepal took place in 1949.

But still, the first to conquer Everest were Tenzing Norgay (Sherpa) and Edmund Hillary from New Zealand.

After this ascent, climbers from the USA, China, the USSR, India, Italy, Japan and other countries climbed to the top.

Junko Tabei was the first woman to reach the summit of Everest. And the first European was the Polish Wanda Rutkevich, among the Soviet women - Ekaterina Ivanova.

After that, Everest was stormed at different times of the year, with and without oxygen devices, alone and as part of expeditions, overcoming the most difficult routes and bypassing them.

To date, seven thousand ascents to the peak of the mountain have been made. Miuro Yuchiro, 80, was the oldest climber to reach the top. And the youngest is an American thirteen-year-old student Jordan Romero.

Everest - mountain of death

But, unfortunately, not all attempts to conquer the summit are successful.

Statistics say that from 1953 to the present day, more than 260 people have died while climbing the mountain. Moreover, no expensive and high-quality equipment can serve as a guarantor of a successful outcome.

History knows many cases of mass death of climbers. In May 1996, eight climbers froze to death on the South Slope due to a snowstorm. In 2014, an avalanche caused the death of thirteen people, three were missing.

Because of the bodies of the dead, which rest on the slopes of the mountain, many began to compare Everest with a cemetery. In some areas, climbers even have to step over the dead. So, for example, the corpse of a climber who died in 1996 serves as a kind of mark of 8,500 m. The bodies remain uncollected due to difficulties in their evacuation.

How to get there

To climb Everest, you must first get to the capital of Nepal - Kathmandu. To visit the national park, you need to get a permit. It will take you about one day to receive the documents.

You can get to Everest by plane from Tenzing-Hillary Airport, located in the village of Lukla. The plane can accommodate fifteen passengers and makes flights every half an hour.

The best way to get to Lukla from Kathmandu is also by plane, because you can only get to the village of Salleri on mountain roads, and then only on foot.

There are several routes leading to the slopes of Everest. For starters, it is better to stop on the classic routes around Annapurna, to the Everest base camp or on the tracks in the Langtang area.

To look at Everest, you can use the trekking (travel on foot) offered by various travel clubs and travel agencies.

Mount Everest video

Do you love mountains? Then be sure to check it out:

Everest - the highest mountain in the world

Everest (or, as it is called in Nepal, Chomolungma) rises to 8848.43 meters above sea level. Climbing Everest is a real dream for every climber, but, no doubt, also a very dangerous adventure, since a huge number of people died trying to conquer this peak. The highest point on our planet is known today to every schoolchild. But the history of the discovery of Everest and the fate of many brave people who tried to conquer it often remain a mystery to the general public.

infographics

The shocking truth

Resembling in shape a pyramid that has risen many kilometers above sea level due to the movement of lithospheric plates, Everest rises above Asia right on the border of China and Nepal. This peak is rightfully considered one of the most magnificent in beauty, but at the same time, tragic and dangerous places in the world. Its rocky silhouette invariably attracts numerous brave and courageous conquerors who try to reach the summit at the cost of great efforts, and sometimes even at the cost of their own lives. Unfortunately, many climbers have remained forever among the snows and rocky gorges. More than 235 climbers and local residents have died trying to conquer the highest peak on the globe (although the exact number of deaths remains unknown today, because not all of them officially registered their ascent). The difficulty lies not only in the increased atmospheric pressure and rarefied air, which cannot be breathed for a long time, but also in the danger of the route itself. Nevertheless, despite all these difficulties, many people continue to risk their lives in order to spend a few minutes on top of the world. There is something in it that irresistibly attracts brave climbers ...

How much does it cost to climb Everest?

This question is very popular today. Everyone knows that high-altitude expeditions require not only serious physical and tactical training of the participants, but also considerable investments. The average price is about $30,000 if you go by yourself or with your organized and independent group. Travel companies offer their own expeditions, and the price for their services is about $60,000. The price of a VIP level expedition, which includes permanent Internet access and telephone connection, is often higher than $90,000. In general, it all depends on the guide and the quantity and quality of services included in the package. However, when choosing an instructor and a company, it is important to consider not only the price and image of the company. It is always best to study this issue on your own and very carefully. In particular, it will not be out of place to pay attention to whether the package includes the cost of the flight and the services of Sherpas. The fact is that sometimes you have to pay for the participation of local “helpers” on the spot when you are already at the base camp, therefore, in order to avoid unexpected surprises, it is always better to study the details in advance.

Why so expensive?

The government of Nepal imposes a mandatory fee on all foreigners who wish to climb Mount Everest. Depending on the size of the group and the time period, the fee can vary from $11,000 to $25,000.

Many readers will probably be indignant: “Where are these prices from??!” But, on the other hand, judge for yourself: even with such fees on the slopes - tens of tons of garbage; when climbing Everest, more than 200 people died ... Imagine what would happen if this fee was not charged - the number of climbers, of course, would increase dramatically, and the peak would begin to look like something terrible.

Another important point is the correct selection of the necessary equipment, which also costs a lot of money. The cost of guides, instructors and sherpas often depends on the size of the group, so prices change from year to year.

Everest Facts

1. Everest, part of the Himalayan mountain chain, is 29,035 feet (8848 meters) high.
2. A sedentary volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, Mauna Kea ranks first in the ranking of the highest mountains in the world, not counting sea level.
3. Everest is more than 60 million years old, it was formed due to pushes of the Indian tectonic plate in the direction of the Asian. Due to seismic activity in the region, Everest is about a quarter inch (0.25") taller every year.
4. The peak is located right on the border line of Nepal to the south and China, also known as Tibet, to the north.
5. Chomolungma (translated from Tibetan) literally means "holy mother of the universe."
6. To keep warm, climbers are encouraged to use oxygen at the summit. As for food, it is good to eat a lot of rice and noodles even before the ascent, since you will need a serious supply of energy for such an expedition. On average, climbers burn over 10,000 calories daily, and this number doubles while climbing to the top; throughout the expedition, its participants lose from 10 to 20 pounds of weight.
7. In the entire history of attempts to conquer the summit, it is officially known that 282 people (including 169 Western climbers and 113 Sherpas) died on Everest from 1924 to August 2015. If we talk about the causes of death, then 102 climbers were injured while trying to climb without the use of additional oxygen. Most of the bodies to this day remain in the snow and gorges, although Chinese officials reported that many bodies were removed. Snowfalls and rockfalls are the most common cause of death, followed by avalanches in second place and altitude sickness in third place.
8. The youngest person ever to reach the summit is an American high school student named Jordan Romero. He made his ascent at the age of 13, on May 23, 2010 (he climbed the peak from the north side).
9. 14 climbers managed to cross from one side of the peak to the other.
10. Wind speeds at the summit can reach 200 miles per hour.
11. On average, it takes about 40 days to complete the ascent. The fact is that the human body needs some time to get used to being at such an altitude above sea level and acclimatize immediately before climbing.
12. The first climbers who managed to climb the peak of Everest without the use of additional oxygen in cylinders were Reinold Messner and Peter Hubler (Italy) back in 1978. Later, 193 climbers who followed suit also managed to reach the summit without resorting to additional oxygen (this is 2.7% of all ascents to the peak). There is 66% less oxygen in every breath at the top of Everest than in a breath taken at sea level.
13. To date, there have been about 7,000 ascents of the peak of Everest, more than 4,000 people have participated in all known routes.
14. The oldest climber who managed to conquer the mountain was Miura Yuchiro (Japan), who made the ascent at the age of 80 on May 23, 2013.
15. There are 18 different official climbing routes to the summit of Everest.
16. The first woman to summit Everest was Japanese climber Janko Tabei (1975).
17. In order not to fall off rocks and glaciers, climbers use nylon ropes with a diameter of 10 millimeters. Special metal spikes (“cats”) are put on the soles of the boots to prevent slipping. In addition, ice axes are used, which can stop a possible fall on a rocky and icy surface. In terms of clothing, climbers opt for thick suites that are filled with goose feathers.
18. Sherpas are the collective name for people who live in western Nepal. Initially, several centuries ago, they migrated from Tibet. Today, they help climbers prepare for the ascent by helping carry food, tents, and other supplies to intermediate camps located above the base camp.
19. Climbers begin using oxygen tanks at 7,925 m (26,000 ft). but in this way only 915 m (3000 ft) of difference is achieved in how they feel. In principle, at an altitude of 8230 m (27,000 ft) a person will feel like at 7315 m (24,000 ft) above sea level, which, in fact, will not make a significant difference in the well-being of climbers.
20. Peak temperatures can drop as low as -62C (80F below zero).

Story

Everest appeared on the earth's surface about 60 million years ago. The mountain has a rather long history of "the first climbers", starting with an unsuccessful attempt, which was made back in 1921 by the British expedition of George Mallory and Guy Bullock. Much later, in 1953, the highest peak of the Earth was nevertheless conquered by a brave bunch of Italian climbers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The history of ascents and new achievements continues to this day. But the highest peak in the world is not only a vantage point or a serious challenge for climbers, but also home to mountaineers, the Sherpas, who have lived there for over 500 years. This small nation is the best guides and porters for tourists and professionals who decide to defy fate and climb the highest and most difficult peak of our planet to climb.

Where is Everest located?

Everest is not only the highest mountain, it is also the highest point located on the border of two countries. The mountain is located between the territories of China and Nepal, but its peak is in China, or rather, in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Everest is part of the Himalayas and is only one of the nine peaks of this mountain range. Interestingly, the Himalayas are made up of the thirty-nine highest high peaks in the world, so Everest has many younger "brothers". Together they form a fence between the plateaus of the Tibetan and Indian subcontinental plates.

The entire mountain system is located in South Asia and passes through Pakistan, Bhutan, Tibet, India and Nepal. This was the reason that Everest has several names. In Tibet it is called "Chomolungma", the Chinese version of the name is "Shèngmǔ Fēng". The locals in Darjeeling call it "Deodungha" which translates to "Holy Mountain". For many years it was believed that the highest peak of the world is in the Andes, and only in 1852, a mathematician from India was able to open the world to really the highest mountain.

How did he get his name?

The highest mountain was discovered by George Everest, who served as the Indian General Secretary, in 1841. Since then, the official name that was given to the highest peak of the Earth has come from the name of the discoverer. Prior to that, in different countries the peak was called differently, based on local languages ​​and dialects. But since the highest point of the planet should have a single and understandable name for everyone, the name of the one who officially discovered it became recognized at the international level.

What country is Everest in?

At various points in its history, Everest has been considered part of both China and Nepal. After the annexation in May 1959, relations between Nepal and China became absolutely friendly, and the fact that the border between the countries runs on the peak of the highest mountain in the world is a symbolic confirmation of this. Therefore, theoretically, the peak that is closest to space does not belong to one particular country, but is the common property of Nepal and China. Every tourist who decides to at least look at Everest from the outside, not to mention climbing to the top, can choose at his own discretion which side is more convenient to do it. But it is fair to say that the view from Nepal is much more beautiful, and climbing is an order of magnitude easier.

What is the height of Everest?

Imagine that you live in a world where there is no Mount Everest, it has not yet been discovered, and at school the teacher tells you that the highest mountain is the one called Kanchenjunga, or Dhaulagiri, for example. Even in the 19th century, many were convinced that the highest point on our planet is anything but Everest. Only in 1852 was it confirmed that Everest is the highest point on our planet. The height of the mountain is 8848 meters above sea level and increases by 4 millimeters annually due to plate movement. In addition, earthquakes in Nepal can move Everest and even change its height. So, modern scientists continue to argue that none of the measurements of the height of Everest, either from the Chinese or from the Nepalese side, is correct. Chomolungma continues to grow. The continental plates do not stand still, they are constantly pushing Everest higher and higher.

Curiously, the exact height of the mountain is still a matter of dispute. Back in 1856, when British explorers first measured the height of the peak with a theodolite, it was recorded as 8,840 m (or 22,002 feet). Currently, the official height of Everest is 8.848 m (29.029 ft). To imagine how high Everest is, it is enough to understand that its highest point is located almost at the level of a fighter plane flight. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that the slopes of this mountain are not inhabited by animals and birds due to high pressure and rarefied air. However, Everest is home to one rare species of spider that hides in the crevices of the mountains. This insect feeds on other frozen insects that get to the top with winds and snow masses.

Neighborhood

The Everest massif consists of several distinct peaks such as Changse at 7,580m (24,870ft), Nuptse at 7,855m (58,772ft) and Lhotse at 8,516m or 27,940ft. At the time of the discovery of these peaks, it was very difficult to measure the height of a mountain peak with accuracy. At that time, special devices called theodolites were used to measure height, the weight of which was more than 500 kg (1.100 pounds), and the forces of 10-15 people were required to move such a device. Several attempts were made to measure the exact height of Mount Everest, and only in 1949, shortly before the first ascent, was it finally possible to obtain accurate data.

The nearest place where people live is Rongbuk, a Buddhist temple that was founded back in 1902. It was reconstructed not so long ago after complete destruction in the 70s of the last century, during the civil war. Currently, this place becomes the last living quarters on the path of climbers to the top of the world. In Rongbuk, you can stay in a small hotel and even dine in a tiny restaurant.

About height

For almost three hundred years, the highest known point on Earth was Chimborazo, a volcano in the Andes. Its height is "only" 6.267 meters. In the 19th century, this version was destroyed, as the new champion became known to the world - the peak of Nanda Devi in ​​India with a height of 7.816 meters. It may seem ridiculous, but today Nanda Devi only ranks 23rd in the list of the highest mountains in the world. But there is a reason that the listed peaks were indeed the highest points of the world known at that time: after all, Nepal, which is called the roof of the world for a reason, was closed to everyone for a long time.

Everest is officially one of the most polluted mountains in the world. due to the lack of infrastructure and the presence of a constant influx of tourists. Numerous groups leave behind a huge amount of garbage, ranging from simple food bags to oxygen tanks and old equipment, which are stored and accumulated for decades on the slopes of this mountain, considered sacred to local residents.

Scientists are constantly finding the remains of marine life that were fossilized in the structure of rocks 450 million years ago, at a time when the surface of Everest was not yet a peak or mountain, but remained part of the seabed. The Himalayas formed only 60 million years ago. The record holders for visiting the peak of Everest are two Sherpas: Apa Sherpa and Tashi Purba, who managed to climb the peak 21 times, having the opportunity to admire the alpine landscape of the Himalayan mountains from the highest point.

Mortality

Unfortunately, Mount Everest turned out to be a very difficult place to climb and is rightfully considered one of the most dangerous peaks on Earth. The danger lies in record low temperatures and air with a low oxygen content, frequent landslides and avalanches that took many lives of local residents and climbers who decided to overcome this height. The greatest tragedy in the history of Everest occurred in 2014 when a huge avalanche killed 16 local Nepalese guides. It happened near one of the base camps. The second largest was the tragedy of 1996, when 15 climbers did not return from the ascent.

These people died for various reasons, some due to the use of inadequate equipment, others due to lack of oxygen in the tanks or unexpected changes in weather conditions that made it impossible to return to the base camp. The third in terms of the number of victims was the unsuccessful expedition of 2011, when 11 people remained forever in the snows of the Himalayan mountains. All of them are buried in the snow and ice of Everest. Avalanches and rockfalls are the most common causes of death on the slopes of Everest.

Everest base camps

For those who decide to climb Everest, there are, as mentioned earlier, two options - start climbing from China or follow the Nepalese route. In order to get used to atmospheric pressure and acclimatize at altitude, two main base camps are equipped. In any of them, each tourist will be able to spend the necessary amount of time for the body to get used to the new conditions, since acclimatization in this case will help prevent altitude sickness. Both camps have doctors who can advise climbers and assess the health of each before climbing. Staying for some time at the base camp helps to avoid health problems associated with pressure changes.

The southern camp is located on the Nepal side, and the Northern camp is on the Tibetan (Chinese) side of Everest. Even though the northern camp can be reached even by car during the summer days, the camp on the south side is becoming more and more popular. And, of course, all the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, who were previously engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry, are now fully focused on providing visitors with everything they need. They help in transporting things and supplies to the upper intermediate checkpoints, in cooking, and offer various products. In addition to the main intermediate camps on the way to Everest, there are several others located both before and after the main two. They are intermediate stations on the way to conquer the top of the world.

The supply of food and equipment to the southern base camp is carried out by Sherpa porters, since transport links in this region are not possible. Food, medicine and everything needed is delivered with the help of yaks, local beasts of burden.

ascent

If you think that everyone can climb Everest, you just have to really want to, you are very mistaken. Firstly, it is very expensive, about $60,000. Climbing the highest mountain in the world is not just a fun adventure. It is important to understand that this is not an ordinary cozy tourism, but a challenge and the risk of mortal danger. Every year, several tourists die in an attempt to conquer this rocky peak: someone falls into an abyss or a gap between glaciers, someone cannot withstand high temperatures, and someone falls ill with altitude sickness.

Naturally, for such a difficult test, you will need serious preparation and a huge amount of special equipment: shoes, clothes, tools and gadgets. A large group of experts and assistants are also required for the proper organization of the trip and many years of experience in climbing other peaks. But if we talk about the process itself, then it is, of course, unusually exciting. Regardless of which route you choose, it is recommended that you travel with a Sherpa companion. Today, the region is home to approximately 3,000 Sherpas, all of whom are top-notch guides, helpers, and porters, as well as mountain climbers. In short, the Sherpas are a nation of highlanders. If you've seen the famous photograph of the first human ascent of Everest, you'll understand how amazing, indescribable with words, the feeling at the top can be. As Tenzing Norgay admitted, "I wanted to jump, dance, these were the best feelings in my life, because I stood above the whole world."

The most popular season to climb Everest is spring. Autumn expeditions are less popular. By far the most popular way to climb Everest is through a guided expedition. This ensures that there is a professional with the group who knows the most reliable route to the top. In addition, you can rely on his knowledge and experience even in the most unpredictable situations, he is a reliable support and support for the group. The guide will be able to explain to the participants everything they need to know before starting the climb, help to choose the necessary equipment and check the physical condition, as well as the state of health of the participants, in advance.

Plan

The very first step in climbing Everest is to begin proper preparation, including getting serious experience climbing other peaks. These are very important requirements, since such an expedition is quite risky and dangerous and requires certain skills. It starts in one of the base camps (on the southern or northern slope), which is selected depending on the route and climbing plan. So, to get to the base camp, located at an altitude of about 5,000 m (16,000 feet) above sea level, participants will need about a week. Here they can talk to experienced guides, check their physical condition and get some rest before climbing Everest. Then, for an additional fee, climbers can resort to the help of Sherpa mountaineers, who will help bring the necessary equipment, food and oxygen cylinders to intermediate camps.

How long does it take to climb Everest?

Of course, climbing to the top of the world does not mean walking along picturesque snow-covered slopes. For less trained climbers and for those who have at least a minimal risk of developing any disease, the acclimatization period at medium altitude (in the base camp at an altitude of 5100 meters above sea level) can in some cases reach 30-40 days. For a whole month you will be surrounded by Sherpas and your companions until your body gets used to the pressure of the atmosphere and the lack of oxygen. Only then can you continue climbing. On average, when it comes to tourist expeditions, the duration of the entire ascent (from the moment you arrive in Kathmandu to being at the highest point on the globe) will be about 60 days. When everything is prepared, it will take about 7 days to climb from the base camp to the summit. After that, another approximately 5 days will be spent on the descent to the base camp.

First person to summit Everest

Although Edmund Hillary was the first person to set foot on the top of the world, many attempts to climb Everest were made long before him. Back in the twenties, a special expedition of the newly created Everest Committee developed the most optimal ascent routes. It is not surprising that the members of this expedition became the first to set foot on the top of the “sacred mountain”, which Everest was for the locals. And yet, two completely different people, Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese climber Tenzing Norgay, jointly made the first successful ascent to the summit from the south side and finally managed to find themselves where no man had ever gone before.

In 1953, when this outstanding event finally happened, China closed Everest to any visits, and the world community allowed no more than one expedition per year. In conditions of low temperatures, constantly tormented by strong gusts of wind, Tenzing and Hillary, despite the need to stay in one place for several days in a row, were still able to conquer the highest point on the planet. Edmund Hillary dedicated his achievement to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, and it was the best gift in honor of a significant event in the UK. Although Hillary and Tenzing spent only 15 minutes on the mountaintop, those 15 minutes today are comparable only to the first steps on the moon.

The youngest person to ever reach the summit is an American eighth grader from California. He was only 13 years old on the day of the ascent. A resident of Nepal, a 15-year-old girl named Min Kipa Shira, became the second in the ranking of the youngest climbers who managed to conquer Everest. Her ascent was crowned with success in 2003. The oldest man to summit Everest was 80-year-old Miura Yuchiro from Japan, and the oldest woman was Tamae Watanabe from Japan, who climbed at the age of 73.

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No difficulties stop those who want to test their strength, climb where not everyone can climb, see with their own eyes what not everyone can see - the incredible and indescribable beauty of the natural world. And this is despite the fact that the climb is to be on the real Death Mountain, because Mount Everest attracts tourists.

When everyone found out where Everest, the highest mountain in the world, was located, they immediately began to conquer its peaks. Everyone who storms Everest knows that he can stay here forever. He can die due to lack of oxygen, heart failure, an injury incompatible with life, or simply freeze to death. At the same time, even fatal accidents, for example, an unexpectedly frozen valve of an oxygen cylinder or a suddenly torn, seemingly strong cable, may well lead to death. Death has happened on Everest, and this is evidenced by a kind of cemetery on Everest, where the corpses of the dead are located.

Climbing to the top is so difficult that, having reached a height of 8 thousand meters, each member of the expedition becomes so busy with himself that he is far from always able to find strength in himself and, if necessary, help a friend. He will think about the moral side of this issue later, if he goes down. According to statistics, for every ten successful ascents of Everest's Chomolungma, there is one death.

What does the highest point in the world look like?

Tourists often wonder what are the geographical coordinates of Mount Everest, and who was the first conqueror of Everest. The highest (as most geologists say) mountain of the world is located on the territory of two countries at once. The peak, located on the south side, has a height of about 8760 meters and is located between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The highest point on the planet - on the north side, at a distance of 8848 m from sea level, is wholly owned by China.

In shape, Everest is somewhat similar to a trihedral pyramid. All three of its slopes (southwestern, southern and eastern) are extremely steep, and two of them are completely covered with glaciers. As for the southern slope, it is so steep that snow and ice are simply not able to stay on it, which is why it is almost always exposed.

The slopes are connected by almost straight ridges, stretching to the west, southeast and south.

As for the summit of Everest, it is almost entirely composed of sedimentary deposits, mainly limestone and sandstone, which used to cover the ocean floor of the ancient Tethys Ocean, even before the appearance of a giant hill on this site. In addition, in our time, scientists often find fossils of marine animals and shells on the top of Everest, which confirm the theory that this area was located below sea level in former times.

How did Everest originate?

About 60 million years ago, the ancient continent, located in the southern hemisphere of the world, split into several lithospheric plates. After that, the Indian lithospheric plate began to move in a northerly direction and after a while came across the Eurasian plate, or rather, the southern edge of Asia.

As a result of the collision, the bottom of the ancient Tethys ocean was deformed. As a result, part of the ocean went deep into the Earth, into the mantle, and part rose and formed a huge barrier that blocked the mainland from West to East (it originates in the French Alps and ends in South Vietnam). It is because of its appearance in the southeastern part of Asia that seasonal monsoons formed.

The highest mountains of this barrier are the Himalayas ("Abode of the Snows"). Their growth has not yet stopped, increasing annually from 3 to 10 mm. In the Himalayan range, scientists counted 75 mountains, the height of which exceeds 7 km above sea level. At the same time, the highest mountains are located in Nepal - the height of nine peaks here is more than 8 km. And Everest rises above all, or as it is also called - Chomolungma (Goddess - mother of the world) or Sagarmatha (Lord of the sky).

As for the official name, the proposal to name the mountain in honor of George Everest, who at one time led the British Geodetic Survey in India, was made by Andrew Waugh, his student, who managed to prove that the “Peak XV” named by Everest is the highest point on the planet.

Everest Height

After the scientists established the exact coordinates of Mount Everest, they began to determine its height. Despite the fact that English topographers established the exact height of the Chomolungma in the middle of the 19th century, the debate on this issue continued for quite a long time.

And all because the Chinese believed that Everest rises 8844 meters above sea level, while the Nepalese were convinced that Sagarmatha was four meters higher. This difference was explained by the fact that, according to the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, Chomolungma must be measured without taking into account the huge layer of snow lying on top, only by the height of the mountain itself. The countries came to full agreement only a few years ago, agreeing to set the height according to the Nepalese version.

Despite the fact that Chomolungma is recognized as the highest point above sea level, there is a mountain on our planet that exceeds it in size by more than one kilometer. This is an inactive volcano Mauna Kea in the Hawaiian Islands. Although it rises above the earth's surface by only 4205 m, its total height (if measurements start from the ocean floor) is more than ten thousand meters.

Climate

The average air temperature at the top of Sagarmatha in January is -36°C and quite often drops to -60°C. The warmest month here is July, when temperatures rise to -19°C, but never exceed 0°C.

Almost all summer, Everest is under the influence of monsoon winds that arrive from the south and bring with them a huge amount of precipitation. Those wishing to climb Everest in the summer quite often fall into such strong snow storms that it often becomes impossible to continue climbing.

When the monsoons end, from November to March (except January), terrifying winds blow on Chomolungma, the speed of which often exceeds 285 km / h, which also makes it extremely difficult to climb the mountain.

People begin to actively conquer the summit in intermediate periods, when the weather behaves more or less decently, but even at this time it is not uncommon to suddenly find yourself in the middle of a sandstorm or wake up in the middle of a three-meter layer of snow that has fallen overnight. During this period, westerly winds prevail here. If their speed is about 80 km / h, the clouds around Everest are at the level of the top, if the air masses move less quickly, then the clouds rise above the mountain, if faster, they fall down.

Flora and fauna

Flora on Chomolungma is scarce, but there is. At the foot, tufts of grass and low shrubs grow (among them is the snowy rhododendron, the only bush that can exist at an altitude exceeding 5 thousand km at a temperature of -23°C). Here you can see conifers, lichens, moss, etc.

As for living creatures, the Himalayan jumping spiders feel good here, being almost the only creatures that can exist at an altitude of 6,700 m above sea level.

These arthropods feed on frozen insects, which bring strong air masses here, and springtails living here, small arthropods that feel good at an altitude of up to 6 thousand km. In addition to them, several species of new grasshoppers were discovered on the slopes of Everest. As for the higher regions of Chomolungma (over 6700 m), only microscopic species can live here.

In addition to insects, birds can sometimes be seen near the top of the mountain - climbers often noticed mountain ducks and alpine jackdaws here (the latter feed on carrion and are able to stay at a height exceeding eight kilometers).

Chomolungma - the sacred mountain of the Sherpas

In the eastern part of Nepal, in the region of Everest, Sherpas live, descendants of Tibetans who emigrated more than five hundred years ago to the south of the Himalayan range. For them, Chomolungma is sacred, because, according to their beliefs, spirits, demons live on it, as well as Jomo Miyo Lang, who is one of the “five sisters of longevity”, providing food to the inhabitants of the five highest Himalayan peaks.

According to local legends, once the Indian preacher Padmasambhava (Born in a lotus), the founder of Tibetan Buddhism (VIII century AD), organized a competition to see who would climb Mount Everest faster, challenging one of the lamas of the official Bon religion at that time. Since Padmasambhava was brought to the top by a sunbeam, his opponent lost, and as a token of his defeat, he left his drum there. After that, whenever an avalanche descends from the mountains, the locals beat drums, thus driving away evil spirits and demons.

Before climbing Everest, Sherpas each time hold a special ceremony (puja), commemorating those who died on Sagarmatha, putting their thoughts and soul in order, and asking the spirits of the mountain to have pity on them and not to destroy them.

In memory of each who died during the ascent, on the way to the base camp, located between Dingbosh and Lobush, the Sherpas erected a pyramid. And near the foot of the mountain, in a special place, they store stupas, prayer wheels, flags and mantras intended for ceremonies.

Sherpa climbers

If not for the endurance of the Sherpas, their qualifications and experience, who knows how well the Himalayan mountains would have been studied, and with them Everest. It was the representatives of this nationality who provided invaluable assistance to the first explorers of the ridge as guides.

It is quite natural that a huge number of records for conquering Everest belongs to representatives of this particular nation. However, everyone is wondering who was the first to conquer Everest.

• The first conquerors of Everest were Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and climber from New Zealand Edmund Hillary, who ended up there back in 1953.
• Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi have summited twenty-one times.
• Pemba Dorje climbed the Sagarmatha in 8 hours and 10 minutes.
• Babu Chiri managed to stay on top of the mountain for about an hour - which is quite difficult, given not only the strong winds, but also the very low air pressure, due to which only 1/3 of oxygen enters the lungs.

Everest Conquest

Since, according to local beliefs, gods live in the Himalayas, the governments of Tibet and Nepal have not previously allowed foreigners to disturb the peace of the sacred mountains. Therefore, the Himalayas for a long time were inaccessible to a white man and rarely anyone managed to climb to the top of this mountain range.

Trisul was officially conquered by the first white man, the height of which exceeded 7 thousand meters, and it happened in 1907. Active attempts to climb higher mountains began in 1921, and the first conqueror of Everest was identified in 1953.

Since then, many tragic pages have appeared in the history of conquering Everest - according to statistics, during the ascent of this mountain, for every ten successful ascents, there is one fatality. The saddest thing is that the corpses of many of the dead remained unburied on the mountain due to the difficulties associated with their transportation.

According to rumors, some corpses serve as a kind of guide for climbers. For example, a Hindu, who died at the end of the last century at an altitude of about eight and a half thousand meters, is there to this day, marking this height. He is better known to climbers as "Green Shoes" (this is the color of the shoes worn by the deceased).

But information of this kind does not stop extreme sportsmen and lovers of setting records. For example, in 1980, the Italian Reinhold Messner climbed Chomolungma alone, without using oxygen tanks. In 2001, Marco Siffredi skied down Everest on a snowboard. But when he tried to do it the next year, he disappeared without a trace.

It was on Sagarmatha that the most massive death of people in the history of mountaineering was recorded. It happened in April 2014, when a huge avalanche buried sixteen people under it.

The most difficult part of the route

The most difficult climbers are given the last three hundred meters, not without reason nicknamed "the longest mile of the Earth." And the fault here is not only oxygen starvation and extreme weather conditions, but also the terrain. In order to successfully reach the goal, it is first necessary to overcome an extremely steep, snow-covered, smooth stone elephant. This section is so difficult and dangerous that climbers are not able to insure each other.

How much does it cost to climb Everest

The pleasure of climbing Chomolungma is not cheap - about 65 thousand dollars. United States (at the same time, for only one permit, which the Nepalese authorities must issue, it is necessary to pay 10 thousand dollars). The fee includes the services of guides who, before starting the ascent, train future climbers (most of the clients are rich people with almost no experience in conquering peaks), provide the necessary equipment and take care of safety.

For this, the future conquerors of Everest undergo appropriate training: it takes them about two weeks to climb from Kathmadu to the parking lot located at an altitude of 5364 m. Having reached the base, climbers, before moving on, acclimatize for a month and get used to the height. The ascent itself usually takes about two months and the most favorable period for this is considered to be spring.

Recently, the flow of tourists to Everest has been increasing every year. For instance:

• In 1983, only eight climbers conquered Sagarmatha;
• Seven years later their number increased to forty;
• In 2012, more than two hundred climbers climbed Chomolungma in just one day (at the same time, traffic jams and fights between tourists were recorded).

Global warming

Global warming clearly could not but affect the highest mountain in the world, as a result of which the Chomolungma glaciers decreased by 30%, which is an extremely huge problem, since these glaciers feed the largest rivers in the area (including the Yangtze and the Yellow River). The melting glaciers also expose the rock, which makes climbing Sagarmatha more difficult each time.

Human influence on Everest

Definitely, if the first climbers saw now the state of Everest, they would not recognize it - the whole mountain is strewn with used oxygen tanks, torn tents, bags, and, as Time journalist Brian Walsh put it, "pyramids of human excrement." An illustrative example in this case is the data of environmentalists, who calculated that only in 2007, when about 40 thousand tourists visited the mountain, they left about 120 tons of garbage.

Tourists cause irreparable harm to the environment by actively destroying the trees growing around Chomolungma, using them later for heating. The issue of burial of the dead climbers is becoming more urgent (the resolution of this issue worries the local residents especially).

How to revive it

The government of Nepal and a considerable number of non-profit organizations have developed a number of activities aimed at the revival of Everest. Moreover, some of them even go to the detriment of the country's economic interests - first of all, the authorities are going to consider the issue of reducing the issuance of permits to climb the Chomolungma, which costs a lot of money.

In the meantime, this decision did not come into force, it was decided that every tourist who climbed Everest must take out at least eight kilograms of garbage from the mountain.

Some organizations began to work on how to stop the melting of glaciers - the ideologist of this project, the American cinematographer David Breashears, had such an impact on comparing just two photographs - the one he took himself and the one that was once taken by George Mallory, one of the first climbers who conquered Chomolungma. The difference impressed him greatly. How successful these projects will be, the future will show.

The highest point in the world (Mount Chomolungma - aka Everest) is located in Asia, in the Himalayas, on the border of China, Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region (Autonomous Region of China). The mountain has always been and will be the peak, which hundreds of thousands of people strive to conquer. Any self-respecting rock climber and climber will put the conquest of the largest mountain on Earth as his final point of development.

Geographic location of Mount Everest

Chomolungma is a mountain that is part of the Himalayas (the mountain range is called Mahalangur Himal). Everest is located on the territory of Nepal, Tibet, the National Republic of China. Adjacent to such mountains as Lhotse, South and North Col, Changze.

The Himalaya mountain range is located on the territory of several Asian countries:

Attempts to calculate the height of the mountain

Since ancient times, people have tried to describe the height of this amazing mountain. The first person to suggest that the mountain has a height of more than 8 thousand kilometers and is the highest point in the world was the Indian mathematician and geometrician Radhanat Sikdar, who, based only on trigonometric calculations, proved the approximate height of this monumental natural structure. Being 240 kilometers from the place where Everest is located, he was able to prove the approximate height of the mountain above sea level, which allowed the British-Indian Geodetic Survey to assemble an expedition and measure the height of the mountain. In 1856, based on the data of the first official measurement of the height of the Chomolungma, a figure of 29,000 feet was announced, which is equivalent to 8,839 meters. However, such a figure would not have seemed authoritative enough, since its round value could indicate an inaccuracy in the measurement, so the figure of 29,002 feet was still published.

Further, already in 1950, an official expedition from China made more accurate measurements of the height and a value of 8,848 meters appeared, which is still recognized as correct. Of course, after this expedition there were other attempts to describe the height. So, in 1998, the Americans, using GPS, announced an altitude of 8,850 meters, which is 2 meters higher than the official height. Further, around the same time, the Italian geodetic scientist Ardito Desio, studying the peak with the help of modern radio equipment, proved the height equal to 8,872 meters, which is 11 meters higher than usual. Despite the scientific validity of such studies, the results were still not officially accepted and, according to 2014 data, the official height of the mountain is 8,848 meters above sea level.

The status of the highest point in the world at Mount Everest would be more piquant if the mountain was somewhere closer to Europe or America. In this case, the contrast would be visible and it would be possible to estimate the greatness of Chomolungma by eye in comparison with the nearby hills. But the mountain is located in the Himalayas mountain range where there are other points, and without looking closely it will be difficult to distinguish where Everest is and where Lhotse, whose height is 8,516 meters.

In order to better imagine the scale of Everest, one should mention the highest point of the Caucasus Mountains - Elbrus and the Altai Mountains - Belukha. The height of the first mountain (Elbrus), located in the Caucasus, is 5,642 meters, the height of Belukha is 4,506 meters. Comparing the heights of these peaks with a couple of the highest points of the Himalayas and Tibet, one can imagine the greatness of the latter and the inaccessibility of their conquest.

If you have had rock climbing experience (and in many cities this type of extreme recreation is gaining popularity), then you have an idea of ​​what work it takes to conquer new and new peaks. But it’s one thing when you climb in a heated room, with mats on the floor and an instructor nearby, and quite another when, at a 4,000th altitude, fighting your fears, overcoming gusts of wind, throw a climber into an abyss, crawl up, literally biting into every centimeter of height . And only after overcoming this can we say with confidence that you are really a climber.

Other points, the height of which exceeds the mark of 8 thousand meters, include Chogori (8,611 meters), Kanchenjunga (8,586 meters), Manaslu (8,156 meters).

It is not surprising that the highest point in the world will attract fans of extreme recreation from all over the world. Hundreds of people arrive in Nepal with the aim of conquering the greatest peak in the world - the city of Everest. But only a few of them actually reach their goal. Locals are suspicious of most visitors to their country, but still rejoice in the flow of tourists, as it allows them to earn money and increase their capital.

The history of climbing Everest

The first attempt to climb to a height of more than 8 thousand meters was made in 1950 by a group of French climbers. That year, they were able to conquer Mount Annapurna, but they did not manage to reach Everest. It was the first conquest of a height of more than 8 thousand meters. Before him, there were attempts to conquer such a height (these were studies of the Himalayas and Karakorum mountain ranges), but they only made it possible to reach 7,000 marks.

As for the Chomolungma itself, the history of attempts to conquer it has thousands of stories. The most striking of these are stories about the first ascent to a height of 8320 meters using oxygen by an American expedition; the story of Maurice Wilson, who died at an altitude of more than 7 thousand meters (he was notable for the fact that he had no special training and intended to reach the top only using supernatural powers).

And yet, the first ascent to the height of the mountain occurred in 1953, when a citizen of New Zealand, Edmund Hillary, together with a resident of Nepal, Tenzing Norgay, conquered the height, also using oxygen cylinders. More than 30 Sherpas took part in the work of that expedition, whose skill and experience made it possible to conquer this height.

The Soviet expedition was able to conquer Everest only in 1982, but did it in a special way. Firstly, the conquest took place on a slope that was previously considered impassable, and two ascents to the mountain occurred at night. Surprising was the fact that one of the climbers, Vladimir Balyberdin, climbed without an oxygen apparatus.

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