Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. It is also one of the most preferred ones when it comes to mountaineering activities. Now, these are the well-established and well-known facts about Mount Everest. However, there are a few that are shocking and mysterious ones. These facts force you to reconsider your overall point of view about this great white giant. These 15 most shocking and mysterious Mount Everest Facts are related to the geographical attributes of the peak and as well as the climbers who sacrificed their lives in terms of ascending the peak or descending from it.
The gravitation of Mt. Everest is so attractive that many dreams for the Everest expedition. It has given the opportunity to the mountaineers to write their name on world book record. The climber who goes on a mountain expedition faces numerous situations such as life VS death, stunning views that make them be a part of Everest forever, self challenges and so on. Many conquer their dreams and sadly, it also has numerous stories and facts that are beneath the people as well.
It is quite crucial for anyone, and especially the climbers, to get to know these facts about Mount Everest, as it helps them have realistic expectations.
Oldest Person To Climb Mount Everest
One of the most exciting Mount Everest Facts is about the oldest person to climb Mount Everest. Yuichiro Miura from Japan is the oldest person to achieve this feat. He was able to reach the top of the peak at the age of 80. He climbed the peak in the year 2013. He held the previous record himself. He reached the top of the peak at the age of 70 in the year 2003. One of the interesting things about Miura is that he was the first person to ski down Everest. He did that in the year 1970. An Oscar-winning film titled ‘The Man Who Skied Down Everest’ was made featuring this success of his.
Youngest Person To Climb Mount Everest
Another interesting Mount Everest Facts is related to the youngest person to climb Mount Everest. The youngest person to do that is Jordan Romero. He reached the top of Mount Everest in the year 2009, at the age of 13. Though there were a lot of individuals criticizing whether a 13-year-old kid should be allowed to climb Everest. He climbed the mountain despite all the obstacles. Romero also holds the record of being the youngest person to reach the highest peaks of all the 7 continents. He achieved the feat at the young age of 15.
Climb Everest Without Oxygen
Yet another exciting Mount Everest Facts is the one about the first person to climb Everest without Oxygen. The record is held by Reinhold Messner of Italy. He achieved the feat in the year 1978. Messner also holds the record for being the first person to climb all the 14 peaks in the world that are higher than 8000 m. He achieved this feat without the use of supplemental oxygen. He also has other crucial records in his name. For instance, he is the first person to cross the Gobi desert, the entire continent of Antarctica and the country of Greenland on his own.
Climb Everest From All Three Sides
Mount Everest has three faces – the eastern face, the northern face and the southwest face. When it comes to the routes, there are two main ridges that lead the climbers to the top – the southeast ridge and the north ridge. Despite the fact that there are around 20 routes, these two are considered to be ideal for Mount Everest Expedition. The north ridge starts from Tibet whereas the southeast ridge starts in Nepal. Further, among the two routes, the latter one is more popular. There have been expeditions from all three sides or faces of Everest.
Who Was Mount Everest Named After?
The local name for Mount Everest is Sagarmatha. However, it is more popular by the name Mt. Everest all over the world. This raises an interesting question – who was Mount Everest named after. Well, this is quite an interesting Mount Everest fact to explore. Mt. Everest was named after Sir George Everest, who worked as the Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843. The mountain was named Everest by the successor of George Everest, Andrew Scott Waugh. Initially, Everest didn’t want the mountain to be named after him, as he had nothing to do with its discovery. But later, he was convinced by Waugh, and the other officials to accept the honor.
How Long Does It Take To Climb Mount Everest?
As a mountaineer, it’s crucial to know Mount Everest facts like how long does it take to climb Mount Everest as it helps them prepare for the climb and the challenges. Well, to answer the question, it takes around 64 days to climb Mount Everest. The core climbing lasts for a duration of 44 days, and the rest of the time is spent either trekking or acclimatizing on the route. Trekking on the route is crucial as it helps the climbers adjust to the environment in the region.
Mount Everest Rainbow Valley
While Mount Everest Rainbow Valley sounds like a place that’s colorful, beautiful and full of fun, well, it’s not. It is colorful for sure, but these colors come from the horrible deaths of numerous climbers who lost their lives in terms of ascending or descending the peak. Everest Rainbow Valley is a part of the peak that lies on the Everest Death Zone. When you look from a distance, the place looks quite colorful. It gets these colors from the colorful jackets worn by the climbers during their expeditions. These bodies have remained intact, and so have the jackets worn by them.
Everest Death Zone
Everest Death Zone is yet another horrifying Mount Everest Facts quite like Mount Everest Rainbow Valley. It is a part of the mountain that lies at an altitude above 8000 m. The reason why it is called the death zone is that the majority of deaths that occur on the peak occur here. At this altitude, the volume of oxygen in the air is quite thin, which makes it tough for the climbers to breathe, especially if they haven’t carried supplementary oxygen with them. The weather at the level is also quite cruel often forcing the climbers to retreat to their former post.
Dead Bodies On Everest
There is quite an interesting fact related to the dead bodies on Everest. Generally, when a creature dies and its body is left as it is, the body decomposes. But thanks to the excruciatingly cold weather on the mountain. The microorganisms that are responsible for the decomposition of the body can’t survive, which causes the body to remain intact and hold its shape even for years. Mount Everest currently has hundreds of dead bodies lying on its surface. These belong to the former climbers who sacrificed their lives in terms of ascending or descending the great peak.
Sleeping Beauty Everest
Sleeping Beauty Everest is not just a Mount Everest facts but rather a sorrowful tale about a mountaineer known as Francys Arsentiev. She was an American mountaineer who lost her life in terms of descending from a peak in 1998. She was the first American woman to ascend the peak without the help of bottled oxygen, however, this was something that didn’t work in her favor. Everest Sleeping Beauty was given this title because of the look she had on her face at the time of her death. Rescuers found her but were not able to save her and bring her back.
Mt.Everest Traffic Jam
The mountaineers face Mt.Everest Traffic Jam above Camp four. The mountaineers have to pass through Everest Death Zone which is like coming out from the mouth of hell. And, these regions face Mt.Everest Traffic jams and get stuck in the Death zone. It takes one and a half hours to get below Hillary steps sometimes. The worst thing is many climbers run out of oxygen and have to return back to Everest Base Camp.
Green Boots Everest
The dead bodies in Everest are difficult to be brought back when there is harsh weather haunting your every step. These bodies become flashlights to guide climbers. The Green Boots Everest is also one of the Everest stories among several. Tsewang Palijor, an Indian Climber, fell to zero visibility and blizzard. His body lay frozen near a cave. The green boots of Tsewang Palijor are conspicuous. Even today, the place where he rests is popular as Green Boot’s Cave. On passing the green boots, mountaineers enter into the death zone of Everest which has only one-third oxygen compared to plains.
First Wedding In The Summit Of Everest
A wedding destination that is way beyond your thought is beautiful to picture and amazing feeling to experience. Have you ever wondered about your wedding at the highest peak in the world? A Nepalese couple stayed on the summit of Everest for about 10 minutes for traditional rituals and got wed. Since the certainty of reaching the summit was not so high, the couple did the wedding secretly.
First Disabled Person To Climb
Tom Whittaker is the first disabled person to climb the summit of Mount Everest. In 1979, Whittaker had a car accident. He had to remove his right foot. He has become an inspiration to many people to have a deep desire to achieve your goal of life. There are also other amazing climbers such as double-amputee Mark Inglis, a blind mountaineer named Erik Weihenmayer and so on.
Some Other Facts You Might Not Know
- Everest can be climbed from Nepal and China. It is so because Mt. Everest is situated at the border of these countries.
- There is an age limit for the Everest expedition. China limits the age above 18 whereas over 16 by Nepal.
- The availability of oxygen is only 66% when you reach the summit. Nepal has 18 routes in total to explore Everest from the Nepal side.
- On average of 100 calories, mountaineers will be burning their calories each day.
Everest is a pride of Nepal that reflects courage, boldness, confidence, and honor. It is just not a mass of land covered in snow but a life achievement for passionate mountaineers. The above-listed facts and stories are just the tip of the iceberg. Everest has a lot more stories to be revealed.
Mount Everest Facts are often interesting pieces of information to know about. It pays for everyone to know about Mount Everest, and mainly the ones looking to reach the peak of this splendid mountain. Mt Everest Facts allow the mountaineers to prepare for the expedition, which can prove to be quite crucial provided that these journeys can be excruciating and even deadly. Mount Everest Facts regarding the numerous mountaineers tell the upcoming climbers what they should or shouldn’t do during their expedition. In the same way, the geographical Mt Everest Facts tell the prospective climbers what challenges await them on the trip. It is only by acknowledging these facts and preparing for them that can they be successful at reaching the top.
Everest Trail Walker is a reliable, affordable and experienced travel and tour operator in Nepal. They specialize in trekking and expedition, however, if you’re not quite into challenging activities as such, you can go for luxury tour options like helicopter tour, jungle safari, food and cultural tour, and so on. What makes Everest Trail Walker stand apart from other travel and tour operators is their focus on client satisfaction. They even accept inputs from their clients regarding the itineraries and try their best to make the possible changes. The company was established by a group of individuals who have worked for years as trekking and expedition guides. They know the ins and outs of the hills in Nepal, and they realize what makes and breaks a vacation. If you’re looking to travel to these countries during your upcoming holidays, and try out these activities, make sure to choose Everest Trail Walker as your travel partner. With them by your side, you can rest assured about having the best time during your vacation. You’d definitely want to return for your holidays.