As grand as it sounds and looks, the Everest expedition is challenging and risky but a proud moment at the same time. If you are looking to trek to the base camp or ascend this world’s highest peak, you must know shocking facts about the Everest expedition.
From its increasing altitude to the rapid shift in climatic conditions, there is a bunch of information that is crucial for any climber.
Though your trekking company and guides will inform you about the necessary guidelines, knowing these interesting yet surprising things is a surplus. Other than safety while climbing, these surprising facts are generally good to know for your IQ as well.
Go through the article to find the top 10 shocking facts about the Everest expedition.
Key Highlights:
- As of December 2023, 6,664 people have successfully ascended the summit of Mount Everest.
- Hillary step is a vertical rock face situated at an altitude of 8790 meters in the Mount Everest. This face was named after Sir Edmund Hillary.
- The Hillary step was destroyed during the earthquake of 2015 in the Everest region.
- Khumbu Icefall is one of the most dangerous parts of the Everest expedition causing deaths of many every summit season.
- Many people have made world records in summiting Everest. The first ones to make such a record were Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa being the first people to ascend the peak.
- Suddenly shifting weather conditions often catches climbers in a blizzard leading to fatal situations.
10 Shocking Facts About the Everest Expedition
1. Increasing Height of the Everest
Well, every single human on the earth knows that Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world. Also, a reason why Everest is given the names like Top of the World, Peak of the mountains, Sagarmatha (which means top mountain in Nepali language) etc.
But, did you know the height of Everest keeps increasing too? Yes, you heard it right. The moving tectonic plates under the earth causes mountains like Everest to get taller with passing time.
Initially the peak had an altitude of 8848 meters, however, researchers figured out in 2019 that it increased by 88 centimeters'. Hence, Mount Everest is currently standing tall at an altitude of 8848.88 meters from the sea level.
2. Three Popular Climbing Routes to Peak of Mt. Everest
Like the height of the mountain, the route to the peak of Everest isn't the same since Sir Edmund Hillary made an ascent with Tenzing Norgay. Technically, there are 3 major routes that you can choose to ascend Everest, each landing on the North Face, SouthWest face and East face of the peak.
Considering the steepness and risks associated, the route leading to East face also called Kangshung face is less preferred, narrowing down the choice to two routes i.e. the South Col route and North Ridge route each landing in the Southwest and North face respectively. According to the reports, 98% of the climbers prefer either of these two routes for the summit.
However, every year the maximum number of climbers summit Everest following the South Col route, also called S Col-SE Ridge. In fact, as per the records on the Himalayan Database, all the ascents last season of 2023 spring were through S Col-SE ridge i.e. 11 expeditions with 104 successful summiteers and 9 deaths.
3. Extreme Climates of Everest
Mount Everest lies 28 degrees north of the equator, you will most likely observe a typical northern hemisphere here. At any season, the climate here is freezing cold at the summit and also around the areas surrounding it.
Besides, the weather patterns are also unique and unpredictable which not only affects the ascent but also makes an impact on the local ecosystem. Factors such as high altitude, intensity of sunlight, wind and precipitation often lead to sudden and extreme change in the temperature too.
Since the climate here is influenced by the Indian Monsoon, there might be chances of moisture and cloud throughout June to September. Similarly, the colder months such as December/January are extreme even for survival.
Thus, the best climbing season is during spring, which is March to May and during fall which is October to November. Climate is moderate and suitable for ascending during these seasons.
4. Everest Death Zone
If you are thinking of climbing to the top of Mount Everest, it is essential for you to learn about the Everest Death Zone. Basically, the human body cannot properly function under the lack of oxygen. All metabolic processes start to cease and often could lead to death in case of prolonged exposure to a low oxygen environment.
Generally, an altitude above 8000 meters from the sea level has lower air pressure, resulting in decreased concentration of oxygen. Since Everest is 8848.88 meters tall, the last part of the climb, those 848.88 meters, is often challenging to many due to scarce air. Hence, this altitude is called the death zone.
If you aren’t able to ascend to this section and get to the base camp faster, your body is more likely to suffer from scarcity of oxygen. You will start to get symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness and headaches which will further progress to confusion, loss of consciousness, inefficient judgement. Finally, the inability to rescue from this condition will take away your life in just a few minutes.
5. Risk of Natural Calamities
Despite being the most sought climbing destination, Everest is one of the locations that is frequently disturbed by natural calamities. From avalanches to floods and earthquakes, the Everest region gets affected by such calamities every year.
Not just the visitors, the local residents also often lose their lives and properties due to continuous avalanches, blizzards, and landslides in these regions.
Although these natural phenomena are unpredictable and can occur any time, our activities have made these more frequent. Global warming leading to glacial movement, rapid melting of snow, and pollution in the trekking routes have primarily worsened the situation.
Research studies have predicted that Glacial lake outburst floods are one of the most serious cryosphere hazards for mountains. Specifically, the glacial lakes of Sagarmatha National Park located in the Everest region are at high risk.
6. Trash on Everest
It sounds sad to mention that excessive trash on the Everest is one of the shocking facts about the Everest expedition. Every year, tons of garbage are accumulated in the trekking trail to the Everest after the end of each trekking season.
According to the reports of National Geographic, each climber contributes to 18 pounds i.e. 8 kilograms of trash during their stay in the Everest region. Many times, the slopes are found polluted with plastic water bottles, abandoned tents, food cans, human faces and other wastes.
In recent times, both government and non-governmental organizations as well as locals are making an attempt to clean up this trash. The Nepali government launched a campaign to clean the Everest region in 2019, aiming to remove 10,000 kilograms of trash from the mountain.
Apart from this, the local residents of the region are also on this mission. A non-profit organization run by the Sherpas called SPCC (Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee) manages the waste in the areas surrounding Mount Everest. In addition they also raise awareness among the visitors to take care of nature.
7. Age Limitation for Ascending Everest
The mountain doesn’t discriminate against people on the basis of age, gender or race! It might be surprising to many that from teenagers' of 13 years in age to elderly of 80 years in age have successfully climbed to the summit of Mount Everest.
Yuichiro Muiro, a Japanese national, is the oldest person of 80 years old who climbed to the top of the world in 2013. In fact, he is also the older person who has ascended the mountain multiple times. He made a first ascend in 2003 at the age of 70, next at an age of 75 in 2008 and lastly in 2013 at an age of 80.
The unbeatable courage of the Japanese alpinist and skier, Yuichiro Miura is really commendable.
Likewise, the U.S. resident Jordan Romero is the youngest person to ascend the mountain. He climbed to the top of Everest at an age of 13 years in 2010.
8. The Khumbu Icefall
Without a doubt, the Khumbu icefall is one of the dangerous stages of climbing to the peak of Mount Everest. Located at the head of Khumbu glaciers, the icefall comes across on your trail if you're ascending through South Col ridge.
Though the remaining trail of this route is comparatively easier, it also comes across the most dangerous Khumbu Icefall right before you reach the final stage.
Since the icefall keeps moving continuously, there is a risk of it falling or shifting without any warning. The student movement of the Icefall poses a great threat to every climber.
9. The 2 O’ clock Rule
As surprising as it sounds, the 2 o’ clock rule of Mount Everest is one of the surprising yet fascinating facts. As per the rule, any climber who ascends the peak must reach the summit by 2 pm and immediately begin the descent.
According to the legend, this rule was given by Rob Hall Scott Fischer who met a tragic fate due to delay in descending down the Everest. He made the summit with this group in 1996 but due to miscalculation of time he and his companion lost their lives.
The actual reason behind this rule is the harsh climatic conditions of the Everest regions. After this time, the weather has the highest chances of turning unsuitable for any living being. Temperature starts to drop down and it might get windy and darker as you start descending.
In fact, climbers are often at the risk of being caught in the death zone, struggling with freezing temperature and other risks if you don’t start climbing down at 2 pm.
10. Traffic Jams at the Everest
“Traffic Jams at the Everest”, sounds weird right? Well, it is the truth!
Despite the challenges, risks, and difficulties associated with climbing to the top of Everest, many summiters make this attempt every year resulting in the traffic jams on the way to the top.
Every climbing season, the increasing summiters to the peak of Everest has caused a human traffic on the trail. This scenario might have become a trending news for the media, but it also has been the cause of the death of many.
Since there is a fixed timeline that one needs to follow to ascend and descend, everyone wants to hurry and hustle up to complete the climb. Consequently this led to dangerous delays causing climbers to wait for a longer time in the Death Zone which also increases risks of accidents.
One of the main reasons behind this human traffic is the shorter length of allowed climbing seasons. Unlike other peaks, there are just seasons when you can attempt to climb Everest. And every human being wants to take that once in a lifetime chance to ascend.
Cost of Everest Expedition
Though we haven’t mentioned it in the list of shocking facts about Everest, the cost of Everest Expedition is shockingly expensive. With all risks associated with the climb, the cost of the expedition is too much for a normal person to afford on today's date.
Even if you decide to travel on a budget, it is estimated to cost something between $30,000 to $40,000. And this cost might increase over $100,000 depending on the services you choose.
One of the reasons behind the Everest expedition being so expensive is the risks associated with it. You will have to pay trekking insurance for the climb as well as for probable evacuation insurance.
Besides, the climbing permits are expensive too. You will need to pay around $11,000 to make a second through South Col route via Nepal. In addition, you will also have to pay up to $1000 for national park fee and local permits.
Furthermore, the most expensive part of the expense is hiring a personal summit guide. A summit guide can cost you around $5000 to $8,000. There are many popular climbing peaks in Everest region like Mera Peak, Island Peak and others.
Here’s a list of expenses related to Everest expedition:
| S.No | Expense Category | Cost Range (USD) |
| 1 | Climbing Permit | $11,000 |
| 2 | Other permits | $500- $1000 |
| 3 | Transportation(Flights/Road) | $1000- $2000 |
| 4 | Equipment and Trekking Gears | $8000 – $10,000 |
| 5 | Summit Guides | $5000- $8000 |
| 6 | Food and Supplies | $2000- $3000 |
| 7 | Bonuses | $1000- $1500 |
| 8 | Travel Insurance | $ 500 -$1000 |
| 9 | Evacuation Insurance | $500 |
| 10 | Training Climbs | $4000 -$8000 |
Considering all these expenses, one Everest expedition can cost around $45,000 for a standard package and up to $100,000 for a luxurious one. These expenses exclude any additional personal expenses.
Word Records Related to Everest Expedition
Till date, there are multiple world records made by summiters every year. From having youngest/oldest climbers to multiple time summiters, there are different categories of world records related to Everest. Among all these records, the height of Everest itself is the first world record for being the tallest mountain in the World.
Here is the list of the world records related to Everest Expedition:
- Sir. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa were the first people to climb to the top of Everest. They reached the summit on May 29, 1953 making the World record and quickly descended after spending 15 mins on the top.
- Junko Tabie is the first woman to climb to the peak. She is a Japanese resident who made the climb in 1974.
- Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was the first Nepali woman who climbed to the peak of the world in her fourth attempt.
- The Spanish citizen named Kilian Jornet holds the record of the fastest summiter to the top of Everest without oxygen supplement. He made the ascent in 26 hours on May, 2023.
- Lakpa Sherpa is the first Nepali woman to hold records for most number of summits. Until 2022, she has climbed the summit for 10 times.
- Krzysztof Weilicki and Leszek Cichy, the Polish citizens, were the first people to ascend Everest in Winter. They climbed the peak on February 17, 1980.
- Erik Weihenmayer is the first blind person to climb Mount Everest. He is the US citizen who made the ascent on May 25, 2001.
Additional Tips for Everest Expedition
Despite some risks and some amazing facts, every year climbers come with enthusiasm to summit Everest. Some who cannot be that courageous at least try to attempt to trek to Everest Base camp.
We have some additional tips just in case you are planning to ascend Everest upcoming season:
- Research about the Everest region to find explorable highlights of the area before you actually go.
- Buy a trekking insurance to help you cover up the cost in case of any unfortunate incidents.
- Get a trekking permit or a climbing permit before you ascend the base camp or climb Everest.
- Carry energy bars, nuts, and dried fruits to boost your energy during the climb as it is less likely to find a food joint up in the mountain.
- It is safer to carry solar-chargeable batteries to charge up your devices even in remote areas.
- Always buy sturdy and comfortable gear to protect your body. It’s a good thing to invest in trekking gear or else you can rent them out too.
Take a look at our article “6 Tips for Buying Cheap Trekking Gear in Kathmandu” in case you are in the lookout for a place to find suitable trekking gears.
Adventure for Life
No matter the challenges and possible risks associated with ascending Everest, every year thousands of people make the attempt. This spirit has often caused traffic jams of climbers on the route which proves this is a one time adventure for life.
You can also at least try out to ascend to the peak, if not to the base of Mount Everest to make your life worthy.
Book yourself a trek and go wild to explore the rough terrains, snow-capped mountains and local traditional lifestyle.
Never stop exploring!
Tags: Attractions of Everest, Everest Region, Popular Things in Everest