Where is it?

On the border between Nepal and Tibet. It is in the Himalayan mountain range, which stretches 1500 miles from Pakistan to Bhutan. 9 of the 14 8000 meter peaks are located in this range

Mt everest

  • Mt Everest is known as "Sagarmatha" in Nepal
  • Her summit stands at 8848 meters above sea level (30 Shards), but is growing at 4mm each year as a result of tectonic plate movement
  • Base Camp is located at 5380m, ~3500m below the peak
  • At the summit there is ~60% less oxygen than at sea level
  • It takes 40 days to climb Mt. Everest in order for the body to adjust to the altitude
  • 18 possible routes - though the vast majority of people climb via the North (Tibet) or South (Nepal) 

Ascents

  • First climbed in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary & Sherpa Tenzing Norgay
  • 4042 people have reached the summit (for total of ~6900 summits, as many return to climb again)
  • 370 of these climbers have been women (9%)
  • Since 1921, there is a non-sherpa summit success rate of 33% (though this is on the up)
  • 2/3 of these summits have come from the South side
  • About 200 people (~3%) have reached the summit without oxygen
  • Average age of climbers is 34
  • Youngest person to summit is Jordan Romero (aged 13!)
  • Oldest person was Miura Yiuchiro, aged 80 
  • Record for most summits goes to Apa Sherpa with 21
  • The British record is held by Kenton Cool who has now climbed to  the summit of Everest 11 times
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Deaths

  • ~250 people have died on Everest (~3.6% since 1990)
  • Most of these deaths come in form of falls, avalanches & exposure
  • Death toll is split 60 : 40 between visitors & sherpas...
  • ...and 55 : 45 between South & North routes
  • ~80% of deaths occur during summit attempts (20% lower on the mountain) 
  • Of the deaths above 8000m - the majority take place on the descent (~55%), when climbers are fatigued and have been exposed to the altitude for long periods (often developing cerebral edemas)
  • The time taken to reach the summit can be treated as an early indicator
  • Probability of death increases with summit time (~2% up to 12:00; 10% at 15:00; 50% at 19:00)
  • Research suggests that commercial climbs are safer than independently organised ones, with a 37% lower chance of death
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Source: Alan Arnette, CBC, 8000ers.com, Himalayan Database, BMJ 2008 & 2012