What Happens When You Get to the Top of Mount Everest?
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On May 10, 1953, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the top of Mount Everest. Climbing the tallest mountain in the world is not just physically challenging – it’s also expensive, time-consuming, and logistically complicated. Most climbers who attempt this feat use a guide service, which usually costs between $30,000 and $100,000 depending on their services and whether or not you go with an alpine style climb that involves fixed ropes as opposed to an ascent style climb that involves no fixed ropes or support.
Why you should climb Everest
Everest is one of the most amazing places on Earth. But if you’re not a professional climber, it can be difficult to put together a successful expedition. Here are five tips that can help you turn your dream into reality!
Before you climb Mount Everest
Before you can begin your trek up Mount Everest, you’ll need a permit from Nepal's Ministry of Tourism. There are also a number of routes that take visitors to different areas on Everest: Base Camp, Camp II, Camp III, Camp IV, and Advanced Base Camp. Keep in mind that no matter which path you choose for your climb, it will be strenuous—and above 8500m (roughly 27,750 feet), very cold.
Climbing through Base Camp
Base Camp is located 17,600 feet above sea level. It’s also where you begin acclimating your body to higher altitudes. Climbers spend two weeks sleeping here before tackling higher elevations. Many use it as a jump-off point for expeditions up other Himalayan peaks like Kanchenjunga and Lhotse, which is connected via a pass just west of Base Camp.
Above Base Camp – High camp, Advance base camp, and Camp 4
There are literally hundreds, maybe thousands, of different routes up and down Mt. Everest, but there is really only one place you need to be at a certain time. Above Base Camp in time for sunrise. And not only do you need to get there in time for sunrise, you also want to be on your way back down before it gets dark or colder than it already is at 8300 meters/27590 feet above sea level.
The Final Summit push
Upon reaching 29,035 feet (the actual summit), there are three primary options. The first is to turn around and head back down. More people have reached Base Camp than have summited, so it’s very common for those who do reach the top to retreat back down in order to get enough energy and rest before making another attempt. The second option is simply laying down and relaxing with a camera.
Back down from the summit
Most climbers will tell you there’s no greater adrenaline rush than summiting, that moment when you reach your goal. But as every climber will also tell you, what happens next is a little anticlimactic. There are still several thousand feet (and hours) left on your journey.
Lessons Learned
While climbing Mt. Everest is clearly a monumental achievement, reaching its peak doesn’t mean that you’ve conquered all. As Hillary said, It takes longer to get down than it does to get up...because you can’t walk down. So I learned that if anything happened at the top of that mountain, we would have been in real trouble because there was no way back down unless somebody came and got us. That changed my thinking about mountaineering from then on.