Thick, gloomy clouds fill the sky, with icy winds carrying blizzards at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. The chilling temperature of -30 degrees Fahrenheit, combined with frequent avalanche threats, are typical conditions on the world’s highest mountain: Mount Everest. This colossal peak, standing at 8,849 meters, lies between Nepal and Tibet in the Himalayas, towering above most clouds in the sky.
Training Hard to Achieve Dreams
The effort to climb to the summit of Everest requires months, sometimes even years, of preparation. However, even with all these factors in place, reaching the summit is not guaranteed. In fact, over 300 individuals have been confirmed dead on the mountain.
Despite this, the mountain continues to attract hundreds of climbers determined to conquer its heights each spring. So, what drives some climbers to scale the world’s highest peak?
Climbers ascending the Hillary Step on their way to the summit of Everest. (Source: AFP.)
Dr. Jacob Weasel, an orthopedic surgeon, successfully reached the summit of Everest in May last year after nearly a year of conditioning. He shared, “I trained by wearing a 50-pound backpack and climbed stairs for two hours without any issues. Therefore, I thought I was in pretty good shape. However, I discovered that my fitness level was inadequate for the mountain’s inherent challenges.”
“I would take five steps and need 30 seconds to a minute to catch my breath,” Dr. Weasel recalled his struggle with oxygen deprivation while climbing Everest.
The journey to the summit of Everest. (Source: AFP).
Climbers aiming for the summit often practice a process of acclimatization to adjust their lungs to the decreasing oxygen levels as they ascend. This process involves climbers moving up to one of four designated camps on Everest and staying there for one to four days before returning. This routine is repeated at least twice to help the body adapt to the reduced oxygen levels, increasing the chances of survival and a successful summit.
“If you take someone up and drop them at the camp at the summit of Everest, not even the topmost camp, they could be unconscious within 10 to 15 minutes. They would die within an hour because their body isn’t adjusted to such low oxygen levels,” Weasel stated.
Although Dr. Weasel has successfully conquered dozens of peaks, including Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft), Chimborazo (20,549 ft), Cotopaxi (19,347 ft), and most recently Aconcagua (22,837 ft) in January this year, he noted that no mountain compares to the altitude of Mount Everest.
At its highest elevation, Everest is nearly incapable of sustaining human life, and most climbers rely on supplemental oxygen above 23,000 feet. The lack of oxygen poses one of the greatest threats to climbers attempting to reach the summit, with oxygen levels dropping below 40% as they enter the “death zone” of Everest.
Climbers’ tents set up at Everest Base Camp. (Source: AFP).
The Great Survival Instinct
The primary goal of climbers is to reach Everest Base Camp at an altitude of about 5,182 meters, which takes them approximately two weeks to reach. From there, they continue to the three other camps located along the mountain.
The fourth and final camp before the summit is located along the edge of the death zone at an altitude of 7,925 meters, exposing climbers to a layer of extremely thin air, sub-zero temperatures, and strong winds powerful enough to blow a person off the mountain.
“It’s hard to survive there,” Dr. Weasel told CNN. High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) is one of the most common illnesses climbers encounter while attempting to reach the summit. HACE causes swelling in the brain while trying to stabilize oxygen levels, resulting in drowsiness, difficulty speaking, and impaired thinking. This condition often accompanies blurred vision and occasional hallucinations.
“I experienced hallucinations where I heard voices that I thought were coming from behind me. I even saw the faces of my children and my wife emerging from the rocks,” Dr. Weasel shared.
Climbing to the summit of Everest. (Source: AFP).
According to Alan Arnette, a climbing coach who conquered Everest in 2014, when a climbing partner is severely injured or dies on the mountain, you have to leave them behind if you cannot rescue them. “What most climbing teams do out of respect for that climber is they will move the body out of sight (if possible),” Arnette said.
The climbing coach noted that seeing dead bodies on Everest can be compared to witnessing a horrific car accident. It has been ten years since the deadliest incident on the world’s highest mountain, when an avalanche killed 12 Sherpa guides. The year 2023 was recorded as the deadliest year on Everest, with 18 fatalities on the mountain – among which five remain unidentified.
Search and rescue missions by helicopter face numerous challenges due to altitude and frequently hazardous conditions, resulting in some rescue workers losing their lives while attempting to save others.
Despite the dangers, climbers are always eager to conquer Everest because they will witness the sunrise from an altitude of nearly 8,849 meters and see the shadow of Mount Everest cast down into the valley below. “This is perhaps one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. I have never felt so small,” Dr. Weasel shared.
