The mighty Everest has already been conquered many times by brave climbers, but this does not detract from its greatness. The peak, which rises for many kilometers, is made of ancient rocks, as if looking patronizingly down at the tiny people bustling around at its foot. The feeling that covers a person looking at the highest mountain in the world is difficult to describe in words – it must be experienced.
Interesting facts about Everest
- The second and more correct name of the peak is Chomolungma.
- Now the height of the peak of Everest is 8 kilometers 848 meters, but due to the action of tectonic forces, it sometimes changes slightly.
- Atmospheric pressure at the top of Everest is only a third of normal, and the vast majority of people there would die from lack of oxygen. However, some climbers conquered this peak without an oxygen mask.
- Hurricane winds reaching speeds of 200 km/h are not uncommon at the top of Everest (interesting facts about hurricanes).
- You can climb Everest from the territory of two countries, from Nepal or from China, from the Tibetan plateau.
- On average, one climb to Everest, taking into account all costs, equipment and other expenses, costs a climber from 30 to 85 thousand dollars.
- Among all the mountains in the world, Everest is the highest peak, but not the most dangerous. Another Himalayan peak, Annapurna, is much more dangerous in climbing statistics. More than 30% of attempts to conquer it end in the death of the climber. The death rate during the conquest of Chomolungma fluctuates around the 10% mark (interesting facts about the mountains).
- For the first time, a man conquered the summit of Everest without oxygen masks and cylinders in 1980. The record was set by the Italian Reinhold Messer. Moreover, he set his record alone.
- Since 1969, the only year in which no climber died on the slopes of Everest was 1977.
- In winter, temperatures at the top of Everest sometimes drops to -60 degrees.
- In 2001, another Italian descended from the summit of Everest on a snowboard. The following year, he tried to climb this mountain again, but went missing while climbing.
- The mountain got its European name in honor of the English surveyor George Everest.
- The youngest conqueror of Everest was 13 years old, and the oldest is 80.
- The bodies of dead climbers cannot be evacuated down, so they remain right there on the slopes, and often serve as landmarks for other mountain conquerors. Many disappear under the snow and into mountain gorges.
- The summit of Everest grows about 4mm each year due to tectonic forces.
- There is internet at the very top.
- The first person who climbed higher than Everest on a motorized paraglider was the famous «prepper» and TV presenter Bear Grylls.
- On average, climbing Everest takes climbers about 2 months, taking into account the time for acclimatization, and during this time the conquerors of the mountains lose 10-15 kg of weight.
- Since 1974, the summit of Everest has been conquered every year.
- Permission to climb Everest costs 10-12 thousand dollars. This tax is levied by the authorities of Nepal on everyone.
- In 1999, a Nepalese climber set a record for speed climbing Everest, reaching the top in just under 17 hours.
- Until 2018, the summit of Everest was made about 5 thousand successful ascents.
- Everest was once the ocean floor. By geological standards, the mountain is quite young – it is about 60 million years old. At an altitude of up to 4 kilometers, fossilized remains of sea creatures are still sometimes found on its slopes.
- According to the law, each climber, descending from Everest, must bring with him at least 8 kg of garbage. If he has less of his own garbage, he must collect someone else’s, which, unfortunately, is plentiful on the mountain slopes. Otherwise, you will have to pay another 4 thousand dollars.
- In the entire history of conquering Everest, just over 200 people reached its summit without using oxygen masks.
- Many residents of Nepal and Tibet consider Everest a sacred mountain, and treat it with awe.
- The first man conquered the summit of Everest in 1953, and the first woman in 1975.
- Sherpa Appa Tenzing , one of the local guides who accompany tourists for a fee, has been to the top of Everest more often than anyone else. He reached the peak 21 times, and he never used oxygen tanks and masks.
- In 2001, the first blind climber named Eric Weihenmeier successfully climbed Everest.
- The largest group , ever climbed Everest, consisted of 410 Chinese climbers.
- The Nepalese and Sherpas call Everest after Sagarmatha.
- Life meets at high altitude. So, jumping spiders live on Everest up to a height of 6.7-6.8 kilometers above sea level, where there is almost no life anymore (interesting facts about spiders).
- Mauna Kea Hawaiian volcano on more than a kilometer higher than Everest, if you count not by sea level, but from the foot to the top.