There are many reasons that a climber could have to climb Mount Everest – the highest mountain in the world. It can be for personal pride, honor and a sense of achievement, or it could be to set a world record. The second one is concerning as it often involves the climbers getting involved in death defying activities. One of the world record setting tactics that many climbers have tried is climbing Everest without oxygen. And while many have succeeded, quite a few have failed miserably. One of such failures is that of Francys Arsentiev. Well, she wasn’t completely unsuccessful. FrancysArsentiev became the first American woman to reach the top of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. Things turned bad to worse when she tried to descend. Keeping it short, she wasn’t able to reach the base camp, and perished on the mountain. Climbers conclude that the result of her death was the lack of oxygen in her body, which prevented her from taking the right decisions and doing her best climbing. FrancysArsentiev is an example of how things can turn around for you when you choose to take risks.
The Top of Everest
Now, there have been numerous death incidents as such on Everest, some caused by the overambition of the climbers, some caused by carelessness, and the others by accidents on the mountain, however, this hasn’t stopped the mountaineers from all around the world from continuing to embark on challenges as such. Everest still is the most climbed mountain in the world, with hundreds of climbers signing up to reach the top of the peak every year. It would not be an exaggeration to say that climbing Mount Everest is on the bucket list of all the professional climbers out there, and one of the most important reasons is to experience the feeling when you’re standing on the world, and enjoying the dazzling views from there. From the top of Everest, you’re able to enjoy the views of all the other peaks in the region, and beyond. As you’re standing there, you feel peaceful; your mind is full of serenity. You become one with nature and the universe altogether. There is no other feeling that can beat this one. And it is something that everyone, especially the climbers, want to experience at least once in their lives.
Everest Expedition
Everest Expedition is an exciting journey. It lasts for a duration of around 65 days, and during this time, the trekkers don’t just climb the mountain, they even trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp, and the same way back. There are several Everest Base Camp Trek packages as well through which trekkers can enjoy the Everest region in short period of time. Now, the distance can also be covered in a helicopter, but it is recommended that the climbers trek up to the base camp so that their body properly acclimatizes to the environment. Considerable amount of time is also spent taking rest, at the time of trekking and during the climbing process. The climbing process lasts for a duration of around 45 days. It is the duration when the climbers try to reach the top of the mountain, and make their way back to the main base camp. The duration can be shorter, depending on what route the climber chooses to take, and the weather. Provided that the weather is clear enough, the climbing duration could squeeze by almost one-third. It is excruciating for the mountaineers to spend long hours on the mountain, facing the cold and unforgiving weather. But the amazing views and the sense of achievement that they get to enjoy on the top is worth all the troubles.
Everest Climbing Routes
Mount Everest lies on the border of Nepal and Tibet, which is significant to know as there are two main routes that lead the climbers to the top of Mount Everest. The North Col lies on the Tibetan side, whereas the South Col lies on the Nepalese side. When it comes to difficulty level, North Col route is considered to be more technical than the South Col. It is for the same reason that there are a lot of restrictions when it comes to climbing the peak following this route. Also, the number of climbers allowed to climb the peak using this route is also quite limited. As a result, South Col is more popular among climbers as the route to climb the peak, which makes Nepal the most preferred climbing destination. Even if you were to forget about Everest, Nepal is home to 7 other highest peaks in the world, and climbers from far and wide come to Nepal to climb these other peaks as well. It works in the favor of the climbers as a lot of times Everest is so jam packed that they are not offered the permit to ascend the peak. Everyone wants to get the shot at taming this huge white beast, reaching the top and enjoying the unbelievable views.
When you look closely at the mountain, you realize that the views, the sense of achievement, the majestic image and so on are only the surficial attributes of the mountain. The reality is far from all this; the truth is that the mountain is much more unforgiving than you can imagine. There are sections of the peak that offer deadly challenges to the climbers, for instance, the Khumbu Icefall and the Everest Death Zone. There have been many who have fallen prey to these sections and lost their lives. Some have been badly injured, and had to be evacuated. FrancysArsentiev is the prime example of this. She was the victim of the Everest Death Zone, where she had to spend almost 4 days. It is believed that it was her stay in that region that ultimately caused her death. Now, though the objective of the climber is to enjoy the amazing views of the top of the world, and enjoy the most amazing feeling after a successful ascent, it’s cases like that of FrancysArsentiev that gives them a reality check. Stories like these influence them to take all the precautions and give their best while they’re on the peak.
