Mt. Everest

Base Camp

17,600 Feet;

Camp I

19,500 Feet

Camp IV (four) is in the Death Zone

26,000 Feet; on the South Col, in the saddle. Difficult to breath here, very dangerous due to lack of oxygen.

The Summit

29,035 Feet. Takes 12 hours from Camp IV, then 4 hours back down. The top is only the size of a picnic table!!

Starting Elevation

9,350 Feet (Lukla)

Hillary Step

A rock cliff 40-feet high that lies just below the summit. One of the toughest obstacles on Everest.

Why is the Khumbu Icefall dangerous?

Because the ice chunks are severely unstable and shift.

Meaning in Tibet

Called Chomolungma, meaning Mother of the World in Tibet.

What difficulties to climbers face in trying to reach the summit?

Climbers are now in the Death Zone, the most grueling stage of the climb because it is so hard to breath at this elevation. Deep snow, steep drop-offs and harsh weather make it even more difficult.

How does the physical geography change from Camp I to Camp IV?

Climbers enter a long valley called the Western Cwm or Valley of Silence. The wind is blocked and it gets very warm. Camp II lies at the base of the Lhotse Face, an ice-covered wall that rises 3,700 feet. Camp III is perched on a narrow ledge halfway up the face. Then climbers ascend to the South Col to reach Camp IV, located in the saddle between the face and the summit.

Second Stage of Journey

From Base Camp to Camp I.

Third Stage of Climb

Goes to Camp II, III and IV (2, 3, and 4)

What is being done to clean up Mt Everest

Groups of climbers have scaled the Mt. to bring down trash. Nepal's government charges a fee to climb the Mt., Climbing groups must leave a $4,000 garbage deposit, and if they don't bring down all their trash the government keeps the $. And, it is forbidden to cut down trees, and new trees are being planted.

Meaning in Nepal

In Nepal it is known as Sagarmatha which means "Forehand in the Sky."

Location

In the Himalaya Mountains in Southern Asia. It lies on the boarder between Nepal and the Chinese Region of Tibet.

First Successful Ascent

May 29, 1953 by Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal (a Sherpa)

Meaning of Everest

Named for a British official in India.Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India

Why is it important to acclimatize?

So the climbers won't get killed or sick

How have climbers sought new challenges?

Some make the ascent without oxygen, others do it very rapidly. Some come down on snowboards or skis or paraglider. Others climbs Everest as part of the Seven Summits Challenges, to climb the tallest mountains on all 7 continents.

Death Zone

The elevation where it is difficult to breath, lack of oxygen makes it very dangerous, can only stay in this zone for 2-3 days. Camp IV is here, also the summit.

Exposure

The harmful effects of cold, wind, or other extreme weather conditions.

Carrying Capacity

The number of people or animals an environment of an area can support.

Acclimatize

The process of adjusting to lower oxygen levels at high elevations.

Sherpa

a Himalayan people who are great climbers. They are very important on climbs, acting as guides, cooks and porters. They set up the camps and carry supplies, doing very dangerous work.

Valley of Silence

a long valley called the Western Cwm (Koom), very hot with lots of sun, after leaving Camp I

saddle

a low point on a ridge that connects two peaks; between the face and the summit

Khumbu Icefall

a part of the mountain just above basecamp filled with giant chunks of ice call Seracs. The most dangerous part of the climb due to the shifting ice and deep crevices. Part of Second Stage of climb.

World Heritage Site

a place of great natural or cultural value that has been placed on UNESCO"s World Heritage List. UNESCO helps preserve these sites.

Lhotse Face

a very difficult steep rock wall covered in ice, 3,700 feet high

First Stage

from Lukla to Base Camp -

seracs

giant chunks of ice found in the Khumbu Icefall

Crampons

spikes that attach to the climber's boots to give them a foothold in the ice, then they pull up on ropes.

Sirdar

the Head Sherpa - in charge of the other Sherpas. Some expeditions have 2 sirdars - one stays at base camp the other climbs.