Climbing Everest harder — and deadlier — than you might think
Have you ever thought about what it might be like to climb Mount Everest?
With the news of Nova Scotian Kevin Walsh recently accomplishing the feat, it has been on the minds of many in Atlantic Canada this year.
Mount Everest is earth's highest mountain above sea level, with the China-Nepal border running across its summit point. The Tibetan name for the mountain, Qomolangma, translates to Holy Mother.
COVID-19 caused a halt in last year's climbing season, with both China and Nepal forbidding foreign climbing groups during the first wave of the pandemic. The only people to reach the summit last year were a team of Chinese surveyors re-measuring the height of the mountain. The official result, announced on Dec. 8, 2020, was recorded at 8,848.86 metres, putting an end to a long-standing disagreement between the two countries.
It's not just Everest's height that makes it one of the most challenging summits in the world, but the dangerous conditions the journey brings. The jet stream can pelt climbers with winds beyond 320 kilometres per hour at certain times of the year, and the combination of high winds, low temperatures, and dangerous terrain make for an intense climb regardless of skill level.
As climbers reach the higher region, they spend time in the “death zone,” which brings altitudes higher than 8,000 metres. At this level, exhaustion can occur merely by attempting to breathe.
This next section might be a little too sensitive for some readers, but it is the sad reality of the risks involved in the climb. As of 2019, 300 people have died on Everest, many of whose bodies still remain on the mountain. The area just below the summit has tragically been referred to as "rainbow valley" because it is filled with the bodies of climbers who didn't survive the trek, still clothed in their brightlycoloured winter gear.
While it may seem heartless to leave the bodies behind, climbers often have no choice as it is unsafe to attempt to transport the bodies down the mountain. Since 2006, it is estimated that the bodies of 150 climbers have never been recovered.
One of the worst disasters to hit the climbing community occurred in 2014, when 16 Sherpas died in an avalanche on Everest. Sherpas are one of the Tibetan groups native to the area, however the name has become used by foreigners to refer to any mountain guide, regardless of ethnicity.
Sherpas are regarded as skilled mountaineers and experts who lead climbers through their excursion, carrying oxygen and other essentials, handling navigation, setting up camps, and more. Although Sherpas warn climbers of the dangers they will face, some climbers choose not to listen, resulting in injuries or death.
In a 2019 Populous article, professional Sherpa Da Gelje Sherpa said many foreign climbers become so obsessed with the glory of reaching the summit that they ignore the safety warnings of their Sherpas.
Despite the dangers, Everest attracts hundreds of climbers each season, with 891 summitters recorded in 2019. According to High Adventure Expeditions, more than 5,700 climbers have reached the summit of Mount Everest.
Will you be next?
Jill Ellsworth is a writer and communications specialist who lives in Dominion, N.S. Her column appears biweekly across the Saltwire Network. She can be reached at jillellsworth94@gmail.com.