A message about Everest. Everest - the highest mountain in the world

Everest, the highest mountain on our planet, rises among the eternal snows of the Himalayas to a height of 8848 meters above sea level and is located on the border of Nepal and China. The peak itself lies on the territory of China (Tibet). Everest Peak crowns the Main Himalayan Range.

In 1832, workers of the British Geodetic Survey in India, processing surveys of a number of Himalayan peaks, discovered that the mountain, listed as Peak XV, was the highest in the region and, probably, in the whole world. They named the open peak in honor of the chief of the geodetic service, Sir George Everest (pronunciation in the correct transcription: “Ay-ver-ist”). It is this name of the mountain that has become the most popular all over the world. In Tibet she is called Chomolungma - “Goddess-Mother of Life”. In Nepal, the mountain is called Sagarmatha - “Mother of the Gods”.

Everest is sometimes called the third pole of the earth, because... The climate there is no less, and even more extreme and severe, than at the poles. The temperature at the summit never rises above 0°C. The average temperature in January is -36 ° C and can drop to -60 ° C, and in July -19 ° C (for comparison, at the North Pole in January -40 ° C, in July - about 0 ° C). Wind speeds at the top can reach 200 km/h. In addition, the oxygen content in the rarefied atmosphere at altitudes above 8000 meters is three times less than at sea level. If the North and South Poles were reached at the beginning of the twentieth century (the North, according to various sources, in 1908-1909, the South in 1911), then Everest remained unconquered until the middle of the twentieth century (1953).

Everest is not easy to see even from afar, as it is lost in inaccessible areas of the Himalayas and obscured by other peaks. Just to see the highest peak in the world, you need to walk a relatively long distance and climb one of the nearby peaks. On the Nepalese side, Everest is hidden behind two high mountains - Nuptse (7879 m) and Lhotse (8516 m), so for Everest to be visible well enough, you need to climb Mount Kala Patthar (5545 m) or Gokyo Ri (5483 m), from the peaks which opens good view to the top of the world.

Everest has the shape of a triangular pyramid, which is clearly visible from an airplane.

The southern slope of the summit is steeper. Glaciers flow down from the massif in all directions, ending at an altitude of about 5000 m. On the southern slope and edges of the pyramid, snow and ice are not retained, as a result of which they are exposed.

Attempts to conquer Everest began in 1921. From this time on, for 32 years, climbers different countries made fifteen attempts to conquer the “third pole”. And only the sixteenth of them was crowned with victory. The last assault camp of Colonel John Hunt's expedition was moved to the very top and was located at an altitude of 8500 meters. It was listed as number 9 - the ninth intermediate camp on the way from the foot to the top. On May 29, 1953 at 11:30 am, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay for the first time (according to official version) stood at an altitude of 8848 meters - the highest peak in the world. There is another version according to which the participants of the third expedition could be the first to climb Everest.

Now, every year, teams from all over the world gather under the southern and northern slopes of Everest, usually 300-500 people. Each of them is obsessed with the dream of conquering the most famous peak on earth. For many of them, climbing Everest, without exaggeration, becomes the main goal of life. And all of them, without exception, will have to withstand the extreme conditions of the “third pole”.

The best time to climb Everest is early May. The southeast ridge, located in Nepal, is called the South Col route, and the northeast ridge, the North Col, begins in Tibet. These are the two most popular climbing routes. For the first time, people climbed Everest from the south.

To the foot of the mountain from the North side you will have to get to the base camp by jeep, and then by yaks to the advanced base camp at an altitude of 6400 meters.

It takes approximately 2 months for a climber to reach the top of Everest. This is a constant shuttle up and down many times. Up - for acclimatization, arranging intermediate camps, hanging railings in difficult areas. Down - for rest and for a new shipment of cargo. They usually go to the top one by one - every man for himself, relying only on his own strength. The last, decisive day of the climber's assault lasts on average 15-20 hours. Moreover, after climbing, climbers lose on average 10-15 kg of their own weight, or even more.

Climbing Everest is an expensive endeavor. Only a climbing permit for a group of 20 people from Tibet costs $5,500, and from Nepal it costs $50,000 for a team of 7 people.

The history of climbing Everest is full of both records and tragic events. Over the more than 60-year history of the conquest of Everest, over six thousand climbers have reached the summit, 140 of whom are Russians. During these same years, the rebellious mountain did not let more than 200 of its fans return.

This word has already become a household name: for example, they say that Olympic furniture is the Everest of every athlete. Such a complementary comparison only once again emphasizes the grandeur of this highest natural point.

On everyone's lips: the mountain is a legend

So, the highest point on the planet rises as much as 8848.43 meters above sea level (this is the highest point of Everest). The Nepalese name of Everest – Chomolungma – sounds no less mysterious and majestic. This mountain is called as many different names as: divine, the mountain of death, and the roof of the world. And each name is quite understandable. There were a lot of conquerors of the point closest to the stars, and a considerable number of brave and dashing climbers were destroyed by this cherished dream: more than two and a half hundred people became victims of the conquest greatest peak.

As beautiful as this famous peak is, it is also deadly. But it seems that conquering the summit of Everest is interesting to many climbers precisely because of this battle with nature - who will win, is the mountain me, or am I her? And not only the natural conditions, which can be called not just extreme, but terrifying a person’s common sense and his instinct of self-preservation, but the route itself can become a test to the limit of one’s strength and capabilities.

It must be said that more than 280 people remained victims of the legendary mountain, this is only official statistics. Many testers of fate did not even register, so the number of unsuccessful attempts to conquer the summit is definitely higher.

Photo: Himalayas Everest map high mountain in the world

Everest is not a solitary mountain, but a component of famous Himalayan mountains. By the way, the climber’s dream can easily be called an old woman’s: according to researchers, Everest is already more than 60 million years old. The mountain was formed during the pushing of the Indian tectonic plate towards the Asian plate. The peak is located on the border line of Nepal (south) and China (north).

It takes on average forty days to conquer the mountain. For more than a month, a person will have to fight the weather (or rather, bad weather), acclimatization, possibly altitude sickness and his own fear. And the point is not that for forty days he just goes and goes towards the goal. This time is simply necessary for a person to get used to being at such a height and right before the ascent he does not have problems with acclimatization.

10 facts about Everest - the highest mountain in the world:

1. The mountain is named after George Everest, a British biographer. This happened in 1856.
2. The only year without deaths on the mountain was 1977. Since 1969, at least one person has died on the mountain. And so far these statistics are not improving.
3. If you find yourself at the highest point of the mountain, you will only be able to inhale a third of the amount of oxygen that you are used to breathing normally. This is due to reduced air pressure.
4. For every 10 summits reached, there is 1 death.
5. There are at least 200 bodies on the slopes of the mountain, which are simply physically impossible to bring down from the peaks. For other climbers, they are some landmarks, no matter how blasphemous it may sound.
6. In Nepal, Everest is called Sagarmatha.
7. About 450 million years ago, the highest point on the planet was just... the ocean floor. To this day, marine organisms are sometimes found in the soil covering the mountain.
8. The first time a person conquered the mountain was in 1953 - relatively recently.
9. If you, after reading this information, decide to climb, you will have to spend a lot - an official permit costs about 10 thousand dollars. And this does not take into account the budget of the expedition itself.
10. Every year the mountain grows by approximately 4 mm.

Do you think Everest is the tallest mountain in the world? But no. The underwater volcano Mauna Kea is more than 1 km higher than Everest. So the mountain concedes this honorary title to him, but, nevertheless, it is still rightfully considered the highest point of planet Earth.

Description of Mount Everest

The Mahalangur-Hemal ridge, it is in this zone of the Himalaya mountain system that you should look for the legendary Everest. The mountain resembles a three-sided pyramid. Its slope and ribs from the southern part are so steep that snow and glaciers physically cannot support them. The rock wall also cannot boast of a snow cover.

There are a total of 14 mountains in the world in the so-called “eight-thousander club”. There are 10 of them in the Himalayas alone. But it is Everest that is most attractive to climbers - it is a unique class, the level of a mountain conqueror, absolute respect.

The top of the mountain is located in China, or more precisely, in the Tibet Autonomous Region. The Himalayas are the thirty-nine highest peaks on the planet, the mountains together form a fence between the plateau of the Indian and Tibetan subcontinental plates.

The mountain system itself is South Asia, and it passes through Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Tibet. That’s why the mountain has so many names: each country designates the hill in its own way. But legally speaking, Everest is the national treasure of Nepal and China.

How was the height of Everest determined?

So, for the first time a person conquered the highest point of the earth in the middle of the last century, but the height of the mountain was known to many earlier. How is this possible? What was the tallest mountain before Everest? Previously the highest mountain planet was considered Dhaulagiri - this is a multi-vertex mountain range. It is also located in this region.

The Indian mathematician Radhanath Sikdar was the first to doubt Dhaulagiri's leadership. Back in 1852, being, by the way, at a distance of no less than 240 km from the mountain, using trigonometric knowledge, he suggested that Chomolungma was the highest land mountain. But it was practically possible to prove this only four years later.

Then the researchers found out that the height of the mountain is 8872 m, and only the British geodesist, the famous aristocrat of his time George Everest, was able not only to identify the exact location of the Himalayan peak, but also its height. At that time, the scientist managed the geodetic survey of British India. In 1856, the mountain was renamed, giving it the name of the scientist who determined the true height of the peak.

True, Nepal and China did not agree with this, as they would say now, rebranding, but the outstanding merits of George Everest were not disputed.

Pioneers of the “roof of the world”

For a long time, only plans to conquer the summit were in great doubt. Such an expedition could be an expensive undertaking. But that was not the only problem: Nepal and Tibet were areas closed to tourists. It was only in 1921 that Tibetan authorities allowed foreigners to approach Everest to scout out potential routes.

But the first ascent along the northern slope of the mountain could not be called completely successful: snowfalls and monsoons did not allow the courageous pioneers to reach the very peak. However, with the use of oxygen cylinders, the climbers were able to reach 8320 meters. Needless to say, this was a significant achievement!

The first climber who went down in the history of mountain conquerors as the man who challenged Everest was George Herbert Lee Mallory. This 38-year-old English assistant professor was simply obsessed with the thought of conquering the “divine.” Yes, his group only reached 8170 meters. But what is “only” in this sentence? The calendar shows the first quarter of the twentieth century; climbers do not yet have all those devices that make conquering the peak a more predictable event, and not just a mortal fight.

The achievements of the English associate professor and his group cannot be devalued. Of course, the fact that they failed to reach the peak tormented George. And he decided that he would conquer Everest no matter what. The next attempt was made in 1922, and the third two years later. And the last attempt was fatal. On June 8, George himself and his teammate Andrew Irwin... went missing. The brave conquerors literally disappeared from sight: for the last time, impartial binoculars recorded the conquerors at around 8500 meters.

It looks like a Hollywood movie, but the plots real life much more interesting: only in 1999, the Americans, in their search expedition, discovered the remains of the pioneer at an altitude of 8230 meters. He had a distinctive patch on his clothes, and a letter from his wife in his breast pocket. The corpse lay face down, arms outstretched as if they were trying to hug a mountain.

George was turned over: his eyes were closed, which means his death was not sudden. Subsequent studies showed that the climber had broken tibia and fibula bones. It turns out that the pioneer did not fall from a great height, nor did he fall during the descent. Irwin's body has not yet been found. Scientists suggest that he was simply blown away by a strong wind into an abyss 2 km deep.

15 minutes at an unattainable altitude

Another brave Briton, Edward Felix Norton, became a climber who managed to reach a height of 8565 meters, and for many years the Englishman’s feat was unsurpassed. His ascent occurred in 1924, and for thirty years no one could come close to such a significant achievement.

And then came 1953, known to all vertical lovers as the year of the conquest of Everest. On May 29, New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa (Nepali) Tenzing Norgay became the first people in human history to ascend to the highest point on earth. They got their 15 minutes of fame, as they would say today - it was simply impossible to hold out longer at such a height. Norgay, by the way, did not forget about his traditions: he buried cookies and sweets in the snow, this became a kind of offering to the gods.

By the way, Norgay was unable to take a photo of his partner, so in the archive of the glorious ascent there is only a photo of the Nepalese. This was not the first time Norgay tried to accomplish the feat of conquest - he tried to do this seven times with other expeditions. Subsequently, the Nepalese wrote a book about his difficult path; it must be said that the book “Tiger of the Snows” does not contain that ambition bordering on bitterness. He said he felt like a child climbing onto his mother's lap.

We can only imagine how two brave people felt in those 15 minutes, two who accomplished the previously impossible. They hugged each other and patted each other on the back, but at that moment they probably did not fully realize what they had achieved. Today's explorers can even make a phone call from the top of the world, but the pioneers notified the public of their ascent only after three days.

Books should be written and films made about the valiant conquerors: just imagine - Hillary was not content with conquering Everest; a few years later he also crossed Antarctica with the expedition. Elizabeth II, who is also the monarch of New Zealand, knighted the pioneer. Hillary also became an honorary resident of Nepal. But these are not all the truly cinematic details of the life of the pioneer of his business - in 1990, Peter Hillary, the son of the pioneer, repeated his father’s feat.

Stories of glorious ascents

Americans, Italians, Japanese, Indians - whoever tried to follow the feat of Hillary and Norgay. American climbers also became the first who managed to cross the western edge of the mountain: no one alive had ever managed this before.

Photo: Everest conqueror Japanese Junko Tabei

And in 1975, women set out to conquer Everest. Japanese Junko Tabei became the first representative of the fair sex; among Europeans, the Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz was the first among the first to receive the proud title. In 1990, Russian woman Ekaterina Ivanova became the first Russian conqueror of Everest.

Today the list of names of those who managed to reach the top is extensive. But they also have their own records: for example, Nepalese Apa Sherpa did this 21 times! Scientists note that it is physically easier for local residents to survive being at extreme altitudes. But even they are amazed by the record of the Nepalese Chhurim, who managed to visit the peak of the world twice in a week.

Photo: Messner and Habener without oxygen masks

And Messner and Habener, truly unique Italians and Germans, managed to reach the summit without oxygen masks. The blind American Weihermayer also reached the alluring peak (how he managed it is anyone’s guess), and even Mark Inglis, a man with amputated legs. Their action personifies the famous motto “The impossible is possible.”

Extreme or illness?

Researchers assure that the desire to conquer the top of peaks is not just a person’s addiction to extreme sports, it is a real obsession, a disease. A man set himself a goal - to descend from Everest to alpine skiing. What will the average person say to this: yes, it is clear that he is crazy, a real suicide. But the Japanese Miura intended exactly this. And for the first time he succeeded in the unreal: it was only by a miracle that he did not end up in the abyss. But the Frenchman Siffredi, who decided to repeat the Japanese feat, was less fortunate. The first attempt worked, but the snowboarder wanted to repeat it along a different route and... they still haven’t found him. Almost 17 years have passed since the congress.

Pilot Didier Delsalle was the first to land a helicopter on the summit. main mountain planet, it happened in 2005. Hang gliders and paragliders flew over the mountain, and people jumped onto it from an airplane using parachutes. What can you call it? Yes, illness, obsession. Even the most experienced climber understands the cost of such attempts, but even the fear of death does not frighten a person.

Everest is the highest mountain in the world, how much does it cost to conquer it:

A true mountain lover will say that every climb is priceless. But the pragmatic answer will be a little different. Today, about 500 people try to conquer the peak every year. This way up is very expensive. Climbing from the Nepal side is more expensive, from the Chinese side it is a little cheaper, but technically more difficult.

The climber will be accompanied by a commercial company that charges for its services from 40 to 80 thousand dollars. This huge amount includes modern climbing equipment and payment for porters. Yes, you can go broke on one permit from the Nepalese government: it costs from 10 to 25 thousand dollars. The rise lasts up to two months.

But it’s not just about money matters. An ordinary person simply cannot do this. Climbing to such a height requires serious physical training, because the loads during the ascent are simply inhuman. A climber loses about 15 kg of weight during the ascent. A person needs about 3,000 calories per day, while a climber has to spend at least 10,000 on climbing.

The conqueror has to cut steps in the ice, build bridges over cracks, and all this in the harshest natural conditions. And every day you are threatened with death in the form of a landslide, a sudden hurricane, an avalanche.

Path of the Conqueror

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, can be reached by plane. It takes about two weeks to reach base camp. It is located at an altitude of 5364 meters. The path to the camp is not as difficult as the further ascent. The body needs to get used to the cold and thin air. Above 7500 meters the “death zone” starts. There is at least 30% less oxygen in the air than under normal conditions.

The sun literally blinds your eyes, the wind knocks you off your feet - why, its speed reaches 200 km per hour. And this is not just a risk of a mild cold: it is a threat of pulmonary or cerebral edema. The heart and blood vessels are working to the limit. Dislocations and fractures, frostbite - all this is not uncommon at this stage. And all for the sake of minutes at the very top. But what follows is an equally difficult path back.

The last three hundred meters is the most difficult section. The highest point of Everest truly makes you suffer in the end, as if testing the seriousness of the intentions of those who nevertheless decided to curb the height. A steep, very smooth slope is covered with snow, and there is the roof of the world. There are a lot of photos of happy conquerors on the Internet: people who have squeezed everything out of their bodies, reaching the peak, it seems, on sheer willpower.

Mud Mountain

Officially, environmentalists consider Everest one of the most polluted mountains on the planet. The lack of infrastructure and the constant flow of tourists is to blame. Each climber leaves behind at least 3 kg of garbage. For decades, bags, wrappers, paper and even used oxygen cylinders remain on the mountain. But local residents consider the mountain sacred, and they consider such desecration of a natural deity blasphemous. And they consider those human sacrifices that Everest inevitably takes as payment for such an unworthy attitude towards the mountain.

But the last major tragedy on Everest was the death of local residents: 16 Nepalese guides died at altitude in 2014. Most often, people die on Everest due to avalanches and rockfalls.

Since 2014, the Nepalese government has decreed that from now on every climber must remove at least 8 kg of garbage upon returning from the mountain. The unflattering title of “the highest landfill in the world” does not suit environmentalists, the government, or the public. And the climbers themselves understand that even bold intentions do not justify such treatment of nature.

Attractive Cemetery

Yes, among the names of Everest you can also find this – cemetery. The bodies of the dead cannot be removed: it is physically difficult to do so. And the fact that they became unique landmarks for conquerors became a bitter and even cynical fact. For example, the body of the Hindu Tsevarg Paljor, who died more than 20 years ago, speaks of reaching a height of 8500 meters and has its own name - “Green Shoes” (this is due to the noticeable green shoes of the deceased).

But today the body disappeared - after 17 years of being at a significant point. Is this the price to pay for intransigence with nature? And how can we evaluate this from an ethical point of view? These issues are complex, and while the average person can clearly express his opinion, climbers are not so sentimental. Despite numerous warnings, there are no fewer people wanting to conquer Everest. And even the threat of becoming the same dead beacon for subsequent climbers does not seem to frighten extreme sports enthusiasts.

What to see

Films about conquering the greatest peak will bring considerable pleasure to mountain lovers. And even if you yourself never dare to attempt mountaineering feats, even watching a movie will give you some illusion of climbing. The most famous film is called Everest. It was directed by Baltasar Kormákur in 2015. This is a joint product of Americans, British and Icelanders. The movie tells the story of the disaster that happened on Everest in 1996. At the time of filming, this was the worst tragedy associated with the conquest of the peak, but by the bitter irony of fate, sometimes during filming, in 2014, a new disaster occurred - 16 people died.

For lovers of reading material, which can be no less exciting than cinema, the books of the true conquerors of Everest will definitely be interesting: Anatoly Boukreev and Weston De Walt’s “The Climb,” as well as Jon Krakauer’s “Into Thin Air.” By the way, the authors were confrontational. Krakauer blamed Boukreev for the tragedy of the Adventure Consultants expedition. Boukreev, as a member of the “Mountain Madness” team, was forced to refute the unfair accusations of his colleague, which is why he wrote a book.

By the way, Neil Beidleman and the same Boukreev received the D. Soules Prize from the American Alpine Club for a unique rescue operation in difficult natural conditions. The heroic rescue scene is depicted in the film “Everest”, which was already mentioned above.

Higher: just the facts

And a few more facts for those who can’t get enough of the information and the greatest grief.

The oldest conqueror of the mountain is the Japanese Miura, he was 80 years old when he decided on a triumphant ascent. The youngest conqueror was 13-year-old American Jordan Romero.

If you compare the mountain with man-made tall buildings, then the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai can get at least a little closer to its natural height. Its height is 829 meters. But this, as you understand, is 10 times lower than Everest.

First tweet from highest peak happened in 2011, its author was Kenton Cool. By the way, Google representatives also tried to conquer Everest. They walked 140 km and took many interesting pictures. And the Nepalese Mole Muni Pati and Pam Georgie Sherpa got married right at the peak, it happened in 2004.

Everest is a source of inspiration that never runs out. A huge number of people all over the planet dream of ascent; films are made about the mountain, books are written, groups are created on the Internet, and this seems to never stop. The mountain has not yet told all its secrets.

You probably noticed the information that Everest is, in the full sense of the word, a mountain of death. Storming this height, the climber knows that he has a chance not to return. Death can be caused by lack of oxygen, heart failure, frostbite or injury. Fatal accidents, such as a frozen oxygen cylinder valve, also lead to death. Moreover: the path to the top is so difficult that, as one of the participants in the Russian Himalayan expedition, Alexander Abramov, said, “at an altitude of more than 8,000 meters you cannot afford the luxury of morality. Above 8,000 meters you are completely occupied with yourself, and in such extreme conditions you do not have extra strength to help your comrade.”

Chomolungma (Everest) is the highest peak on Earth (8848 m above sea level).

Geography of Everest

Located in the Himalayas, in the Mahalangur-Himal range (in the part called the Khumbu Himal). South peak(8760 m) lies on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region (China), the Northern (main) peak (8848 m) is located in China.

Everest has the shape of a triangular pyramid, the southern slope is steeper. On the southern slope and ribs, snow and firn are not retained, as a result of which they are exposed. The height of the North-Eastern shoulder is 8393 m. The height from the foot to the top is about 3550 m. The top consists mainly of sedimentary deposits.

From the south, Everest is connected by the South Col pass (7906 m) with Lhotse (8516 m), sometimes called the South Summit. From the north, the sharply sloping North Col (7020 m) connects Everest with the Northern peak - Changze (7543 m). To the east the impassable eastern wall of Kangashung (3350 m) falls abruptly. Glaciers flow from the massif in all directions, ending at an altitude of about 5 km.

Chomolungma is partly included in national park Sagarmatha (Nepal).

Climate

At the top of Chomolungma there are strong winds, blowing at speeds of up to 200 km/h.

The average monthly air temperature in January is −36 °C (on some nights it can drop to −50…−60 °C), in July it is about 0 °C.

Everest as a mountaineering object

Everest, being the highest peak on Earth, attracts a lot of attention from climbers; climbing attempts are regular.

The climb to the top takes about 2 months - with acclimatization and setting up camps. Weight loss during the climb is on average 10-15 kg. Countries on whose territory the approaches to the peak are located charge a fee not only for climbing it, but also for a number of mandatory services (transport, liaison officer, translator, etc. The order of ascent of expeditions is also established. The cheapest way to conquer Chomolungma is from the side Tibet (PRC) along the classic route from the north.

The main season for climbing to the top is spring and autumn, as there are no monsoons at this time. The most suitable season for climbing the southern and northern slopes is spring. In autumn you can only climb from the south.

A significant part of ascents are organized by specialized companies and performed as part of commercial groups. Clients of these companies pay for the services of guides who provide the necessary training, provide equipment and, as far as possible, ensure safety along the entire route. The cost of climbing is up to 85 thousand US dollars, and the climbing permit alone, issued by the Nepalese government, costs 10 thousand dollars.

In the 21st century, thanks to the development tourism infrastructure There has been a significant increase in annual ascents, for example, if in 1983 8 people reached the summit, in 1990 about forty, then in 2012 234 people climbed Everest in just one day. During the ascent, many hours of traffic jams and even fights between climbers were noted.

According to experts, the success of the expedition directly depends on the weather and equipment of travelers. Climbing Chomolungma continues to be a serious challenge for everyone, regardless of their level of preparation. Acclimatization plays an essential role before climbing Everest. A typical south facing expedition spends up to two weeks climbing from Kathmandu to base camp at 5,364m, and another month or so acclimatizing to the altitude before making the first attempt at the summit.

The most difficult section of the Everest climb is the last 300 m, nicknamed by mountain climbers “the longest mile on Earth.” To successfully complete this section, you need to overcome a steep, smooth rock slope covered with powdery snow.

Difficulties

Climbing Everest to reach the highest point of the mountain is characterized by exceptional difficulty and sometimes ends in the death of both the climbers and the Sherpa porters accompanying them. This difficulty is due to the particularly unfavorable climatic conditions of the apical zone of the mountain due to its significant altitude. Among these climatic factors unfavorable for the human body: high rarefaction of the atmosphere and, as a consequence, extremely low oxygen content in it, bordering on a fatally low value; low temperatures down to minus 50-60 degrees, which, in combination with periodic hurricane winds, is subjectively felt by the human body as a temperature down to minus 100-120 degrees and can lead to extremely quickly occurring thermal injury; Intense solar radiation at such altitudes is of considerable importance. These features are complemented by the “standard” dangers of mountaineering, which are also inherent in much lower peaks: avalanches, cliffs from steep slopes, falling into relief crevices.

Air temperature at the top and at the bottom

The climate and temperature regime of Everest is harsh and unpredictable, and sometimes even extreme. Temperature values ​​at the foot and at the top differ sharply from each other. At the foot, as a rule, the temperature is above zero, which decreases by 6.5 degrees with every thousand meters.

The temperature depends on seasonality, but is never above 0 degrees. The most favorable climatic conditions are in the summer months of the year, average temperature July is minus 19 degrees. In winter, the temperature drops, so the average temperature in January-February is -36 degrees, and at night it can reach up to 55-60 degrees below zero.

In the winter and spring periods of the year, westerly winds “walk”, and in winter – southwestern winds, the speed of which can reach 280 kilometers per hour. During the summer and autumn months, monsoons blow Indian Ocean, with the arrival of which falls a large number of precipitation.

Sudden temperature changes on Everest are not uncommon. Even during the most favorable period for conquest (from May to October), sudden storms and snowfalls are also common. But in each season there are 3-4 days of stable weather, they are called “windows”, which climbers use to conquer mountain peaks.

How and who conquered Everest

• The first to achieve the feat and conquer the world's highest peak, 8848 meters high, were climber Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Almost 65 years have passed since then (1953). And during this period of time, hundreds of thousands of brave people tried to conquer this mountain.
• The second ascent of Chomolungma was 3 years later in 1956 by a Swiss expedition group led by Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luksinger.
• In 1963, the first American expedition to Everest was organized, and Jim Whittaker became the conqueror. The American was accompanied by Sherpa Nawang Gombu, who later in 1965 climbed the peak for the second time as part of an Indian expedition and became the first person lucky enough to conquer the peak twice.
• In 1975, the first conqueror of Everest among the fair half of humanity was the Japanese woman Junko Tabei.
• In 1982, the first Soviet expedition took place to reach the top of the world. It consisted of 25 people, the leaders of the group were Vladimir Balyberdin and Eduard Myslovsky.

Since then, many ascents of Everest have been made by humanity, including people of different generations and nationalities. At the end of 2017, the total number of people peaked at 8,306.

Mount Everest (also called Chomolungma) is known as the highest in the world, but only if you do not take absolute height as a criterion. Everest rises the greatest distance above sea level among any other mountain on Earth, but there is a volcano growing from the ocean floor, so its actual height is greater. However, since the summit of Everest reaches the highest point on the planet, it is the main goal of most climbers who dream of conquering the giant at least one day.

Location of Mount Everest and its characteristics

It is unlikely that there will be those who do not know on which continent the highest peak is located (Eurasia). They teach about Everest in geography lessons, showing where the mountain is located and which hemisphere it belongs to. Many people miss in which country Chomolungma is located, but geographic coordinates will help determine the exact position of the highest point on the planet, and this is China. Its latitude and longitude in degrees are as follows: 27°59′17″ N. w. 86°55′31″ E d.

The mountain is part of the mountain range, being part of the Mahalangur-Himal ridge. In fact, it belongs to two countries: Nepal and China, while the highest point, the North Peak, is part of China. Its height in meters is 8848. The southern peak is slightly inferior in its indicator, but, nevertheless, reaches 8760 meters.

Because of its outstanding height, Everest was measured relatively recently. The first estimate appeared back in 1852 during trigonometric calculations. In the 1950s, theodolites were already used: with their help, it was possible to record the exact value of 8848.13 meters. Later, various information appeared in which the measurements fluctuated either up or down. The reason for this was that the peak consists of glaciers, which for a number of reasons can grow and shrink. It is officially recognized that the height of Everest is 8848 meters, and its solid rock ends at around 8844 meters.

The shape of Everest resembles a pyramid with three sides, while on the south the slope is steep and exposed, as snow and ice slide down from this side. Due to the high altitude, it is not surprising that wind speeds can exceed 200 m/s. In summer, the temperature fluctuates around 0 degrees, in January it drops to -35 degrees during the day and -50 and even -60 at night.

origin of name

Chomolungma is a Tibetan name that means “Divine Mother of Vital Energy.” This unusual name was chosen to honor the Bon goddess Sherab Jhamma. She is a symbol of mother energy. The Tibetans also gave the mountain a second name with the same etymology - Jomo Gang Kar, it translates as “Holy Mother, white like snow.”

Another popular name comes from English, as it was assigned as a tribute to the services of George Everest. At the beginning of the 19th century he was a famous figure in geodetic research. The scientist's successor put forward his surname as the name after an employee of the service where Everest worked made the world's first measurement of "Peak XV", considered the highest in Eurasia and presumably on the planet.

There is another name given by the people of Nepal. In their language, Mount Chomolungma sounds like Sagarmatha, which means “mother of the Universe.” In Nepal, they treat the highest peak with special warmth, so they prefer to call it in their native language.

Mountaineering Center

Mount Everest, due to its outstanding size, has long attracted the attention of rock climbers, but today climbers climb along well-established routes. Many groups prepare for camps, and hikes are organized almost every day during the season. This is one of popular destinations tourism, so Mount Chomolungma can hardly be called uninhabited.

The history of ascents includes pioneers Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, who first reached the highest point in the world in 1953 on May 29. After their success, many expeditions managed to reach the peak, but only from the beginning of the 19th century did hikes become available to a large circle of people.

Climbing to the top is allowed in spring and autumn, as there are fewer winds during these seasons. In autumn, the rise is used only on the south side. Preparation lasts about two months, as the body must go through an acclimatization period. The last 300 meters are considered the most dangerous, but the impressions from the view are worth it. You won’t be able to see in any picture or photo what the mountain conqueror will receive, because emotions will greatly enhance the effect of what you see.

Everest from the plane (shrimpo1967 / flickr.com) Everest (Neil Young / flickr.com) Mount Everest from Base Camp (Rupert Taylor-Price / flickr.com) Mount Everest, Base Camp and Rongbuk (Göran Höglund (Kartläsarn) / flickr. com) Top of Qomolungma (jo cool / flickr.com) View of Everest (Christopher Michel / flickr.com) cksom / flickr.com Mahatma4711 / flickr.com McKay Savage / flickr.com ilker ender / flickr.com Fred Postles / flickr. com Jeff P / flickr.com Everest in the clouds (Jean-François Gornet / flickr.com) utpala ॐ / flickr.com View of Everest from an airplane (Xiquinho Silva / flickr.com) Rick McCharles / flickr.com Climbing Everest (Rick McCharles / flickr.com) Everest Base Camp - Gorak Shep - Nepal (lampertron / flickr.com) akunamatata / flickr.com Summit of Mount Qomolungma (Everest) (TausP. / flickr.com) Denn Ukoloff / flickr.com Mount Everest (Christopher Michel / flickr.com) Returning from Everest Base Camp (valcker / flickr.com) Everest and Nuptse (smallufo / flickr.com) Stefanos Nikologianis / flickr.com

Everest or Chomolungma is the highest in the world Mountain peak. It is located in the Himalayas, on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Geographical coordinates Mount Everest: 27°59′17″ north latitude and 86°55′31″ east longitude.

The height of Chomolungma is 8848 meters above sea level. For comparison, the height of Elbrus, the highest point in Russia, is only 5642 meters above sea level, i.e. at 3206 m below Chomolungma.

The first ascent of Everest was made on May 29, 1953 by New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

The mountain is best known throughout the world as "Everest". The peak was named after George Everest, who was the chief surveyor of British India in the 1830s and 40s.

Mount Everest (Christopher Michel / flickr.com)

Interestingly, the mountain was so named during Everest’s lifetime, about a year before his death. The name was suggested by a student of a scientist who calculated the exact height of the peak and thereby proved that it is the highest on Earth. Before this, the peak was also known as "Peak XV".

The traditional Tibetan name for the peak is Chomolungma, which can be translated as “mistress of the winds.” This name is widely used in Russian cartography, but in Western countries it is not very well known, as it is considered quite difficult to pronounce.

On maps published in our country, the peak is usually signed as “Qomolungma”, and the name “Everest” is indicated in brackets. The traditional Nepalese name for the mountain is also Sagarmatha.

Where is Mount Everest (Qomolungma)?

Almost every child knows where Everest is today. If you look at geographical map, then you can see that it is located in the highest mountain system on Earth - the Himalayas, on the border of Nepal and China.

Everest coordinates: 27°59′17″ N and 86°55′31″ E. Mount Everest is part of the Mahalangur Himal range; the Nepalese part is located within the Sagarmatha Park.

Summit of Everest

The top of Mount Chomolungma looks like a pyramid with three almost flat sides. The southern slope is steeper; snow and ice hardly even linger on it, northern slope- somewhat better.

The relative height of the mountain is approximately 3550 m. The South Col Pass, whose height reaches 7906 meters above sea level, connects Everest with Mount Lhotse (8516 m), and the North Col Pass (7020 m) with Mount Changtse (7553 m). Most mountaineering routes pass through these two passes.

Geographical characteristics

The Khumbu Glacier is located in the basin between the peaks of Chomolungma and Lhotse. Below it turns into the icefall of the same name, which is considered the most dangerous section when climbing through the South Wing.

View of Everest (Christopher Michel / flickr.com)

This can be explained by the fact that the icefall is almost constantly in motion. To pass this place, climbers use various ladders and railings.

Below the icefall, the glacier continues again and ends only at an altitude of 4600 meters. Its total length is 22 km.

Another notable feature of the local topography is the Kangshung Wall. This is the eastern wall of the summit of Mount Qomolungma, whose height is 3350 meters and the width of the base is about 3000 meters.

At the foot of the wall there is a glacier of the same name. Climbing to the top along the Kangshung Wall is significantly more dangerous compared to standard routes.

Everest in the clouds (Jean-François Gornet / flickr.com)

Climate - what time of year is suitable for conquering Everest?

The summit of Everest is characterized by extremely unfavorable climatic conditions. There are often very strong winds here, blowing at speeds of more than 50 meters per second.

The temperature at the top never goes above 0 degrees. The average July temperature is minus 19 degrees, and the average January temperature is 36 degrees below zero. On winter nights, temperatures can drop to 50-60 degrees below zero.

What period of the year is best suited to conquer the peak? Based climatic conditions, the most favorable time for climbing is the beginning of May. At this time, the winds here are usually the least strong.

How was Everest formed?

The history of the formation of Everest is closely connected with the history of the formation of the Himalayas, which dates back many millions of years ago and stems from global geological processes.

Top of Chomolungma (jo cool / flickr.com)

About 90 million years ago, the Indian Plate broke away from the giant continent of Gondwana and began to move north quite quickly.

The speed of movement reached twenty centimeters per year, which is significantly greater than the speed of movement of any other plate of the earth's crust. About 50-55 million years ago, the Indian Plate began to collide with the Eurasian Plate.

As a result of this collision, the Eurasian plate was greatly deformed - a vast mountain belt was formed, the highest part of which is the Himalayas.

At the same time, the sedimentary rocks that previously made up the bottom of the ancient ocean were crushed into huge folds and often ended up at enormous heights. This explains the fact that the top of Everest is composed of sedimentary rocks.

Everest Education Scheme

Today, the Indian plate continues its movement in a northeast direction, deforming the Eurasian plate. In this regard, mountain-building processes in the Himalayas continue.

The height of the mountain system in general and individual peaks in particular continues to slowly increase by several millimeters per year.

During large earthquakes, changes in the height of an area can occur almost instantly and be much more significant.

Ecology: garbage left by climbers, bodies of the dead

The environmental situation on Mount Chomolungma leaves much to be desired. During the ascents, a huge amount of garbage accumulated on its slopes.

As of 2007, the Tibetan section of the mountain alone contains about 120 tons of various debris left by climbers. It is not entirely clear how to remove garbage from the slopes.

In the last few years, attempts have been made to collect waste, but this was clearly not enough. Another problem is the evacuation and burial of the bodies of deceased climbers.

• A rather interesting fact is that the water itself high peak the world boils at a temperature of only +68 °C. You'll probably ask: why? This is because the atmospheric pressure here is only a third of the normal pressure at sea level.
• Another interesting fact– this is the gradual growth of the mountain. Indeed, the height of Chomolungma increases every year by 3 to 6 millimeters. The same trend is characteristic of all the Himalayas, which is explained by the ongoing processes of mountain building and the associated rise of the territory.
• I would also like to mention such an interesting fact that Everest is highest point world, only if we take into account the height from the level of the world's oceans. Thus, the Mauna Kea volcano on the island of Hawaii rises 10,203 meters relative to the ocean floor, while its height above sea level is only 4,205 meters.

A place with a view of Everest

Thanks to the efforts of the www.AirPano.com team, the opportunity to take a virtual walk on Everest has become possible. AirPano specializes in virtual tours, filmed in high definition from a bird's eye view. Below is a panorama overlooking Everest.