From which country was the climber who conquered Everest. Who was the first to conquer Everest? How much does it cost to climb Everest
Everest. A mysterious mountain peak, majestic and formidable at the same time. Everest inspires artists and poets, for example, Nicholas Roerich has a stunningly majestic painting “The Himalayas. Everest".
And at the same time, Everest, the mountain that claimed many human lives, did not forgive mistakes and neglect. Over 250 people have died in the known history of climbing Everest.
Collapses, avalanches, rarefied air, snowstorms, Everest has prepared many surprises and trials for climbers.
Chomolungma, as Everest is otherwise called, was discovered by Europeans back in the 19th century. At the same time, the height of the mountain was calculated and the assumption was made that it was the highest in the world.
In 1921, a British-funded reconnaissance expedition took place, including George Mallory, who became the first person to set foot on Everest. However, the summit was never conquered. This was followed by the second and third British expeditions.
With the members of the third British expedition, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, who died during the ascent, there are disputes that have not subsided so far. Were they able to conquer the summit of Everest? A question that still does not have a clear answer.
According to the existing official version Everest was conquered much later. Only in 1953 the mountain peak was conquered. On May 29, 1953, the members of the next, sixteenth expedition, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, reached the goal.
So who was the first in the world to conquer Everest? Will we agree with the generally accepted version and consider the discoverers of Everest Edmund Hillary and Tenzin Norgay, who left sweets buried in the snow at the top.
Or shall we try to unravel the riddle of the climbers of the third expedition? Perhaps this question should be answered by each of us.
The Republic of Nepal, known as the highest mountainous country in the world. On the north side, it is bordered by the Great Himalayan Range, famous for several peaks exceeding 8000 meters, including Everest - the most on the planet (8848 meters).
Everest: who conquered the place of the gods
According to popular beliefs, this place was considered the abode of the gods, so it never occurred to anyone to climb there.
The top of the world even had special names: Chomolungma ("Mother - Goddess of the World") - among the Tibetans and Sagarmatha ("Forehead of Heaven") - among the Nepalese. Everest began to be called Everest only from 1856, with which China, India, as well as the direct culprit of the renaming - the British aristocrat, geodesic scientist, military man - George Everest, who was the first to determine the exact location of the Himalayan peak and its height, did not agree. In the press, there are still disputes from time to time that a mountain located in Asia should not have a European name. Who was the first to conquer Everest - the peak that almost every climber dreams of?
Graceful beauty of the top of the world
Everest nature with rocks, snow and eternal ice menacingly severe and silently beautiful. Severe frosts almost always prevail here (up to -60 ° C), frequent phenomena are avalanches and snow falls, and the worst winds blow from all sides of the mountains, the speed of which reaches 200 km / h. At an altitude of about 8 thousand meters, the "death zone" begins, called as such for the lack of oxygen (30% of the amount present at sea level).
Risk for what?
However, despite such cruel natural conditions, the conquest of Everest was and is the cherished dream of many climbers in the world. To stand on top for a few minutes to go down in history, to look at the world from a heavenly height - isn't that happiness? For the sake of such an unforgettable moment, climbers are ready to risk their own lives. And they take risks, knowing that they can remain in the untrodden land for ages and eternity. The factors of the possible death of a person who got there are lack of oxygen, frostbite, injuries, heart failure, fatal accidents, and even the indifference of partners.
So, in 1996, a group of climbers from Japan met with three Indian climbers who were in a semi-conscious state. They died because the Japanese did not help the "competitors", indifferently passing by. In 2006, 42 climbers, along with the television people of the Discovery channel, indifferently walked past an Englishman who was slowly dying from hypothermia, and also tried to interview him and take photographs. As a result, the daredevil, who ventured to conquer Everest alone, died from frostbite and oxygen starvation. One of the Russian climbers Alexander Abramov explains such actions of his colleagues as follows: “At an altitude of more than 8000 meters, a person striving to conquer the summit is completely occupied with himself and does not have extra strength to help in such outrageous conditions.”
George Mallory's attempt: successful or not?
So after all, who was the first to conquer Everest? The discovery of George Everest, who had never conquered this mountain, served as an impetus to the unbridled desire of many climbers to reach the top of the world, which was the first (in 1921) decided by George Mallory, a compatriot of Everest.
Unfortunately, his attempt was unsuccessful: heavy snowfalls, strong winds and lack of experience in climbing to such a height stopped the British climber. However, the inaccessible peak attracted Mallory, and he made two more unsuccessful ascents (in 1922 and 1924). During the last expedition and his teammate Andrew Irwin disappeared without a trace. One of the members of the expedition, Noel Odell, was the last to see them through a gap in the clouds rising to the top. Only after 75 years, the remains of Mallory were discovered by an American search expedition at an altitude of 8155 meters. Judging by their location, the climbers fell into the abyss. Also in scientific circles, when studying all the same remains and their location, there was an assumption that George Mallory was the first person to conquer Everest. Andrew Irwin's body was never found.
The years 1924-1938 were marked by the organization of a number of expeditions, however, unsuccessful ones. After them, Everest was forgotten for a while, because the Second World War began.
pioneers
Who conquered Everest first? In 1952, the Swiss decided to storm the unconquerable peak, but the maximum height they climbed stopped at around 8500 meters, 348 meters did not succumb to climbers due to bad weather conditions.
If we assume that Mallory could not reach the top of the highest mountain in the world, then the question of who was the first to conquer Everest can be safely answered - New Zealander Edmund Hillary in 1953, and then not by himself, but with an assistant - Sherpa Norgay Tenzing .
By the way, Sherpas (from Tibetan, “sher” - east, “pa” - people) are the same people, without whom, perhaps, hardly anyone would have been able to reach such a coveted peak. They are a mountain people who settled in Nepal over 500 years ago. It was the Sherpas who most easily managed to climb Everest, since this mountain is their homeland, where every path is familiar from childhood.
Sherpas are reliable assistants on the way to the top
Sherpas are very good-natured people, unable to offend anyone. For them, killing an ordinary mosquito or a field mouse is considered a terrible sin, which needs to be very strongly repented of. The Sherpas have their own language, but nowadays almost all of them speak English. This is a great merit of Edmund Hillary - the first conqueror of Everest. As a sign of gratitude for the invaluable help, he built a school in one of the main villages at his own expense.
Although with all the penetration into the life of the Sherpas of civilization, their way of life in many respects remains patriarchal. Traditional settlements are stone two-story houses, on the first floor of which livestock is usually kept: yaks, sheep, goats, and the family itself, as a rule, is located on the second floor; there is also a kitchen, bedrooms, a common room. Minimum furniture. Thanks to pioneer climbers, electricity has recently appeared; They still have no gas or some kind of central heating. As fuel for cooking, they use yak droppings, which are previously collected and dried on stones.
The inaccessible Mount Everest ... Who was the first to conquer this distant peak: or George Mallory? Scientists are still looking for an answer to this day, as well as an answer to the question of what year Everest was conquered: in 1924 or in 1953.
Everest climb records
Everest succumbed to more than one person, even records were set for a temporary ascent to the top. For example, in 2004, Pemba Dorj Sherpa reached it from the base camp in 10 hours and 46 minutes, while most climbers take up to several days to complete the same operation. The Frenchman Jean-Marc Boivin was the fastest to descend the mountain in 1988, however, he made the jump on a steam plane.
Women who have conquered Everest are in no way inferior to men, also stubbornly and persistently overcoming every meter of the ascent to the top. The first representative of the weak half of humanity in 1975 was the Japanese Junko Tabei, 10 days later - Phantog, a Tibetan climber.
Who was the first to conquer Everest among the elderly? The oldest conqueror of the summit is 76-year-old Nepalese Min Bahadur Sherkhan, and the youngest is 13-year-old American Jordan Romero. The tenacity of another young conqueror of the "top of the world" is of interest - 15-year-old Sherpa Temba Tseri, whose first attempt was unsuccessful due to lack of strength and frostbite on both hands. Upon his return, Tembe had 5 fingers amputated, which did not stop him, he conquered Everest on his second ascent.
Among the disabled, there is also the first person to conquer Everest. This is Mark Inglis, who climbed to the top of the world in 2006 with prosthetic legs.
The hero even joked that, unlike other climbers, he would not get frostbite on his toes. Moreover, he froze his legs earlier, when trying to climb the highest peak in New Zealand - Cook's Peak, after which they were amputated to him.
Apparently, Everest has some magical power if hundreds of climbers rush to it. The one who conquered it once returned more than once, trying to do it again.
Alluring peak - Everest
Who was the first to conquer Everest? Why are people so drawn to this place? There are quite a few reasons to explain this. Tickling nerves, lack of thrills, the desire to test yourself, the dullness of everyday life ....
Texas millionaire Dick Bass - the man who conquered Everest. He, not being a professional climber, was not going to spend years on careful preparation for dangerous climb and decided to conquer the peak of the world at once, as they say: here and now. Bass was ready to pay any amount of money to anyone who would contribute to the realization of his seemingly unrealistic dream.
Dick Bass was still able to conquer the summit of Everest, and the assembled team turned out to be assistants on the expedition, which provided the millionaire with comfort when climbing up; people carried all the cargo, tents, water, food. So to speak, the ascent was of the all-inclusive type, and this was the beginning of commercial travel to the top.
Since then, since 1985, anyone can conquer the peak, having enough Money. To date, the cost of one such ascent varies from 40 to 85 thousand dollars, depending on the side of the ascent to the mountain. If the journey comes from Nepal, then it is more expensive, because a special permission from the king is required, which costs 10 thousand dollars. The rest of the amount is paid for the organization of the expedition.
There was even a wedding...
In 2005, Mona Mule and Pem Giorgi got married on top of the world. Climbing up, the newlyweds took off for a few minutes wearing traditional colored garlands around their necks. Then Pem anointed the forehead of his bride with scarlet powder, which symbolized marriage. The newlyweds kept their act a secret from everyone: parents, acquaintances, expedition partners, because they were not sure of the successful outcome of the planned event.
So how many people have summited Everest? Surprisingly, today there are more than 4,000 people. And the most optimal period for climbing in gentle weather conditions is spring and autumn. True, such an idyll lasts a short time - only a few weeks, which climbers try to use as fruitfully as possible.
According to statistics, every tenth of those who storm Everest die, and most of the accidents occur during the descent, when there is practically no strength left. Theoretically, you can conquer Everest in a few days. In practice, gradualness and the optimal combination of ascents and halts are required.
Hillary and I spent the night in a small tent at an altitude of 8500 meters - the highest altitude at which a person has ever slept. The night was cold. Hillary's boots were numb from the cold, and we were almost numb ourselves. But when we crawl out of the tent at dawn, there is almost no wind. The sky is clear and cloudless. It's good. We look up. Week after week, month after month, all we do is look up. Here it is, the top of Everest! But now she looks different, so close to her, within reach - only three hundred meters. This is no longer a dream soaring high in the clouds, but something real, tangible - stone and snow, on which a person's foot can step. We are going to go. We must take the top. This time, with God's help, we will reach the goal...
This is how the morning of May 29, 1953 was described by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, one of the two conquerors of the famous eight-thousander - Chomolungma, or Everest. A few hours later, at 11:30 a.m., he and New Zealander Edmund Hillary climbed the highest high point Earth's surface - 8850 meters above sea level.
For a long time after their triumphant return, disputes about whose foot first set foot on the "Top of the World" did not subside. Actually, there were three versions: that Norgay was the first, that Hillary was ahead of him, and also that both of them, holding hands together, simultaneously stepped onto the top. After the travelers returned "from heaven to earth", they signed an official statement in which (perhaps deliberately) they made one "generalization". They said they "reached the summit almost at the same time". This “almost” added not only oil, but downright gasoline to the fire of disputes about who was the “most-most”. Then Norgay will write in his book (again, very ambiguously) that he was the first all the time, but before the very top he conceded the right of the first step to Hillary.
However, each of the friends, of course, slightly "pulled the blanket over himself", describing the storming of Everest. In his book Climbing Everest, Hillary writes that he had to literally drag a partner who did not have enough oxygen. At the same time, according to the New Zealander, Norgay "suffocated, like a huge fish pulled out of the sea." In turn, in the book "Tiger of the Snows" Norgay wrote that everything was not so scary - they just walked, insuring each other. No one was choking, no one was convulsing - they calmly moved to the top.
The first ascent of the mountain, which climbers of many countries aspired to, was as honorable as conquering space or landing on the moon. At the top, Hillary and Norgay guessed, in order to avoid scandals and disputes, to install the UN flag over the flags of the countries participating in the expedition. However, disputes and scandals still arose. Everyone appreciated the altruism of the climbers, but began to discuss the second, third and fourth places on the pole - there were flags of Great Britain, Nepal and India.
In general, the installation of the British flag on the "Top of the World" seems to be a very controversial action. Hillary was a New Zealander, and this country gained independence in 1931. Nevertheless, he hoisted a "Union Jack" over the mountain, for which he later received a knighthood from the Queen in London and the prefix "Sir", which he added to his name.
Having ascended the mountain, the pioneer climbers jumped a little for joy, set up flags, and then ritually buried several talismans in the snow at the top - their own, as well as those that were given to them by friends who were waiting for them in the lower camp. Norgay claimed that they were lollipops, a red-and-blue pencil stub, a small rag cat, and a crucifix.
In such events, the first words spoken by the pioneers after they have reached the goal are very important. History has brought them down to us. Norgay claimed that he said in his own language: "Tuji chey, Chomolungma" (Thank you, Everest). Hillary is also believed to have spoken the historic phrase. "We curbed the bastard!", the climber allegedly shouted.
pinnacle of death
There is no doubt that the New Zealander, unlike the Sherpa, treated Everest rather disrespectfully. Ever since, in 1852, English topographers, having calculated, established that Chomolungma, called "Peak 15" in English catalogs, is in fact the most high mountain in the world, countless attempts have been made to climb it. However, the highest mountain turned out to be the most dangerous. In the entire history of climbing Everest, 175 people have died (in total, about 1,200 climbers have visited the summit). In May 1996, nine people froze to death on the slopes of the mountain at once - out of the entire expedition, only one American, Back Weathers, managed to survive, who subsequently had to amputate both hands and nose.
Many of the dead could not be found, as happened with the expedition of the British George Mallory and Andrew Irwin. They were last seen on June 8, 1924 at an altitude of about 8500 meters, quite close to the summit. They disappeared into the cloud, and since then nothing more is known about them. Many believe that they could reach the summit and died on the way back, but after the summit was examined from the plane, no traces of climbers were found on it. Mallory's body was found only in 1999 at an altitude of 8230 meters, which also spoke in favor of the version of death on the descent. The climbers had a camera with them, but it was not possible to find it.
Another mystery of Everest was the Soviet expedition, led by a certain Pavel Dachnolyan, who tried to take Everest in 1952. Almost nothing is known about her - the attempt to storm the mountain was strictly classified, which gave rise to many rumors about her. Allegedly, the members of the expedition were taken to Lhasa on military aircraft, the group began to climb and regularly contacted by radio. Then the Soviet climbers stopped communicating. They apparently died, their bodies could not be found, and the unsuccessful attempt to climb was hidden.
Anniversary
Everest got its "European" name at the end of the century before last. Officials from the English Surveyor Service named the mountain after the chief of the Indian Colonial Survey Committee. Before that, the mountain was called Chomo-Kankar, Sagarmatha and Chomolungma. Even before the British calculated the height of the mountain, the Sherpas called her the "mother of the mountains", the "queen" and the "goddess of the winds". At its foot are two Buddhist monasteries - Rongbuk in Tibet and Tyangboche in Nepal. That is why Tenzing Norgay brought sweets to the mountain and thanked her after the ascent - locals worshiped the mountain, loved and respected it.
May 29 has become a national holiday in Nepal. In 2003 it was attended by climbers from all over the world. Sir Edmund Hillary also arrived with his 50-year-old son (Norgay died in 1986), who also conquered Everest a year ago. During the celebration of the half-century anniversary of the capture of Chomolungma, two ascents to it will be made.
However, the holiday was overshadowed by a tragedy that increased Everest's fatality by two more people - on May 28, a Mi-17 helicopter of the local airline Simrik Airlines crashed in Nepal during preparations for the celebrations. There were 8 people on board - two Nepalese pilots, a flight engineer from Kyrgyzstan and five passengers. The pilot and one of the passengers were killed.
The holiday was not cancelled. All climbers know that death on the slopes is one of the most dangerous peaks peace can happen at any moment. However, this does not stop the daredevils - every year more and more people, risking their lives, try to climb Everest in order to look down on this world for at least a short time.
Facts from the history of climbing Everest
The first woman to conquer Chomolungma was the Japanese Junko Tabei. She climbed to the top of the mountain on May 16, 1975. She will also participate in the celebration of the anniversary of the first ascent.
Soviet climbers first climbed Everest in 1982. Eleven people took part in the expedition.
In 1978, Austrian Peter Habeler and Italian Reinold Messner climbed Chomolungma without oxygen equipment. Two years later, Messner repeated this ascent alone.
American Eric Weihenmeyer became the first blind climber to scale the highest mountain on Earth.
On April 26, 2003, an Internet cafe was opened on one of the slopes of Everest. Internet access is carried out using a wireless connection of the WiFi standard. The ground station transmits the data to the AAP-1 satellite, which in turn broadcasts it to a receiver in Taipei. Further, through the fiber optic channel, the user gets access to any segment of the network.
Factrum wants to tell you some stories about conquering Everest. Warning: the text is not for the impressionable!
1. 40 passers-by and one Discovery TV crew
For the first time, the general public learned about the "terrible" morals that prevail on the approaches to Everest in May 2006, when the circumstances of the death of David Sharp, a British climber who tried to conquer the summit alone, became known. He never made it to the top, dying from hypothermia and oxygen starvation, but it is noteworthy that a total of 40 people passed by the slowly freezing mathematics teacher, and no one helped him. Among those who passed by was a film crew from the Discovery TV channel, whose journalists interviewed the dying Sharpe, left him oxygen and moved on.
The general public was indignant at the "immoral" act of the "passers", but the truth is that no one could help Sharpe at such a height, even with all the desire. It was simply not humanly possible.
2. "Green shoes"
It is not known when the concept of "green shoes" entered the everyday life of the conquerors of Everest and became folklore. But it is known for certain that they belong to the Indian climber Tsevang Palzhor, one of the victims of the "bloody May" of 1996 - a total of 15 people died on Everest that month. This is the largest number of victims in one season in the history of conquering the highest peak on the planet. For years, the green boots of Paljoros have been a guide for those who climb the mountain.
In May 1996, several commercial expeditions climbed Everest at once - two American, one Japanese, one Indian and one Taiwanese. There is still debate about who is to blame for the fact that most of their participants never returned. Several films have been made based on the events of that May, and the surviving participants have written several books. Someone blames the weather, someone blames the guides who started descending before their clients, someone else blames the expeditions that did not help those in distress or even hindered them.
3. Spouses Arsentiev
In May 1998, Francis and Sergei Arsentiev attempted to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. The idea is daring, but quite real - without additional equipment (at least 10–12 kg), you can climb and descend faster, but the risk of complete exhaustion from lack of oxygen is very high. If during the ascent or descent something goes wrong and the climbers stay in the "death zone" longer than the physical capabilities of the body allow, they will inevitably die.
The couple spent five days in the base camp at an altitude of 8200 meters, twice their attempts to climb ended in failure, time passed, and strength left with it. Finally, on May 22, they went out for the third time and ... conquered the summit.
However, during the descent, the couple lost sight of each other and Sergei was forced to go down alone. Frances lost too much strength and just fell, unable to continue on her way. A few days later, an Uzbek group passed by freezing Francis without helping her. But its participants told Sergei that they saw his wife and he, taking oxygen cylinders, went in search of ... and died. His body was found much later.
The last people Francis saw, and who, accordingly, saw her alive, were British climbers Ian Woodall and Cathy O'Dowd, who spent several hours with the dying woman. According to them, she kept repeating “do not leave me”, but the British could no longer help her and left, leaving her to die alone.
4. Perhaps the first true conquerors of Everest
It is not for nothing that those who seek to conquer Everest say that it is not enough to climb - until you descend, you cannot consider the conquered peak. If only because there will be no one to tell that you really were there. Such is the sad fate of climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irwin, who attempted to conquer Mount Everest in 1924. Whether they reached the top or not is unknown.
In 1933, at an altitude of 8460 m, the hatchet of one of the climbers was found. In 1991, at an altitude of 8480 m, an oxygen cylinder was found, manufactured in 1924 (and, accordingly, belonged to either Irwin or Mallory). And finally, in 1999, Mallory's body was found - at an altitude of 8200 m. Neither a camera nor a photograph of his wife was found with him. The latter fact makes researchers believe that either Mallory, or both climbers, nevertheless reached the summit, since Mallory, before going to Everest, told his daughter that he would definitely leave a photo of his wife at the top.
5. Everest does not forgive "not like everyone else"
Everest severely punishes those who try to act "not like everyone else." It is not for nothing that most successful ascents are made either in May or in September-October - the rest of the year the weather on the mountain is not conducive to ascents and descents. Too cold (before May), changing too fast weather, the risk of avalanches is too high (in summer).
Bulgarian Hristo Prodanov decided to prove that climbing Everest in April is quite possible - to do what no one has done before him. He was a very experienced climber who had scaled many iconic peaks.
In April 1984, Christo undertook the ascent of Everest - alone and without oxygen. He successfully summited, becoming both the first Bulgarian to set foot on the planet's highest mountain and the first person to do so in April. However, on the way back, he fell into a severe snowstorm and froze to death.
6. The creepiest corpse on Everest
Hannelore Schmatz became the first woman and the first German citizen to die on the approach to the summit of Everest. It happened in October 1979. However, she is known not only for this reason and not because she died of exhaustion on the descent, having successfully conquered Everest, but because for another good 20 years her body frightened those who tried to conquer Everest. She, blackened in the cold, froze in a sitting position in the direction of climbing Everest, her eyes wide open and her hair blowing in the wind. They tried to lower her body from the top, but several expeditions failed, and the participants of one of them died themselves.
In the end, the mountain took pity and during one particularly strong storm at the beginning of the "zero" Hannelore's body was thrown into the abyss.
7. Keep Anniversaries Alive
Sherp Lobsang Shering, nephew of Tenzing Norgay, the first official climber of Everest, decided in May 1993 to make the ascent in memory of what his uncle had done. Fortunately, the 40th anniversary of the conquest of the mountain was just approaching. However, Everest does not really like "anniversaries" - Schering successfully climbed the highest mountain on the planet, but died during the descent, when he already believed that he was safe.
8. You can climb Everest as much as you want, but one day he will take you.
Babu Chiri Sherpa is a Sherpa legend, a guide who has been to Everest ten times. The man who spent 21 hours at the top of the mountain without oxygen, the man who climbed to the top in 16 hours and 56 minutes, which is still a record. The 11th expedition ended tragically for him. At an altitude of 6500 meters, "childish" for this guide, he photographed the mountains, accidentally miscalculated his movements, stumbled and fell into a crevice, in which he crashed to death.
9. He died, but someone survived
Brazilian Vitor Negrete died in May 2006 during the descent after conquering Everest. This was Negrete's second ascent, and this time he planned to be the first Brazilian to summit the mountain without oxygen. Climbing, he made a cache in which he left food and oxygen, which he could use on the descent. However, on the way back, after a successful mission, he found that his hiding place had been devastated and all supplies had disappeared. Negreta did not have enough strength to reach the base camp and he died not far from it. Who took the supplies and the life of the Brazilian remained unclear.
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First. Almost two meters tall, New Zealander Edmund Hillary photographed a small Sherpa on a snow dome with an ice ax raised, decorated with flags of the UN, Great Britain, Nepal and India. Climbers used oxygen devices, May 29, 1953. (Photo by Edmund Hillary | Royal Geographical Society via Associated Press):
More than 30 Sherpas took part in this expedition. In the photo: New Zealander Edmund Hillary climbs Mount Everest with a group, 1953. (Photo (New York Times):
New Zealander Edmund Hillary (right) and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay climbing the highest peak peace, 1953. (Photo by Associated Press):
The first conquerors of Everest - New Zealander Edmund Hillary (right) and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, 1953. (Photo by George W. Hales | Hulton Archive via Getty Images):
Another photo of the first people who climbed Mount Everest in 1953. (Photo by Norgay Archive via Reuters):
Exactly 60 years later, Kathmandu, Nepal, May 29, 2013. Journalists remove the monument to New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha | Associated Press):
The first successful ascent was preceded by 30 years of desperate attempts to break through to the top. Everest, May 15, 2003. (Photo by Paula Bronstein | Getty Images):
It is still a mystery and a subject of controversy whether George Mallory and Andrew Irwin reached the summit in 1924. The body of the first was found only in 1999. at an altitude of 8,155 meters, 300 meters below Irwin's ice ax (whose body has not been found so far), which indicates a possible breakdown of climbers from the mountain. Sunglasses were found in the pocket of Mallory's clothes, but the photo of his wife Ruth, which he promised to leave on the top of Everest, was not found! (Photo by Gurinder Osan | Associated Press):
By the way, the phrase "the conquest of Everest" is not entirely correct, and climbers do not like it. This is from the same area as "to sail the sea". It is believed that the mountain cannot be conquered, it can only be climbed. In this case, the mountain can “let” or “not let”. Another team of climbers in the base camp, April 7, 2003. Puja ceremony (worship ceremony). (Photo by Erich Schlegel | The Dallas Morning News via Associated Press):
The first to determine that Chomolungma is the highest mountain peak on Earth, was the Indian mathematician and topographer Radhanat Sikdar in 1852 on the basis of trigonometric calculations, when he was in India, 240 km from Chomolungma. On the slopes of Everest, April 27, 2013. (Photo by AFP | Getty Images):
In 1856, the first measurement of the height of the summit was made by the British India Geodetic Survey - exactly 29,000 feet (8,839 m), but it was announced that the height of Chomolungma was 29,002 feet (8,840 m). This arbitrary addition was made so that the round number 29,000 would not give the impression that the accuracy of the measurements was not high. Everest, January 14, 2011. (Photo by Prakash Mathema | AFP | Getty Images):
Since April 8, 2010, the official height of Everest is fixed at around 8848 m above sea level, and the height of solid rock is 8844 meters. Everest Conquest. Altitude 5,944 meters, May 13, 1999. (Photo by Associated Press):
Records. In 1996, Ang Rita Sherpa summited 10 times without oxygen tanks. Four years later, his record was broken by another Sherpa, Apa, who reached the summit for the 11th time. In total, Appa Tenzing has climbed Mount Everest 21 times (data valid as of May 2011). Kumbhu icefall on the slope of Everest, May 17, 2003. (Photo by Gurinder Osan | Associated Press):
Records. In 1999, Sherpa Babu Shiri spent 21 hours on the summit, and this despite the fact that already at an altitude of 7925 m a dead zone begins - the air contains only a third of the amount of oxygen that is present in the atmosphere at sea level. Climbing Everest, May 1, 1963. The success of this expedition was achieved thanks to the talent of Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Everest. (Photo by AP Photo | Henry S. Hall, Jr. American Alpine Club Library, Barry Corbet Personal Papers and Films):
In 2001, the blind American Eric Weihenmeier made an amazing ascent of Everest. By that time, he had already conquered all the highest mountain peaks on all continents. "Climbing the seven most high mountains seven parts of the world, I hoped to show people that goals that may seem out of reach are actually quite achievable,” Weihenmeier said in a statement. Everest, November 15, 1983. (Photo by Bikas Das | Associated Press):
The conquest of Everest is a very long process. Climbing to the top takes about 2 months - with acclimatization and setting up camps. Weight loss after climbing - an average of 10-15 kg. On May 23, 2013, 80-year-old Japanese Yuichiro Miura, having completed the ascent, became the oldest person to conquer Everest. (Photo by MIURA DOLPHINS Co., Ltd via Associated Press):
In May 2011, Nepalese spiritual teacher Bhakta Kumar Raibyl set a new record for the longest stay at the top - 32 hours. Everest conquerors with a tent (bottom left), October 13, 2011. (Photo by Barbara Walton | European Pressphoto Agency):
From the moment of the first ascent to the summit (1953) to the present (2013), more than 200 people have died on its slopes. Lowering the body of the deceased climber, May 16, 2010. (Photo by NAMGYAL SHERPA | AFP | Getty Images):
Even the most expensive and modern equipment does not always guarantee a successful ascent to the highest peak in the world. However, every year about 500 people try to conquer Everest. Expedition to Everest, May 18, 2013. (Photo by Adrian Ballinger | Alpenglow Expeditions via Associated Press):
In total, approximately 4,000 climbers have climbed the mountain to date. The bodies of the dead often remain on the slopes of the mountain due to the difficulties associated with their evacuation. Some of them serve as a guide for climbers. So the body of the Indian Tsevang Palzhor, who died in 1996, marks a height of 8,500 meters and even has its own name - "Green Shoes" - after the bright green shoes of the deceased. Top of the world, April 22, 2007. (Photo by Desmond Boylan | Reuters):
The countries on whose territory the approaches to the summit are located charge a lot of money for climbing to the top. Also, money is charged for the possibility of lifting. The order of rise of the expeditions is established. The cheapest way to conquer Chomolungma is from Tibet. The conquest of Everest, May 19, 2009. (Photo by AFP | Getty Images):
The conquest of Everest is an occupation for the rich. The cost of climbing is up to 65,000 US dollars, with the climbing permit issued by the government of Nepal alone costing 10,000 dollars. A significant proportion of travelers reaching the summit are now wealthy tourists with minimal mountaineering experience. On the way to the top of Everest, May 18, 2003. (Photo by Adrian Ballinger | ALPENGLOW EXPEDITIONS, via Associated Press):
Records. On May 22, 2010, 13-year-old American Jordan Romero (right) climbed the summit with his father. Prior to this, the record was held by 15-year-old Min Kipa Sherpa. (Photo by Team Romero via Associated Press):
In the 21st century, thanks to the development of tourism infrastructure, there has been a significant increase in annual ascents, so 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. (Photo by Tshering Sherpa | AFP | Getty Images):
The volume of garbage accumulated on the slopes of the mountain is so great that Everest is called "the highest mountain dump in the world." At the top of Everest, May 22, 2010. (Photo by Apa Sherpa via European Pressphoto Agency):
In April 2013, the Nepalese police investigated the circumstances of a fight between famous European climbers and their Sherpa guides, which allegedly took place on the outskirts of the summit of Everest. The conflict reportedly erupted after the climbers ignored an order to halt their ascent while the Sherpas fixed the ropes. Mount Everest, May 26, 2003. (Photo by Gurinder Osan | Associated Press):
According to an American climber who observed the conflict, who wished to remain anonymous, "the fight was so intense that I was afraid that one of its participants would die." The conquerors of Everest fought with the Sherpas at an altitude of 8,000 meters. On top of the world, May 18, 2013. (Photo by ALPENGLOW EXPEDITIONS via Associated Press):
The hardest part of climbing Everest is the last 300m, nicknamed by mountain climbers "the longest mile on Earth". To successfully pass this section, you need to overcome the steepest smooth stone slope covered with powdered snow. Base camp on the way to the top of Everest, May 16, 2013. (Photo by AP Photo | Pasang Geljen Sherpa):
The main climbing season 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 climb only from the south. Camp at an altitude of 7315 meters. (Photo by AP Photo | Courtesy of Alan Arnette via The Coloradoan):
This was an article dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the conquest of Everest. (Photo by Adrian Ballinger | Alpenglow Expeditions via Associated Press):
(Photo by AP Photo | Hiroyuki Kuraoka, HO):
