Mount Everest is one of the most beautiful wonders on Earth and has been around for long. This mighty mountain has different meanings for every person. It is a dream place for every tourist and adventurer; they want to experience its wonders. Also, cavers see Mount Everest as a spiritual and sacred place for prayers. These reasons make every climber wish to reach the top of this mountain. Although many of their aspirations don’t come true, Mount Everest’s magnificence is undeniable. There are many exciting things to know about Mount Everest, and we’ll be discussing 5 of the most interesting facts.
About Mount Everest
Mount Everest is a Himalayan mountain range peak between Nepal and Tibet. It is the world’s tallest point, standing at 8,849 meters. Many climbers go to Mount Everest, and it has two main routes. These two routes are South Col Route and the Northeast Ridge, and the South Col expedition is more accessible than the Northeast route.
Edmund Hillary and his Tibetan guide, Tenzing Norgay, were the first people to climb Everest successfully. Climbing Mount Everest has become a popular mountaineering adventure. However, it is a risky venture. Climbing Everest needs a lot of training, equipment, and a professional Nepalese guide.
While the regular route does not present significant challenges, Everest poses risks like altitude sickness. Over 300 people have perished on Everest as of 2019, with many bodies still on the peak.
Top 5 Most Interesting Facts To Know About Mount Everest
Mount Everest is not the tallest mountain on the planet
Though it reaches the highest point above sea level, Mount Everest isn’t the tallest mountain. Ecuador’s Mount Chimborazo is the world’s highest peak, rising more than 2,072 meters above Everest when measured from the Earth’s core. Mountains towards the equator are further from the core due to the Earth’s bulge in the center.
Research has it that Everest is 3,965 miles from the Earth’s center. Meanwhile, Chimborazo is 3,967 miles long. Even though the gap is only two miles, it is significant for crowning height honors.
Despite this, Mount Everest is the most popular because it is difficult to climb. It takes ten days to reach Everest’s base camp, six weeks to acclimate, and nine days to ascend to the summit. However, Chimborazo takes two days to climb after acclimatizing for two weeks.
Nonetheless, we should note that Everest is still the tallest when measured at sea level. Chimborazo would not even be close to the tallest peak among the Andes mountains if the sea level was required. Instead, Mount Aconcagua, which reaches 22,828 feet above sea level, holds the distinction in the Andes.
So, don’t bother if you’ve already made plans to climb Everest to earn a name. You’re still climbing the world’s tallest peak, measuring from sea level.
Mount Everest is 60 million years old
Researchers use a clock to figure out the age of a rock or mountain. They often use radiometric dating methods, depending on the natural radioactive decay of elements. Geologists estimated that Everest is 50 to 60 million years old with this method.
When the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates came together, they pushed up the rocks that formed the world’s highest mountain. It hasn’t slowed down in height, though.
In the Himalayas, the Indian and Eurasian plates are still colliding. Therefore, it is putting a lot of pressure on the height. So, every year, the top of Everest grows by a quarter of an inch.
Sherpas are the only people who don’t need oxygen to climb Mount Everest
Sherpas are a group of people who live on both sides of the Himalayas. These people have inherited enhanced hemoglobin. The reason is that they have lived in mountainous places with limited air for years. So, it is easy for them to thrive in the low-oxygen environment of the Himalayas.
As a result, sherpas have become the top guides on Mount Everest. Their job is not only to guide the climbers but also to supply them with camping equipment.
Mount Everest is the dirtiest mountain
Besides being the tallest peak in the world, Mount Everest also happens to be the dirtiest. The reason is that it has the highest number of visitors. Since most people don’t make it from their summit attempts, many dead bodies are on the mountain.
Also, there is an estimated 50 tons of trash, making it the dirtiest mountain globally. As more people visit Mount Everest each year, it gets messier. As a result, the water in the area has been contaminated, which could be bad for the people who live there.
Dead Bodies are used as landmarks
On Mount Everest, there are over 200 bodies that are used to find your way. These people died trying to climb Mount Everest, and their bodies were used as landmarks. The reason is that it is hard to recover a body from the mountain.
Green Boots is one of the most famous bodies because of its bright green boots. The Green Boots are near the northeast ridge. People believe it is the body of Tsewang Paljor, an Indian climber who died there. He was caught in a blizzard as he came down from the summit and died of exposure.
Conclusion
Mount Everest is one of the most beautiful places every tourist dreams about. However, it’s a risky place, so it’s essential to go through a lot of training before attempting to climb. Though your training doesn’t guarantee your safe return, it’s a vital step to take before climbing Mount Everest.