The China-Nepal border passes through Mount Everest’s summit, which confuses many about where is Mount Everest located.
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Mount Everest is known for being the highest mountain in the world. At 8848.86 meters, it is located between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous state of China. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal, a sub-range of the Himalayas.
Although most people know this highest mountain in the world as Mount Everest, it has several other names. The Nepali name for the mountain is Sagarmatha, which means the forehead or goddess of the great blue sky. Its Tibetan name is Qomolangma, which translates to holy mother. Its Romanized version is Chomolungma.
Mount Everest has fascinated mountaineers and expeditions worldwide. It is the ultimate challenge that allures adventure seekers and mountain lovers. The journey to Mount Everest is not only an ultimate adventure but also a culturally and spiritually enriching experience.
Let us delve more into details about the world’s highest mountain, the Mount Everest!
Where is Mount Everest Located? Nepal or China?
Mount Everest was first named Peak XV before being recorded as the world’s highest peak. Peak XV was a numerical order of a Great Trigonometric Survey of India. In 1849, the British Surveyor General of India, Andrew Waugh, coined the name Everest after his predecessor, British Surveyor Sir George Everest.
Since there were many local names for the mountain, Waugh argued that it would be difficult to favor a single name over others. Then, in 1857, the Royal Geographical Society officially began using the name, Mount Everest. Since then, the mountain has become world-renowned as Mount Everest. But where is Mount Everest located precisely?
The mountain touches the Solukhumbu district of Nepal and Tingri County in Tibet, China. Its coordinates are 27°59′18″N latitude and 86°55′31″E longitude. Since Mount Everest is part of the Mahalangur Himal, it touches four more countries besides Nepal and China, including Bhutan, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
A few misleading articles and posts claim that Mount Everest is in India. However, that is untrue. Given that the mountain lies on the border of Nepal and Tibet, it is geographically in Nepal. It is in the Khumbu Pasang Lhambu Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu district, Nepal, and is within the Sagarmatha National Park.
Nepal has eight mountains with elevations above 8000 meters, including Everest. Nepal and Everest have become synonyms. The world knows Nepal as the home of the world’s highest mountain, and the iconic mountain is a major attraction of the country’s tourism industry.
How High is Mount Everest?
The height of Mount Everest has been a topic of debate many times. For ages, the mountain has captivated the imagination of numerous mountaineers, expeditions, and surveyors. Likewise, it has been scaled a few times to determine its height.
Mount Everest’s height was first announced by Andrew Waugh in 1856 as 8840 meters. However, in 1955, Nepal and China officially announced Everest’s height to be 8848 meters. Again, in 1999, an American Everest Expedition proclaimed the mountain’s height to be 8850 meters, which Nepal disapproved of.
In 20055, the China survey team announced Mount Everest’s new height. They concluded that the mountain was 8844 meters, but once again, Nepal disapproved of this. In 2010, Nepal and China agreed that Mount Everest’s rock height is 8844 meters, while the mountain’s height with snow is 8848 meters.
With the advanced technology of the 21st century, the mountain was again scaled in 2020. Nepal and China jointly announced the new height of Mount Everest is 8848.86 meters.
The results of the different surveys were also different. It begs the question of why. The main reason behind the varied survey results is the movement of the tectonic plates. As a result, the height of the mountain gets a little higher every year.
Weather and Climate at Mount Everest
The Mount Everest expedition requires immense planning, extreme training, the right equipment, team, and time. The mountain’s weather is extreme, and the summit temperature is below freezing throughout the year, so there is a high risk of frostbite.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times for trekking in Nepal. It is also the right time for Everest Base Camp Trek. Among these months, April to mid-May and September to October is the right time for the Mount Everest climb. The temperature is warm during the day and cool at night.
Mount Everest’s climate and weather conditions during the summer and winter are incredibly hazardous. Summer brings heavy rainfall, making the lower region’s trails wet and muddy. There is heavy snowfall and blizzards in winter, and the temperature becomes colder. The route gets covered with snow, and there is a high risk of avalanches.
However, despite the season, the weather is rapidly changing at the mountain. The temperature is extremely low all year round, the air is thin, and there are frequent high winds. Likewise, there is perpetual snow. Climbers must be ready to face the harshness of Everest if they want to conquer it successfully.
First Climber Of Mount Everest
In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal were the first people to climb Mount Everest by the South Col Route. They were part of Sir John Hunt’s British expedition team. Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans were the first team to make an attempt from the team on May 26, 1953. But they had to return after running out of oxygen.
Then, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made their attempt two days later. They crossed the death zone and pitched their tent at 8,500 meters. On 29 May 1953, at 11:30 a.m. local time, the pair conquered the Everest Summit, becoming the first people to climb Mount Everest.
Sir Edmund Hillary had climbed several mountains before conquering Mount Everest. He was also part of Eric Shipton’s 1951 British reconnaissance expedition to Mount Everest. During World War II, he served his nation as a navigator for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Tenzing Norgay Sherpa participated in several mountain expeditions before the successful Everest climb, including the 1953 Swiss Mount Everest expedition. He was part of six Everest expeditions and had previously been part of Sir John Hunt’s team.
Sir Hillary and Sherpa spent around 15 minutes at the summit. There was much speculation about who first stepped on the Everest summit. A few years after the climb, Sherpa revealed that Sir Edmund Hillary first stepped on the mountain.
Their names will forever be immortalized in history as the first two people to climb Mount Everest. They opened the path for future mountaineers and challengers to climb the summit. Since then, many climbers have followed in their footsteps and successfully climbed Mount Everest.
Climbing Route, Death Zone, and Difficulty
This section will explore Mount Everest more, including its routes, zones, and difficulty.
There are two routes to Mount Everest, i.e., the South Col Route from Nepal and the North Col Route from Tibet. Each route has its difficulties and challenges. However, the South Col Route is more popular among mountaineers and expeditions.
North Col Route
The North Col Route involves climbers crossing the Rongbuk Glacier and ascending the north face of Everest. The view from the North Col Route is different from the south. Taking this route and navigating it is completely different from the other. The route has six camps set up before reaching the summit. These include:
Camp I: Camp I is located at 5180 meters, right below the Rongbuk Glacier.
Camp II: To reach Camp II, climbers must ascend the medial moraine, which is east of Rongbuk Glacier and stretches to the Mount Changtse base. It is at 6,100 meters.
Camp III: At 6,500 meters, Camp III, also known as ABC (Advanced Base Camp), is located below North Col.
Camp IV: From Camp III, climbers must climb the glacier to the North Col’s foot. It requires a technical climb to reach Camp IV at 7010 meters.
Camp V: Climbers have to ascend to the rocky north ridge to reach Camp V. The camp is set at an altitude of around 7775 meters.
Camp VI: The Camp VI is the final campsite before the summit. Climbers have to make a diagonal climb while crossing the North Face. From there, the climb continues to the base of the Yellow Band. Then, climbers will reach the Camp VI at 8230 meters. It takes one final effort for climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
South Col Route
The South Col Route requires the climbers to pass the Khumbu Icefall and ascend towards Lhotse’s face. After climbing the southeast ridge, climbers will finally reach the Everest summit. There are four camps en route to the South Col Route. Take a look at this short brief of these camps:
Camp 1: After leaving the Everest Base Camp, climbers will first reach Camp 1. It is 6065 meters above sea level and lies on the Khumbu Glacier. Likewise, the Everest map route marks Camp 1 as the first stop on the summit.
Camp 2: Camp 2 requires technical climbing skills. It is located at an elevation of 6500 meters, and the climbs become riskier. Climbers must cross the Khumbu Icefall, cliffs, ice sheets, and deep crevasses.
Camp 3: Camp 3 is considered one of the most dangerous sections of Mount Everest. It requires technical climbing skills and mountain gear, such as climbing ropes, ice axes, crampons, etc. At an elevation of 7470 meters, it offers an incredible view of Mount Lhotse and Nuptse.
Camp 4: The last camp before the Mount Everest summit is Camp 4 at 7920 meters. It is also known as the Final Assault Base as it is a dangerous section of the route. The temperature drops significantly, and the weather turns into extreme. Likewise, the oxygen level decreases while the air pressure in the atmosphere increases. Climbers will also come across the infamous “Death Zone” en route. Once they reach Camp 4, climbers have one last effort to reach the Mount Everest summit.
Death Zone
The region above 8000 meters is known as the Death Zone. The high altitude, extreme conditions, and life-threatening risks have given these regions an ominous name. The temperature drops significantly, which can lead to climbers getting frostbite on any part of their exposed body.
Similarly, the oxygen level is extremely low, making breathing harder. The atmospheric pressure is also low, about a third of the sea-level pressure at Mount Everest’s summit. In simpler terms, only about a third of oxygen is available for breathing at sea level.
A study in 2008 showed that the majority of deaths during the Mount Everest expedition occurred in the death zone. The lack of oxygen, extreme weather conditions, extreme cold temperatures, exhaustion, and hazards are all fatal for climbers.
If climbers get injured at the death zone, helicopter rescue is not possible. They have to be carried down the mountain, which is extremely risky. Climbers who have lost their lives were mostly those who were left behind. There are reportedly over 200 bodies left at the mountain as of 2015.
Mount Everest Difficulty
Climbing the world’s highest mountain is one of the most dangerous endeavors. Its high elevation is not the only challenge mountaineers have to overcome. Unpredictable weather, extremely cold temperatures, and harsh terrain make climbing one of the most difficult.
The low oxygen level and air pressure can lead to altitude sickness and other health problems in climbers. The risk further escalates as climbers reach the death zone. It can even cause severe altitude sickness, i.e., high-altitude cerebral edema (HCAE). Without prompt treatment, it can prove to be fatal.
The climb to Mount Everest can become more dangerous when the weather suddenly changes. High winds, heavy snowfall, and a sudden drop in temperature further add to the challenge. There is also the risk of avalanches, which occur frequently on the mountain. The avalanches can block the routes, injure climbers, and, in the worst case, be fatal.
Even for experienced climbers, Mount Everest presents an intense challenge. It pushes climbers beyond their limits and tests their skills, physical endurance, stamina, and mental resilience.
