What is another name for Mount Everest? The highest mountain in the world is Everest (Jomalungma). Description and photo. Chomolungma and ski slopes

Coordinates: 27.988056 , 86.925278 / (G) First ascent: May 29, by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary

Etymology

“Chomolungma” means “Divine” in Tibetan. The Nepali name of Qomolungma - "Sagarmatha" - means "Mother of the Gods".

English name "Everest" Mount Everest) named after Sir George Everest George Everest, 1790-1866), head of the geodetic survey of British India in 1830-1843. This name was proposed in 1856 by J. Everest's successor, Andrew Waugh. Andrew Waugh, 1810-1878), simultaneously with the publication of the results of his collaborator R. Sikdar, who in 1852 first measured the height of “Peak XV” and showed that it was the highest in the region and probably in the whole world.

Climbing history

The highest peaks in the Chomolungma region

The first ascent was made on May 29, 1953 by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary.

Until 1950, about 50 expeditions were carried out to the Himalayas and Karakoram (to Chomolungma, Chogori, Kanchenjunga, Nanga Parbat and other peaks). Their participants managed to conquer several seven-thousand-meter peaks in these mountainous regions, but not a single attempt to storm the peaks of eight-thousand-meter giants was successful. The greatest results were achieved by English climbers when attempting to climb Chomolungma: in 1924, Norton reached a height of 8565 m, and George Mallory and Andrew Irwin (as estimated by N. Odell) - more than 8600 m (there is a lot of evidence that they died during the descent from the top, the debate about whether they reached the top or not continues today), in 1933 by P. Wyn-Harris, L. Wager and F. Smith - 8565 m.

The first “eight-thousander” conquered by man was Annapurna I. In 1950, French climbers M. Herzog and L. Lachenal climbed it.

The victory over the first eight-thousander shattered the myth about the inaccessibility of a peak of such a height and was a signal for climbers in many countries to “not be late” in making their first ascents of eight-thousanders. Over the next five years, six giants were conquered: Chomolungma (climbers of England), Nanga Parbat (Herman Buhl, Austria), Chogori (climbers of Italy), Cho Oyu (climbers of Austria), Kanchenjunga (climbers of England) and Makalu (climbers of France). In subsequent years, this desire grew. The traditional expeditions of such countries with developed mountaineering as Austria, England, Germany, France and Switzerland were supplemented by climbers from the USA, Italy, Japan, Argentina, China, India, and later - Czechoslovakia, Poland, Yugoslavia, South Korea and finally the USSR, Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

The first woman to climb Chomolungma was Japanese climber Junko Tabei;).

Literature

Yonghusband Francis. The fight for Everest, M-L., Gosizdat, 1930.
John Hunt. Climbing Everest (magazine version), 1956. (About Hillary's 1953 expedition)
Wilfrid Noyce. "South Col" (Everest). M., Mysl, 1975
Reinhold Messner. Everest: Expedition to the Ultimate (Everest: Expedition to the Ultimate), New York/London, 1979.
Reinhold Messner. Everest Solo (English edition of The Crystal Horizon: Everest - The First Solo Ascent, 1980).
Messner Reinhold. Crystal Horizon, M., 1990. (On the first solo ascent of Everest without oxygen and during the monsoon period).
Everest-82. (The ascent of Soviet climbers to the highest peak of the world), M, FiS, 1984.
Everest, southwest face: First owl. expedition to Everest - 8848 m., Himalayas-82 / Comp. L.M. Zamyatnin. - L.: Lenizdat, 1984. - 222 p.
Fritz Rudolf. “Chomolungma and her children”, M, Raduga, 1983. (About Everest and a good hundred peaks of the Himalayas).
Kononov Y. Victory over Everest (First Soviet expedition to Everest), Kyiv, 1985.
Kielkowski Jan, Mount Everest massif, EXPLO, 2000. (Vicinities of Everest).

Sources

Everest is the highest mountain in the world (∼ 8,848 m)

When we talk about what is the highest mountain in the world, we usually think about the height above sea level. And if we take this parameter, then the height of the mountain (8849 meters above sea level) is beyond competition. Everest extends higher into the atmosphere than any other peak in the world.

However, the farthest point from the center of the Earth, and therefore the highest in terms of distance, is Chimborazo (6384 meters above sea level). This is a stratovolcano in Ecuador that is part of mountain range Andes.

The earth is not flat, it bulges out at the equator and flattens out near the poles. This means that mountains near the equator are technically higher than those in other areas of the planet. And it so happens that Chimborazo is closer to the convex center of the Earth than Everest. It turns out that it is closer to the stars than the highest point of Mount Everest.

The hardest mountain for climbers

According to one report, Everest extends 6,382 meters from the center of the Earth. At the same time, Chimborazo extends over a distance of 6384 meters. Although the height difference between the two mountains is only 2 km, it is enough to give the title of “highest mountain” to the Ecuadorian stratovolcano.

So why does Mount Everest continue to receive all the laurels while Chimborazo remains relatively unnoticed? It all comes down to the difficulty of the climb.

If you are a climber and want to challenge yourself by conquering Everest, the journey to base camp will take 10 days. It will take another six weeks to acclimatize, followed by nine days to reach the summit. On the other hand, acclimatization on Chimborazo takes about two weeks, and the journey to the top takes about two days. Simply put, after Everest, climbing Chimborazo will seem like a walk in the park.

Above and below sea level

Mount Everest is the highest point above sea level, but if we are talking about sheer height from base to summit, then it is an honor to be called the most high mountain belongs to “White Mountain” (Mauna Kea) on the island of Hawaii. Its height above sea level is 4205 meters, but the mountain goes 5,998 meters down to the bottom. More than half of the mountain is submerged in water.

The total height of Mauna Kea is 10,203 meters. This is 1345 meters higher than Everest.

Mauna Kea is actually an extinct volcano on big island Hawaii. It arose about a million years ago when the tectonic plate Pacific Ocean moved over a plume of liquid magma deep inside the Earth. Mauna Kea last erupted about 4,600 years ago.

The top of the mountain is an astronomer's paradise: It has low humidity, clear skies, and a great distance from any light pollution. That is, from the top of the volcano it opens, perhaps best view to celestial objects. There are currently 13 telescopes on the peak of Mauna Kea.

It is important to note again that Everest is the highest of the highest mountains when measured from sea level. If you use this parameter, then Chimborazo cannot even qualify for the title of “highest peak in the Andes.” This title belongs to Mount Aconcagua, which rises 6961 meters above sea level.

The highest mountains on each continent

In Asia - Mount Everest (8,849 meters).
IN South America— Mount Aconcagua (6,961 meters).
IN North America— Mount McKinley (6,190 meters).
In Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters).
In Europe - Mount Elbrus (5,642 meters)
In Antarctica there is the Vinson Massif (4,897 meters).

In Australia - Oceania - Mount Puncak Jaya (4,884 meters) in Oceania and Mount Kosciuszko - the highest point on the Australian continent (2,228 meters).

Top 10 highest mountains in the world

The problem with measurement is that it is often unclear where the dividing line lies between a mountain with several peaks and a single mountain. For this reason, it is better to use a measurement called “topographic elevation” (height mountain peak above the bottom of the valley closest to the mountain). Taking into account first of all this criterion, and secondly the height above sea level, we have compiled a rating of the highest points on Earth.

Topographic elevation - 4,741 m.

It rises 5,642 m above sea level.

Mount Elbrus is an extinct volcano located in the western part Caucasian ridge, in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia, near the Russian-Georgian border. This is the highest peak in the Caucasus.

Excess - 4,884 m.

Height - 4,884 m.

This mountain, located on the Australian plate on the island New Guinea originally bore the name of its discoverer, the Dutchman Jan Carstens. In 1965, it changed its name in honor of the Indonesian President Sukarno, and in 1969 it was renamed for the third time, to Jaya (Indonesian for Victory) and stopped there for now.

Excess - 4,892 m.

The height of the peak is 4,892 m.

Record holders of Antarctica and part of the Elsworth Mountains, which rise above the Ronne Ice Shelf.

Elevation - 4,922 m

The height according to GPS is 5,636 m, according to INEGI - 5,611 m.

Stratovolcano, the highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest in North America. Orizaba last erupted in 1687, after which it “fell asleep” and has not woken up to this day.

Topographic elevation - 5,250 m

Altitude above sea level - 5,959 m.

The highest mountain in Canada and the second in North America, after McKinley. Due to active tectonic uplift, Logan is still growing in height. Until 1992, the exact height of the mountain was unknown and was assumed to range from 5,959 to 6,050 meters. In May 1992, the GSC expedition climbed Logan and established the current altitude of 5,959 meters using GPS

Topographic elevation - 5,585 m.

Above sea level - 5,776 m

Highest point in Colombia. The Colombian peak of Simon Bolivar is almost equal in height to it. Together they are the country's two closest peaks to the stars.

Topographic elevation - 5,885 m.

Above sea level - 5,895 m.

Kilimanjaro, and its three volcanic cones (Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira) is an inactive volcanic mountain in national park Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. This is the highest mountain in Africa. There is no documented evidence of Kilimanjaro's eruption, but local legends say that the volcano was active 150-200 thousand years ago.

Topographic elevation - 6,144 m

Altitude above sea level - 6,190 m

The double-headed Mount McKinley (aka Denali), located in Alaska, is the highest mountain peak in the United States and North America. At the beginning of the 19th century it was called the Big Mountain and was the most high point Russian Empire.

Topographic elevation - 6,962 m.

Above sea level - 6,962 m.

The highest mountain in North and South America. It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza. In 2013, the youngest climber, nine-year-old American Tyler Armstrong, climbed the mountain. And last year, Aconcagua was conquered by the youngest climber, twelve-year-old Romanian Dor Jeta Popescu.

1. Mount Everest (Qomolungma)

Topographic elevation - 8,848 m.

Altitude above sea level - 8,848 m.

The leader of the mountain charts was named after the English colonel, Sir George Everest, who was the chief surveyor of India from 1830 to 1843. Mount Everest is also known by the Tibetan name Qomolungma (Mother Goddess of Vital Energy) and the Nepalese name Sagarmatha (Forehead of Heaven).

Where is the tallest mountain in the world?

Chomolungma is located in the Mahalangur Himal mountain range in the Himalayas. Part of it lies on the border of Nepal and China, part on the territory of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Many human triumphs and tragedies have been associated with Everest. George Mallory (Great Britain) was the first climber to attempt Everest. In 1924, he died near the summit and his remains were found only in 1999, but the body of his teammate Andrew Irwin was not found.

Mount Everest has been the inspiration for many Guinness World Records, from the simple fact that it is the world's tallest peak to the world's tallest (by location) concert.

Despite the title of "the highest peak on Earth", Everest is not the tallest mountain on the planet. That is, Everest has no equal in height above sea level. But as for the height from the base to the top, the palm is held by Mauna Kea in Hawaii, USA. Its visible part is 4,205 meters, and the rest is under water. The total height of Mauna Kea reaches 10,203 meters.

Mount Everest - Mount Everest is 8848 meters high!

Mount Everest, is the highest mountain on earth. Mountain height Everest 8,848 meters above sea level. The mountain is part of the Himalayan range in Asia and is located on the border of the countries: Nepal, Tibet and China. It is called Sagarmatha, Chomolungma. And in Nepal it is called Sagamantha, which means “goddess of the sky” and in Tibet - Chomolungma, which means “mother goddess of the Universe”.

In 1856, when the Great Trigonometric Study was carried out, the height of Mount Everest was determined to be 8,840 meters, the mountain was known as Peak XV. And in 1865, on the recommendation of the British topographer Andrei Waugh, it was assigned, official name"Everest". He could not come up with a suitable name for the mountain that would suit both the Nepalese and the Tibetans, so it was decided to call it "Everest"

Mount Everest attracts climbers of all levels, experienced and inexperienced. These climbers come with money and are ready to pay mountain guides (guides) well for a successful ascent to the peak of the mountain. In the mountains, a climber always faces various dangers, such as low temperature, altitude sickness, oxygen deprivation and wind. Despite this height, its peak was climbed by 2,436 people until 2007, and 3,679 ascents were made. This suggests that mountaineering is very popular view sports And for Nepalese it is a significant source of income. The Nepalese government requires that you pay $25,000 per person for a climbing permit. Mount Everest has already killed 210 people, including 8 people during a snow storm in 1996.

History of Mount Everest

The British first began exploring Mount Everest in 1808. This was during the period of the great Trigonometric Survey of India. To determine the location and height of the mountain, they used giant theodolites, weighing up to 500 kg. They reached the foothills of the Himalayas in 1830. But conditions were difficult due to weather conditions and diseases. The season of heavy rains and malaria began, but despite this they were forced to continue observations. Three officers died of malaria, and two others had to retire due to deteriorating health.

It was only in 1856 that Andrei Vaugh measured the height of Mount Everest. According to his data, the height of the mountain was 8840 meters. They came to the conclusion that the mountain is the highest point in the world.

Their next task was to decide on the name of the peak, but they wanted to somehow preserve the local names: Kanchenjung or Dhaulagiri. But Waugh claimed that he was unable to find any commonly used local name that would appeal to both Nepalese and Tibetans. The most famous name of the mountain, which existed for several centuries, was Chomolungma. But Waugh argued that it would be difficult to find a consensus in favor of one specific name, and he proposed naming the peak XV George Everest. But George Everest himself was opposed to such a name for the peak. And another problem arose with the name George Everest. This name was translated in Hindi as “a native of India.” However, this name still prevailed, despite all the objections. And in 1865, the name was officially adopted by the Royal Geographical Society as “Everest”, the highest mountain in the world.

There are two main climbing routes: to the southeast ridge from Nepal and to the northeast ridge from Tibet. There were also many other routes; due to the enormous height of Mount Everest and the difficulty of climbing, they are rarely used. In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first to recognize fifteen routes to the summit of Mount Everest.

History of the ascent of Mount Everest

In 1885, Clinton Thomas Dent, who was the president of the Alpine Club, wrote in his book a description of the ascent of Mount Everest.

In 1921, the expedition was led by George Mallory. His first expedition was an exploratory one, not equipped for serious ascents. They were forced to descend the mountain due to their lack of preparation for the ascent.

In 1922, George Finch climbed using active oxygen, which showed the first excellent ascent speed of Everest, 290 meters per hour. Next, Mallory and Col-Felix-Nordon made a second attempt to conquer the heights. But on this expedition, seven people died; they were left under an avalanche.

In 1924, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine attempted to climb the Northeast Ridge to the summit; they never returned. In 1999, Mallory's body was discovered by a research expedition. This expedition achieved its goal, they conquered the heights and climbed to the top of Everest.

In 1953, the ninth British expedition led by John Hunt began its ascent to the peak. They had to return back to Nepal. They made two passes. Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans were the first pair to reach 100 meters and had to turn back. Next came the second run, two days later, by the pair of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. They reached the summit and conquered the height of Everest on May 29, 1953 at 11:30 am, through Southern route, stopped to unfurl the British flag and take photos at the top of the peak, were buried in the snow before descending from Everest,

In 1980, Reinhold Messner climbed to altitude over three days, completely alone, from base camp at 6,500 meters. He reached the mountain peak of Mount Everest, for the first time without supplemental oxygen.

1996 turned out to be the deadliest year in the history of Mount Everest. Where, trying to descend from the top, fifteen people died as a result of conquering the height.

In 2005, French pilot Didier Delsalle landed a helicopter on the top of Mount Everest.

In 2008, China laid 130 km of asphalt concrete pavement along a dirt road from Tingri County to Everest Base Camp. It has become the most expensive road surface in the world. The China Telecom company, near the base camp, has built a high cell tower that provides telephone coverage along the entire route to top of Mount Everest.

Mount Everest, other names Chomolungma (Chomolungma) or Sagarmatha, the highest peak in the world. Its height has been measured several times recently. Therefore, even in official materials there are three sets of numbers: 8848 m, 8850 m, 8844 m. The first of them is firmly embedded in our memory. The latter was measured from the Chinese side.

This question is not easy, because we are talking about the height of the highest mountain on Earth. And it is very correct that the interested parties agreed for the near future to conditionally consider the height to be 8848 meters.

Where does the British name come from?

The Himalayas is a very old word; this is what the Indo-Aryans have called and continue to call the highest mountains of the world for thousands of years. Maybe someone has already given a name to the highest peak of this mountainous country? Maybe this will open up over time.

Geologists believe that Everest began to form 60 million years ago, when the Indian plate began to collide with the Eurasian one. Himalayas and others mountainous areas Central Asia is recognized as the young mountains.

In the late 40s of the 19th century, English surveyors measured the heights of peaks located on the border of Tibet and Nepal. It was part of a larger effort to map the outskirts of Britain's Indian possessions and part of a "great game" directed against its rival for expansion in Asia, the Russian Empire. For quite a long time, the materials were processed for several years, only in 1856 a report appeared containing information that the peak numbered XV reaches a height of 29,002 feet or 8,840 meters. It must be said that at that time neither Nepal nor Tibet allowed foreigners into their territory. Therefore, measurements were carried out from a distance of 170 -190 km, from the tops of the border mountains. The error in this case is determined within 300 meters. So the accuracy was almost incredible.

English surveyors did not find an unambiguous local name, like, say, Kanchenjunga. They searched poorly, they just really wanted to name the peak after themselves. However, this could not be done without long discussions. Years passed and only in 1865 the head of geodetic services, Andrew Waugh, was able to come to an agreement with the Royal Geographical Society about naming the peak MountEverest. In honor of the merits of one of the most outstanding researchers in this region by George Everest (1790 - 1866).

George Everest ended up in India in 1806. At first he was an artillery cadet, then he was sent to the geodetic service. In 1818 Everest became assistant director, and in 1823 director of the GreatTrigonometricalSurvey. It was under his leadership that over the next 20 years, an unprecedented action at that time was carried out to survey Hindustan from the extreme South to the Pamirs. It was an outstanding work, a real breakthrough in the development of practical geodesy. So the name of the peak was given in honor of a worthy person.

It's funny that John Everest himself was of Welsh origin and called himself an Ivrist. But uphill in English transcription they immediately began to call him Everist. For the whole world, who speaks little English, it began to be called Everest... which, with a certain stretch, can be called “always resting.” Again, it is interesting that George himself had the nickname “Neverest” - “never resting”.

Note that Everest himself took part in a meeting on names in 1857 and spoke out against the use of his name. In his opinion, the name does not correspond well to local languages and cannot be learned by the natives.

Results of cartographic work

And the process

Or maybe it’s Gaurizankar?

The Schlaginweit brothers are true knights of science

In 1862, the German geographer and traveler Hermann Schlaginweit, after returning from Tibet, announced in Berlin that this peak had the local name Gaurizankar. It must be said that this message was favorably received by the world scientific community, which did not entirely agree with the fact that the highest peak in the world was so simply given an English name. Gradually the name Gaurizankar became generally accepted and almost everyone agreed with it. Even in England. An ardent supporter of the adoption of a local name in the name was Douglas Freshfield, a major authority in geography and mountaineering.

Freshfield was the first climber in the Caucasus (1868). In 1899 he conducted the first Himalayan expedition "Around Kanchenjunga". Together with Clinton, Dent was the first to express out loud the idea of the possibility and necessity of climbing Everest. But he called him Gaurizankar for a long time...

However, the specialists of the Indian Trigonometric Service did not give up. They stood their ground and had an advantage: the game took place “on their field and according to their rules.” At the beginning of the 20th century, special studies were carried out that provided facts that Gaurizankar is a completely different peak. The eternal confrontation between the British and Germans, which intensified at the beginning of the century, led to the fact that the matter also acquired a political character. On the eve of the World War, England fully adopted the name "Everest".

Francis Younghusband, the famous scout and traveler, took the Everest initiative into his own reliable hands in the 20th century...

And the final victory on a global scale occurred in the early 20s, when British expeditions hit the front pages of newspapers and the name became known to every cultured person. Although at the same time it became clear to almost everyone that the peak had a name, and it had been long before the arrival of the British. The Tibetans and Sherpas called the mountain "Chomolungma". Moreover, this name was also known in Europe. On maps made by French preachers at the end of the 18th century, the name Chumulankm was written. London geographers could not have known about this!

“Call me Chomolungma!”

So the struggle continued and continues now. The point of view of opponents of English names in the 20th century was supported by the national liberation forces of India. At a meeting of their Congress (parliament), they ridiculed the British, not wanting any mercy for the outgoing “big brother.” And the Chinese communists, together with their Soviet comrades, gave preference to the Tibetan word Chomolungma (in ours) or Chomolungma (in theirs, which is more correct). This is what our geography textbooks called the top of the world. Tenzing Norgay recognized her under this name as a boy; this is what the Sherpas and Tibetans living in the area call her.

However, the climbing world as a whole continues to use the name Everest... Nevertheless, the game continues. "Call me Chomolungma!" Appellez moi Chomolungma! - this slogan was put forward in 2002 in France. It did not have a big response and joined the general outline of the public struggle to preserve the identity of Tibet. It is in the nature of an anti-Chinese company. But for the French (I wonder if they read it as "Chomolungma") and a bit anti-English.

A little later, another name appeared: Sagarmatha. It was already introduced into use by the Nepalese authorities. They chose a Hindu-sounding word suitable for this occasion. Sagarmatha is called highest peak world official Nepalese documents, that's what it's called national park, organized at its foot.

The Sherpa people inhabiting the foot of the Mountain accepted all three names with philosophical calm. After all, human language is a process. And any object is called as people call it. In this case, Everest is 80 percent “Everest” and only the remaining 20 percent is Chomolungma, and almost zero is Sagarmatha. After all, his name is pronounced primarily by climbers. Or in the context of mountaineering.... And it is with the word Everest that the entire dramatic history of struggle and victories is connected, the story of Mallory and Irwin, Tenzing and Hillary, Messner and Bonington, Myslovsky and Balyberdin, many, many others...

The story that made the mountain come alive.

Anyone who has studied even a little geography has a rough idea of where Mount Everest is located. This is one of the most famous peaks of our planet, also known by the Tibetan name Chomolungma and the Nepalese name Sagarmatha.

Translated from Tibetan, Chomolungma means “Divine Mother, Giver of Life Energy.” In the Bon religious tradition, the patroness of the mountain is the goddess Sherab Jhamma, symbolizing the maternal principle. Among the people of Tibet, she is also known as "Jomo Gang Kar" - "The Most Holy Mother, White as Snow". This name is explained by the mountains in which Everest is located: the Himalayas are known for their harsh winters and frequent snowfalls.

The peak received its European name in honor of Sir George Everest. In the first half of the 19th century, he was appointed head of a geodetic expedition in areas of India occupied by British troops.

Geography

Any schoolchild knows exactly what continent Chomolungma is located on. It is part of the Himalayan mountain range and is part of the region known as the Khumbu Himal. There are two peaks in the mountain: North and South. The southern peak, 8760 m high, is located on the border of Tibet and Nepal, and its northern counterpart is located on the territory of China. People's Republic. In the case of the Northern Peak, the absolute height of the mountain is 8848 m.

The shape of Chomolungma resembles a triangular pyramid. The steepness of the southern slope is significantly greater, as a result of which the snow cover does not remain on it and it remains constantly bare. Everest is closely surrounded by mountains on all sides: it is connected to Lhotse by the South Col pass. A similar pass in the north connects the peak with Mount Changze. In the east is the insurmountable mountain wall of Kangashung. Melted glacial waters flow down all the slopes of Chomolungma, not reaching its foot for about 5 km.

The mountain is more than 60 million years old. It arose as a result of a noticeable movement of the Indian tectonic plate in relation to the Asian one. Because the region is seismically active, Everest's height increases by about a quarter of an inch each year.

The mountain is predominantly composed of sedimentary rocks. Strong hurricanes blow at its top: wind speeds sometimes exceed 200 km/h. Climbing Everest without special thermal clothing is simply impossible, because even at the height of summer average temperature air temperature here is no more than 0 °C. In winter, the thermometer often drops to -40 °C (at night the temperature can drop to -50 -60 °C).

For a long time there has been debate about in which country Mount Everest is located. Since 1959, it has been generally accepted that the mountain giant separates the territories of Nepal and China and is equally considered the national heritage of both states. The coordinates of Mount Chomolungma are 27°59′17″ N. w. 86°55′31″ E d.

Everest tragedies

Conquering Chomolungma remains the ultimate dream of most professional climbers. However, the highest mountain in the world does not always yield to the attempts of climbers to reach its peak. It is estimated that from the 1920s to the present time, at least 300 athletes with different levels of training and financial capabilities tried to do this. Only a few daredevils succeeded.

Conquering Everest where your life is at stake

Most extreme sports enthusiasts died during the ascent or descent from oxygen starvation, avalanches, snow avalanches, rockfalls and altitude sickness. At the same time, the circumstances of their death were sometimes simply terrifying: the mountain of death does not forgive the slightest mistake.

Even with the vast capabilities of modern civilization and almost perfect technology, it is not always possible to save climbers and even lower their corpses to the foot of the mountain. After all, helicopters cannot fly at such a height, and few people dare to carry bodies manually and risk their own lives. Therefore, in our time, modern climbers have to literally climb to the top over the corpses of their comrades, many of whom remain on the slopes for decades.

The most creepy and unusual stories The following are considered to be associated with climbing Chomolungma:

On the mountainside lie the remains of Irving and Mallory, the first climbers who, despite the natural elements, conquered inaccessible mountain back in 1924. However, on the way back they were overtaken by an inexorable death, caused either by oxygen starvation or frostbite. It is not possible to accurately determine this over the years, but athletes confirm that Mallory’s body can still be seen on southern slope Everest is a little off the trail. The action of wind and other natural conditions easily turned the corpse into almost a skeleton without flesh, producing a terrifying impression.
If you plan to ever climb Chomolungma, rely only on your strength and finances. The best equipment and reliable Sherpa guides are the guarantee that you will be able to return unharmed. After all, on the mountainside, everyone can only rely on themselves. This is well illustrated by the story of climbers from India who suffered from a snow storm while climbing. Their Japanese colleagues, who were rising at almost the same time, calmly walked past people begging for help, only to find them already dead on the way back.
Mystical story associated with the death of English climber David Sharp. He did not have enough money to buy spare equipment or pay for guides. Therefore, when his oxygen tank failed at an altitude of more than 8000 m, the unfortunate athlete simply lost consciousness and was left to die on the slope. Expeditions passed by him, absolutely indifferent to the spectacle of a dying man, hurrying to check in at the top of Everest. One of them was a group of well-equipped tourists from the mountaineering of Hall and Weber. They stepped over the corpse of Sharpe, who had been dying painfully for several days, with disgust, but were punished by some mystical powers. Just 100 meters before the summit, Weber’s vision failed and he was forced to turn back, after which he suddenly fell into the hands of a guide and died. His comrade Hall, an experienced rock climber, also felt unwell. Sherpas were sent to help him, but they were never able to bring him to his senses. Only a couple of days later, through the combined efforts of several expeditions, Hall was able to be rescued. He got off quite easily - with just frostbitten hands.
Chomolungma also became the last refuge for couples in love, the most famous of which are Russian climber Sergei Arsentiev and his American-born wife. Having climbed to the top of the mountain without oxygen, they practically set a new record. However, on the way back natural conditions They separated husband and wife, after which the exhausted Frances lay on the southern slope for a couple of days before her death. Attempts to save her were in vain, as they threatened the rescuers themselves with death. Sergei tried to save his beloved, but fell into the abyss. His body was later found in an unusual bowing position, as if he was praying to the mountain.

Ghosts of Everest

When climbing Chomolungma, even seasoned sports masters can be frightened not only by the numerous bodies of brave men who risked everything for the sake of mountaineering records, but also by their restless souls. Stories about the ghosts of Everest are very numerous, and the authorship of many of them belongs to quite sensible and skeptical climbers:

In 1975, one of the participants in the English expedition to Mount Ascot was climbing to the top on cables at night and suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a silently moving silhouette behind him. He did not make a sound and stopped along with the frightened athlete. Worried, Escot contacted the camp and learned that no one had left it. However, immediately after the British left, a television cameraman tragically died at the base.
In 2004, climber Dorje, while descending, saw more than 10 translucent silhouettes stretching out their hands to him and begging for food and warmth. Since then, those who dare to confront the natural elements on Everest scatter rice grains, burn juniper branches and pray when climbing. It is believed that this alleviates the suffering of the restless souls of dead climbers.
The famous Italian climber Massner climbed Chomolungma independently and without additional oxygen equipment. Having walked two-thirds of the way to the top, at the site of the death of the first conquerors of the peak in 1924, he saw two translucent figures beckoning to him and eager to eat and warm up. The frightened climber hastened to retreat, mistaking them for hallucinations.

Modern esotericists believe that the thin air and extreme environment of Everest awaken paranormal abilities in a person and provide access to another dimension.

Organization of tours to Chomolungma

The easiest way to get to Everest is to buy air tickets to Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal) for 480 USD – 550 USD. The flight duration is about 11 hours. Visa foreign tourists It is issued directly at the airport, but it is advisable to take a passport photo with you. Its cost is 15 USD for 15 days and 40 USD for 30 days.

After arrival, you can rent a car and drive to one of the base camps: North, which is located on the border with Tibet, or South, located in Nepal. average price climbing the most big mountain planet is approximately:

30,000 USD if you are going to make the climb on your own or with a small organized group of climbers;
60,000 USD if you decide to use the services of a tour operator;
90,000 USD, if you want to make the climb as comfortable and safe as possible (the cost of wireless Internet and telephone communication is included).

This price does not include the services of Sherpa guides, with whom it is better to negotiate on the spot. However, these amounts include a fee from the Nepalese government for all climbers coming to Qomolangma. Depending on the season and the number of expedition members, this tax can be 11,000 USD – 25,000 USD.

Climbing Everest will remain one of the most vivid memories of your life, but do not forget that one wrong step can cost you your life.

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