Whose mountain is Everest? The dizzying height of Everest. Facts about Chomolungma

Everest is one of the peaks where the most people have died, but every year thousands of people still visit Nepal and Tibet to conquer it. Since 1856, when the mountain was opened for climbing, more than 4,000 climbers have reached its peak, and today, when money spent on professional equipment and high-tech equipment makes climbing much easier, more than 600 people conquer the peak every year.

After two seasons when avalanches prevented any ascents - in 2014 and 2015 - the situation is returning to normal. Climbers are already gathering at the base camp, aiming for the peak this season, and we have prepared interesting facts about the peak itself. high mountain on the ground.

1. Its top reaches flight altitude cruise ship- and getting higher

The official height of Everest is 8,848 m, which is only a couple of hundred meters lower than the flight altitude of jets. passenger airliners. And every year the mountain grows a little more than half a centimeter. It is now about 41cm higher than it was in 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first reached its summit. This is due to the collision of tectonic plates, which continue to push out a giant block of stone up to the heavens.

But, although Everest is recognized as the highest peak above sea level, the highest mountain world, measured from base to summit, is the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii. Its height from the base is more than 10,200 m, but only 4,200 above sea level.

2. Everest has never seen this mountain

Mount Everest was first discovered during the Great Trigonometric Survey of the Himalayas in 1841 and was named Peak XV. Andrew Scott Waugh declared it the world's highest peak in 1856 and gave it a new name in honor of Corporal George Everest, who began the said exploration but retired without ever seeing the mountain.

Many prefer to call her by traditional names - the Tibetan "Chomolungma", which means "Divine Mother of the Universe", or the Nepalese "Sagarmatha" ("goddess of the sky").

3. Climbing is limited by winds

You can conquer Everest within a period of at best a couple of weeks a year, because most of the time at the top there are winds that reach speeds of more than 320 km/h.

Twice a year, in May and November, the wind blows to the north and the air at the summit calms, but with temperatures of -30ºC in winter and -20ºC in late spring, most climbing is done over a couple of weeks in May.

4. Lifting safety has been greatly improved

By June 2017, Everest had been summited 8,306 times by 4,833 different people, and 288 people had died en route to the summit - giving us about 29 successful ascents for every climber that ended in death. About half of the deaths were caused by avalanches and falls, and altitude sickness was responsible for another 20 percent of deaths.

But improvements in equipment, weather forecasting and the skill of climbers have reduced the level of danger, and since 2000 there have been 60 successful ascents for every climber killed.

5. There are 18 routes to the top - but one of them is still too popular

There are 18 different routes to the summit of Everest, but only two of them, along the southeastern (Nepalese) and northern (Tibetan) ridges, are used regularly. On these routes, traffic jams even form on the days of ascent.

Each year, more than 10,000m of fixed ropes help climbers climb the Nepalese route, which has become so popular that at one point more than 150 climbers were forced to wait in a long line to reach the summit.

6. One breath at sea level is equal to three at the top

The oxygen content of the air at the summit is three times lower than at sea level, so few people attempt to conquer it without supplemental oxygen - 97.5 percent of all ascents were made with it. Climbers usually start using it as they approach the "death zone", around the 8000m mark, but given the weight of the canisters, the amount of supplemental oxygen available is very limited and is usually sufficient to provide the sensations associated with the 7000m level.

As a result, many suffer from high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), which leads to difficulty speaking, confusion, decreased coordination, hallucinations and reduced decision-making ability. All these symptoms are very dangerous in the “death zone”.

7. To begin the ascent, you need to receive a blessing

Before heading to the summit, climbers must seek protection from the mountain gods in a traditional Puja ceremony performed at base camp by a Buddhist lama and two or more monks.

The ceremony begins with the construction of a cairn and the hanging of prayer flags, after which offerings are made to the gods, equipment is blessed, and handfuls of rice and flour are thrown into the air.

8. The message about the first ascent was coded

The successful 1953 expedition was covered exclusively by The London Times, and publishing the report ahead of others was so important to them that the reporter used a code to convey the message to the editors.

On the day the first climbers reached the summit, reporter James Morris sent a telegram to the editor that read: “Poor snow conditions, advanced base abandoned 29th awaiting improvement.”

In this code, “poor snow conditions” meant “summit reached,” “advanced base abandoned” meant “Hillary,” and “expect improvement” meant “Tenzing,” so it should have been interpreted as: “Summit reached May 29 by Hillary and Tenzing.”

9. Climbing requires serious investment

Climbing as part of an organized group will cost from 22 to 68 thousand euros - with a foreign guide or, as is increasingly happening, with a team consisting exclusively of Nepalese (according to the study www.alanarnette.com ). To climb without a group you will need more than 80 thousand euros, and you can also join Dave Hahn, who has summited the peak 15 times, for about 92 thousand euros.

From the first successful ascent in 1953 until the end of the past millennium, the summit was climbed an average of 25 times a year. Between 2000 and 2017, that number was 16 times higher, with 415 ascents per season. In 2017, 1,062 people started the route from base camp, and 648 of them (61 percent) reached the summit. This is only slightly less than the 2013 record, when 658 people conquered Everest.

In recent seasons, the number of climbers from India and China has increased significantly, joining the ranks of Americans, Europeans and residents South-East Asia, among whom Everest is traditionally popular. It is expected that there will only be more people wanting to reach the top.

11. Hillary and Tenzing aren't the only legends in their families.

Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made their names in history as the first conquerors of Everest, but their successors in the mountaineering path, Peter and Jamling, also deserve recognition.

Peter made the climb in 1990, making Hillary the first father and son to each summit Everest. Jamling reached the summit six years later, in 1996. The second time they climbed it together was in 2002.

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

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

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

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

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

Mount Everest (Christopher Michel / flickr.com)

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

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

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

Where is Mount Everest (Qomolungma)?

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

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

Summit of Everest

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

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

Geographical characteristics

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

View of Everest (Christopher Michel / flickr.com)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How was Everest formed?

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

Top of Chomolungma (jo cool / flickr.com)

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

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

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

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

Everest Education Scheme

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

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

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

Ecology: garbage left by climbers, bodies of the dead

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

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

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

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

A place with a view of Everest

Thanks to the efforts of the www.AirPano.com team, it became possible virtual walk by Everest. AirPano specializes in virtual tours, filmed in high resolution bird's-eye. Below is a panorama overlooking Everest.

Trying to answer the question: where is Everest located and in which country will you need to say a lot. Everest is located in the Himalayas, everyone knows this. But not many people know what they are.

And with Everest itself, not everything is simple, since the immediate peak of Everest is located on the territory of the People's Republic of China, but it can be reached not only from China. After all, the base of the mountain is located on the territory of two countries - Nepal and China. Accordingly, the routes of conquest come from different directions.

Everest location

In the southern part of central Asia, north of the Bay of Bengal, separating the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, there is a huge mountain range being the highest on the entire planet.

This is the Himalayas, where 10 of the 14 highest mountains in the world are located, exceeding eight thousand meters in height. The four remaining eight-thousanders are located in the Karakoram system, which adjoins Tibet on the western side. Both the Himalayas and Karakoram mountain systems include several mountain ranges that are simultaneously in different countries ah and are the boundaries of their territories. In the Himalayas these are the Mahalangur Himal, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Nangaparbat, Annapurna and Langtang ranges. On different sides of insurmountable ridges lived people not only of different nationalities, but also of different ways of life, different faiths and speaking different languages. And naturally they called “their” mountains in their own way, without even thinking that the people living on the other side gave them “their” names.

This happened with the largest mountain range, the Mahalangur Himal, on one side of which lived the Nepalese and on the other the Tibetans. Moreover, both Nepalese and Tibetans, without even knowing that between them there is the highest mountain range and the highest mountain in the world, deified this peak. The Tibetans called her Chomolungma, which translated means “Holy Mother” or “Goddess - Mother of the Earth”, this name was given to her by the name of Sherab Zhamma, the goddess of the national religion of the Tibetans. The Nepalese called the mountain “Jomo Kang Kar”, which means “Lady of the White Snows”.

Where is Mount Everest?

Everest is nothing more than the highest part of the Mahalangur Himal range, a mountain range called the Khumbu Himal. And these are several peaks, the two highest of which are the main ones.

Oddly enough, it is quite difficult to understand where Everest is, even if you are almost in close proximity to it. This is due to the fact that Everest is surrounded the highest peaks. The main northern peak of Everest itself has the shape of a triangular pyramid. Its southern slope is steeper, so freshly fallen snow and even last year’s blackened snow, called firn, does not linger on the slope itself and its edges, so this side is usually bare. The height of the North-Eastern ridge is 8393 meters.

On the southern side of Everest, across the 7906 m South Col pass, is Lhotse Peak - 8516 meters, which is sometimes mistakenly called the South Peak.
To the north, beyond the steep North Col with a height of 7020 m, there is Changze Peak - 7543 meters.
In the east of the massif there is a completely impassable steep cliff wall called Kangshung - this is 3350 meters of almost vertical rock.

The height of Everest itself from the base to the top is exactly the same - 3550 meters. Glaciers descend from the massif in all directions, ending at an altitude of about 5 km. Part of Chomolungma located on the territory of Nepal is part of the Nepalese Sagarmatha National Park.

Name of the highest mountain in the world

It is noteworthy that the name of the highest mountain in the world, Chomolungma, was first recorded in writing on a map in 1717. This map was made by French Jesuit missionaries who visited Tibet at that time. However, the map was a sketchy map, it did not have elevation marks and did not receive wide publicity, and the name Chomolungma did not attract the attention of geographers of that time.

The European name of the mountain, Everest, appeared much later. At the beginning of the 19th century in India, which was then a British colony, the Royal Geographical Society began to conduct thorough geodetic surveys. George Everest served in the British East India Company that carried out this survey. Having served for over 37 years from 1806 to 1843 as the Chief Surveyor of India, George Everest created Indian geodesy and cartography almost from scratch. For which in 1827 he became a member of the Royal Geographical Society. Having risen to the rank of colonel, George Everest returned to his homeland in 1843 and continued to work at the Royal Geographical Society. For special services in 1861 he was awarded a knighthood. And from 1862 to 1865 he was vice-president of the Royal Geographical Society.

After himself in India, George Everest left a worthy successor, Andrew Waugh, who continued his work. Before this, maps of almost all of India were created. The mountainous regions located to the north were of great interest; the highest peaks of the mountain range were located there. However, since the territory of Nepal was then closed to foreigners, surveyors carried out measurements from a distance. The geodetic instruments at their disposal even then made it possible to do this.

Andrew Waugh attracted to this work the gifted Bengali mathematician Radhanath Sikdar, who was educated at the College in Calcutta and on the recommendation of college teacher John Tytler, at the age of 19, who was accepted by George Everest into the expedition as a “computer” with a meager salary of 30 rupees per month. For the most a short time Sikdar recommended himself as a specialist with a high level of geodetic skill. Moreover, it was he who created new techniques for studying heights at a distance. By the way, among his achievements was a formula for converting barometer readings taken at different temperatures to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which is still used today.

In 1852, Andrew Waugh commissioned Sikdar to measure the snowy peaks in the Darjeeling region where the British built a hill station and near which is the Kanchenjunga peak (8598 m), then considered the highest in the entire Himalayan mountain system. After six measurements from different positions, Sikdar came to the conclusion that the height indicated on the map as Peak XV, located almost 200 kilometers from Darjeeling, is higher than Kanchenjunga Peak by as much as 250 meters. It turned out that the height of Peak XV is 8848 meters above sea level and this peak is the highest on earth. He reported this to his supervisor. However, this information was published only a few years later, after repeated verification and reconciliation with other sources.

According to the rules established by George Everest, this mountain had to be given a local name. However, neither Andrew Waugh nor his employees knew what it was called, and therefore, paying tribute to his former boss, Andrew proposed to name this peak after George Everest. With this name, the last created map was sent to Britain, to the Royal Geographical Society. And Peak XV was officially given the name Everest.

This name was not accepted in the Soviet Union for quite a long time, and on maps published in the USSR this peak was listed as Chomolungma almost until 1985. Likewise, the Nepalese government did not recognize the Chinese name Qomolangma and in 1965 the Nepalese gave it their own name “Sagarmatha” meaning “Heavenly Peak”. This confusion existed until recently, until a compromise was found in the cartographic world. Now on modern maps this entire mountain range is called Chomolungma, and the peak, 8848 m high, is designated Everest (Sagarmatha). The area adjacent to the peak north of Kathmandu, with an area of 1,148 square kilometers, has been declared Sagarmatha National Park since 1976.

History of conquest

It is believed that mountaineering as a sport dates back to the first ascent of Mont Blanc by Michel-Gabriel Packard and Jacques Balmat on August 8, 1786. Since then, August 8 has been celebrated around the world as International Climber Day. And although the height of Mont Blanc is only 4810 meters, at that time it was a feat. And at the same time, it was a start to conquering higher peaks. Very quickly there were many followers of Michel and Jacques who, despite deadly danger, lacking experience and the necessary equipment, began to climb famous peaks, reaching higher and higher. So in 1799 A. Humboldt climbed the Chimborazo peak at a height of 5800 meters in South America. In 1829, the guide of the expedition of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Killar Khashirov, alone climbed Elbrus at a height of 5642 meters. In 1907, T. Longstaff and X. Broquereli conquered the seven-thousander Trisul 7123 m.

So, one after another, all the European peaks were conquered, and then all the famous peaks of America, Africa, and New Zealand. But the desperate daredevils did not stop there. A dream arose to climb the “Roof of the World,” as mountaineers dubbed the Himalayas, including the highest mountain on our planet - Everest Peak. There have been many attempts to climb the peaks of the Himalayas and Karakoram. Moreover, teams from different countries “mastered” different picks. So the Germans tried to conquer Kanchenjunga and Nanga Parbat, the Americans and Italians stormed Chogori, and the British stubbornly tried to take Everest.

The British Geographical Society specifically created the Everest Committee, whose task was to organize expeditions to Everest. The British developed a plan to climb the highest mountain in the world back in 1893, but the first time they tried to climb Everest was only in 1921. At that time, Nepal was ruled by Maharaja Chandra Shamshera from the Rana family and any mountaineering by foreigners was prohibited. The Tibetans also did not immediately agree to allow the British into their territory, and only at the insistence of the Viceroy of India, the Dalai Lama agreed to allow the English expedition to Chomolungma. Therefore, it was decided to storm Everest not from the Nepalese side, but from the north, from Tibet. The point where the expedition was equipped was the city of Darjeeling, in West Bengal. From Darjeeling, the route ran first to the northeast, in order to go around Nepal from the east, and then through the territory of Tibet to the west along the Nepalese border. In total, the expedition covered almost 500 km from Darjeeling to the foot of Everest.

The first expedition was led in 1921 by Colonel Howard Bury. In addition to the climbers, the expedition included a geologist and two topographers. This expedition turned out to be a reconnaissance expedition, which determined the route along which it was possible to get to the foot of Chomolungma and then climb to the peak. In addition, due to the peculiarities of the climate, the most convenient time of year was established to avoid winds and monsoons, as well as the condition of the snow allowing ascent. According to their calculations, the ascent should be made only during a period of relatively stable meteorological conditions, that is, in May - June (before the monsoons) and in September - November (after the monsoons). Here they are, Participants of the 1921 expedition. From left to right stand: A.F.R. Wollaston, Charles Howard-Bury, Alexander Heron, Harold Raeburn seated: George Mallory, Oliver Wheeler, Guy Bullock, Henry T. Morshead.

The second expedition was organized in 1922. They set off at the end of May. The expedition was led by General Bruce. Along the route planned in 1921, from Darjeeling to the start of the ascent, everything needed was delivered on pack yaks, and then to the lower camp at the foot of Everest, Tibetan porters carried all the property on themselves. Then the role of porters was played by Nepalese from the Sherpa tribe, who live in the mountains and are accustomed to thin air. The Sherpa tribe subsequently began to provide all Himalayan expeditions with guides and porters, which became their profession.

The ascent route was determined along the Rongbuk glacier, then along the slope to the North Col, where an intermediate camp was established, and then along the northern ridge and northern slope. During the first attempt, we rose to a height of 8138 m. During the second attempt, we reached 8321 m. There was still another 519 m to climb to the top, which was only 1 km horizontally. But a strong wind arose, and the main climbers Bruce and Finch, despite oxygen equipment, developed altitude sickness and had to descend to the lower camp.

On June 6, the last attempt was made to climb from the lower camp to the North Col. 3 climbers and 14 Sherpa porters went on the assault. They walked in four groups. The upper two ligaments were not damaged, but 7 Sherpas died in the lower ones. This tragedy once again confirmed the correctness of Howard Bury's assumption that climbing avalanche slopes after the onset of the monsoon is very dangerous.

The next attempt to climb the highest mountain in the world was made in 1924. The expedition was again led by General Bruce. However, on the way he fell ill with malaria and Norton led the ascent group. Like the last time, Sherpa porters lifted all the necessary equipment to the Northern ridge to a height of 8170 m. They set up an upper camp there and began the ascent from there. Two men, Norton and Sommervell, went on the assault. We walked without oxygen equipment. At an altitude of 8540 m, Sommerwell stopped unable to go further. Norton climbed alone to a height of 8573 m and also abandoned further ascent. The climbers, severely frostbitten, with great difficulty descended to the upper camp, and then with the help of Sherpas down.

In the same year, the Englishmen Mallory and Irwin tried once again to make the ascent. We walked with oxygen devices. But they also failed. Having reached approximately an altitude of 8500 meters, they died, most likely falling off the cliffs. During an expedition in 1933, an ice ax belonging to one of them was found at this height. The expedition turned out to be extremely unsuccessful, because another Englishman and one of the Tibetan porters died. After Everest took the lives of the best English climbers, for a long time no one dared to repeat their attempts. Here are these brave pioneers: Irwin and Mallory are standing on the left, Somervell is sitting third from the left.

After everything that happened, the Dalai Lama forbade these attempts, and only in 1933 did the Everest Committee succeed in resuming the expedition to Everest.

The participants of the first expeditions were no longer able to participate in this due to their age; the expedition was led by Ruttledge, and almost the entire team was new. The ascent was carried out along the same route through the North Col. The Sherpas lifted the entire load to a height of 8350 m, from where the ascent began once again. As a result of two attempts, a height of 8565 m was reached. Then, due to strong winds, it was decided to stop the assault.

In the same 1933, the British organized an expedition over Everest by plane; before that, no airplane had ever attempted this. Two Westland biplanes took part. The first P.V.3 (G-ACAZ) was flown by Marcus Douglas, with Lieutenant Colonel Steward Blaker flying as observer. The second, Westland P.V.6 Wallace (G-ACBR), was piloted by David McIntyre, with photographer Sydney Bonnet flying in the rear cockpit. The planes had aerial cameras for mapping. The crews had oxygen apparatus. Warm clothes protected them from the cold. During the second flight, aerial photographs were taken.

In 1934, an attempt to climb Everest was made by 34-year-old Englishman Maurice Wilson, whom many considered not entirely normal. He imagined that it was possible to climb Everest only after a three-week fast, during which a person would cleanse himself of earthly filth and strengthen his body and spirit. At first, he wanted to fly to Everest by plane, land on its slope, and then climb to the top on foot. But in India, the British authorities detained his plane.

Then he and three Sherpa guides, dressed in Tibetan clothes, reached Everest on foot. He managed to climb to the third base camp of the early expeditions, from where he made several ascent attempts. But since he had no mountaineering experience at all, his mind couldn’t do it. Seeing this, the Sherpas left. Left alone and eating the remnants of food from the previous expedition, he continued his attempts, which were in vain. As a result, he froze in this third base camp. His remains and diary were found by members of the next expedition in 1935.

Such attempts to enter Tibet and climb Everest without permission from the authorities were made twice after that. So in 1947, the Canadian Denman and his porters reached the third camp, but could not even climb the North Col. The same fate befell the Dane Larsen in 1951. By the way, Denman’s guide was Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who later in 1953 took part in the victorious ascent and was the first to climb the peak.

In 1935, another British expedition was organized under the command of Shipton. The purpose of this expedition was not the climb to the top itself, but to find out the conditions on the slopes during the monsoon, is the snow compacted on the slopes? In July, they climbed the North Col, but when they saw that part of the slope had been demolished by an avalanche, they abandoned further attempts. But they did not waste time and in two months they successfully climbed 26 peaks located around Everest, including five of which exceeded 7000 m.

In 1936, Ruttledge and Shipton and their team again attempted to climb Everest from the north. The ascent took place in the spring. They climbed safely along their previous route to the North Col, but unusually early, on April 22, the monsoon blew, and when attempting to climb the col, Shipton miraculously escaped an avalanche. The ascent had to be stopped.

1938, a new English expedition led by Tilman again goes to storm Everest. The preparations were carried out especially carefully. Six camps were set up along the route. Sherpa porters lifted the entire load to the upper sixth camp at an altitude of 8290 m. However, it snowed heavily and a deep, loose snow cover formed, which filled all the ice crevices and depressions, and severe frost hit, so the climb to the top had to be cancelled.

Then the Second began World War and there was no time for getting up. And after the war, the Tibetan government did not give permission for the expedition for a long time. And only in 1950, under pressure from the British government, Nepal allowed expeditions to be carried out on their territory. Beginning in 1950, the British and French equipped expeditions to study eastern Nepal. And in the same year, the Frenchmen Mauriceau Herzog and Louis Lachenal conquered the first eight-thousander Annapurna, 8075 meters high.

In 1950, the Americans joined the research. In the fall of 1950, an American expedition, in which the Englishman Tillman participated, approached Everest from the south and carefully examined it southern slopes. The approach from the south to the base of Everest was much more difficult than the northern one, but the section above 7000 meters, on the contrary, was easier and, according to the conclusion of the expedition, the assault on the peak from the south side could be successful.

The following year, 1951, the Everest Committee equipped an expedition under the command of Shipton to study the possibility of climbing Everest from the south. As a result of a long, difficult search, a route was chosen through the left branch of the Khumbu glacier, to the South Col and then to the top along the South-East ridge. However, this expedition itself did not make the ascent due to the fact that the search convenient place It took too long to climb and winter was already approaching.

In 1952, a Swiss expedition led by Wyss-Dunant followed this route. In addition to the climbers, the expedition included a geologist, a botanist and an ethnographer. They safely climbed the South Col and walked along the Southeast Ridge. At 8405 meters, an upper camp was set up, in which the Swiss Lambert and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay rested and went up the next day. However, they were only able to climb to a height of 8600 m, because their oxygen devices failed and they had to stop climbing. In the autumn of the same year, the Swiss repeated their attempt to climb, but frost of more than 40° and strong winds on the South-East ridge did not make it possible to continue the ascent. In addition, one Sherpa died during the descent.

The first conquerors of Everest

At that time, there was a concept according to which climbing the highest mountains in the world was proof of the advantage and priority of a certain nation. Therefore, each country separately equipped its expeditions to the highest peak. But considering that the government of Nepal allowed foreigners to conduct only one expedition per year, and teams from different countries had their own climbing experience, it was decided to create an international expedition. The British Everest Committee invited the most famous climbers from other countries at that time to take part in the expedition, including New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who last year climbed with Lambert to a height of 8600 m.

John Hunt was appointed head of the expedition. In total, the expedition included about 400 people, including 20 Sherpa guides and 362 porters, because the weight of equipment that had to be carried to the summit site was more than 10,000 pounds. Tensing led the porters, and was also a porter and a member of the ascent group.

The ascent began in the spring. Already in March, the base camp was established, and a little later, at an altitude of 7890 meters, the final camp. John Hunt appointed two groups of main climbers: the first group - Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans, the second group - Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Edmund Hillary did not want to go with Tenzing, but together with his friend George Lowe, and only after much persuasion did he agree.

On May 26, Bourdillon and Evans were the first to go on the assault, but on the way Evans’ oxygen apparatus failed, and a stormy wind blew and snow began to fall, they were forced to return. For two days the weather prevented us from starting a new attempt. And only on May 28, Hillary and Tenzing, with three accompanying people, set off on their journey. A tent was set up at 8500 meters. This was the eighth assault camp. The accompanying people returned downstairs, and Hillary and Tenzing stayed overnight in a tent.

In the morning it turned out that Hillary, who took off his boots at night and put them under his head, they were completely frozen and it took them two hours to defrost them over the flame of the primus and knead them. When Hillary was able to put on his shoes, it was already six thirty minutes in the morning, it was time to hit the road. This is how Tenzing described it in his memoirs: “It was May 29, half past seven in the morning. The air is clear, there is silence all around. We pulled three pairs of gloves onto our hands: first silk, then wool, and canvas on top of them. They put crampons on their legs and oxygen devices weighing sixteen kilograms on their backs. I tightly wrapped four flags around the ice ax: Nepal, India, the United Nations and Great Britain. In my jacket pocket there was a small, chewed piece of my daughter’s colored pencil.”

They walked along the route alternately, with first one and then the other walking ahead. The climb to the South Summit was a continuous snow wall of loose snow that was constantly crumbling. My feet kept slipping, every minute I could slide down, this was the most difficult part of the path. By nine o'clock we climbed to the South Peak. There was only 300 feet to go along a narrow ridge, to the left and right of which there were chasms more than 8,000 feet deep, and between them a narrow ridge. Slowly, supporting each other, we walked along the ridge. The last obstacle was a huge rock on the ridge. We climbed the rock with difficulty and rested for a while. After which, having overcome several snow drifts, we found ourselves on the last snowdrift behind which there was nothing but the blue sky. This was the top. The clock showed 11:30 am.

They stayed at the top for only 15 minutes. During this time they planted the flags, Hillary photographed Tenzing. There is no photo of Hillary at the top. Whether Tenzing could not use the camera, or Hillary himself did not want to be photographed is not clear. Well, Tenzing also put his daughter Nima’s pencil and a bag of sweets in the snow as an offering to the gods. Having already gone downstairs, Hillary and Tensing took a photo together. Here is a photo that has spread all over the world

The heroes of this expedition received worldwide recognition. Queen Elizabeth II received this news on the day of her coronation and granted knighthood to Edmund Hillary and John Hunt. Tenzing Norgay was awarded the St. George's Medal. They said that Elizabeth II wanted to make him a knight, but since he belonged to the lower Sherpa caste, Jawaharlal Nehru, who was the Prime Minister of India at that time, forbade Tenzing to receive a knighthood.

But the King of Nepal, Gribuban, awarded Tenzing the highest order of Nepal - the Nepal Star and put his personal plane at his disposal, on which Tenzing and his family flew to New Delhi. And then Tenzing and his wife were in London at a reception with the Queen. After this, a school of high-mountain mountaineering was founded in Darjeeling, and Tenzing Norgay became its director.

The fate of the heroes turned out differently. Tenzing Norgay did not take part in any more climbs. The mountaineering school was transformed into the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Tenzing served as its director until 1976. In 1976 he retired. He also visited the Soviet Union.

Sir Edmund Hillary, after conquering the third pole of the Earth, began polar exploration. He led the New Zealand expedition to Antarctica. In 1958 he led the first expedition to the South Pole. In 1960, he organized the creation of the New Zealand Scott Base in Antarctica. Returning to Nepal in 1960, he dealt with issues of social welfare for the people of Nepal. Helped build schools and hospitals. Organized the construction of two airfields, which contributed to the development tourism business in Nepal. Enjoying great prestige among the Nepalese government, he organized the creation of a national park in the foothills of Everest, for which he was later awarded the title of “Honorary Citizen of Nepal.” Until the end of his life, Edmund Hillary was involved in environmental issues and organizing humanitarian aid the population of Nepal.

A team of Soviet climbers first climbed Everest in 1982, becoming the 25th expedition to reach the summit. 17 of the best athletes were selected for the USSR national team, which was to climb Everest.

The climbers for the ascent were divided into four teams:

Eduard Myslovsky, Nikolai Cherny, Vladimir Balyberdin, Vladimir Shopin;
Valentin Ivanov, Sergey Efimov, Mikhail Turkevich, Sergey Bershov;
Ervand Ilyinsky, Sergey Chepchev, Kazbek Valiev, Valery Khrishchaty;
Vyacheslav Onishchenko, Valery Khomutov, Vladimir Puchkov, Alexey Moskaltsov, Yuri Golodov.

The ascent was carried out along a more difficult route from the southwestern side, which no one had previously attempted to climb. The preparation time was almost a month and a half. On March 21, at an altitude of 5340 m, the main base camp was set up, from which the processing of routes and the preparation of high-altitude camps began. Only by May 3, routes were processed and six camps were equipped: on March 21, an intermediate camp at an altitude of 6100m; March 22 1st camp at an altitude of 6500m; March 31, 2nd camp at an altitude of 7350m; April 12, 3rd camp at an altitude of 7850m; March 18 4th camp at an altitude of 8250m and May 3rd assault camp at an altitude of 8500m. When everything was carefully prepared, the teams went to storm the peak.

We walked with a time gap, so two groups climbed to the peak at night. Several climbers were injured. In total, 11 people climbed the peak.

The Soviet flag was planted on the highest mountain in the world, and the USSR government was informed that the ascent of a group of Soviet climbers to Everest was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the USSR.

All expedition participants received the title of Honored Masters of Sports. No other expedition went along this route.

Russian climbers have visited the highest peak of the world more than once. So in 1990, as part of the “Peace Expedition” organized by the American Jim Whittaker, the Russian woman Ekaterina Ivanova climbed Mount Everest. In 1992, a team of Lada Everest climbers from Togliatti, consisting of 32 people, climbed to the top and planted the flag of Russia and AvtoVAZ there.

In 1995, a team of Russians dedicated their ascent to Everest in honor of the 50th victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. They were the first to climb through the North Col. The flag of the USSR was raised on the peak, which was presented to the veterans of the Great Patriotic War upon their return home.

In the spring of 2004, a group of 20 Russian climbers from several cities: Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don, Tolyatti, Krasnoyarsk, Novokuznetsk, Kirov, Podolsk climbed to the top along the center of the North Face - this is the most difficult route among all the ascents.

Since the first ascent of Everest, more than four thousand climbers have climbed. And although they say that the ascent to Everest Peak is now on stream, more than 500 people take part in the ascent every year, there is no guarantee that it will go well. More than two hundred climbers died on its slopes, in gorges and in snowy abysses. But, despite these sacrifices, the number of people who want to visit the third pole not only does not decrease, but increases every year. They face enormous difficulties involving the risk of their lives, but they strive to reach this peak so that they can look at the planet from the roof of the world for a few minutes.

Is there a mountain higher than Chomolungma?

Until recently, each of us would have answered this question without thinking. But now everything has changed, because scientists managed to prove that Everest not only lost ground, but also handed over the palm to another peak.

Which mountain is considered the highest?

The mountain above Everest is called Mauna Kea and is located on one of the Hawaiian Islands. Being a former volcano, the highest peak is distinguished by a favorable climate and calm disposition. This is truly an amazing place.

Being far from the city, Mauna Kea allows for scientific observations of celestial bodies. On its slopes there are 13 telescopes from different countries - the Japanese Subaru Telescope, NASA infrared telescopes, the Keck Interferometer telescope, etc. To observe the work of this large-scale research center, just connect to a webcam that shoots video in real time. There are also several protected areas on the territory of Mauna Kea.

Geographical data

On the world map, Mauna Kea can be found using the following geographical coordinates: 19.822098 north latitude and -155.467083 west longitude. The absolute height of this mountain is 10,203 m, which is 1355 m more than the height of Chomolungma. The peak of Mauna Kea is located at an altitude of 4,205 m above sea level, but the rest is hidden in the Pacific Ocean.

The tallest mountain in the world has a long and eventful history. During the period of its existence, which is about 1 million years, it was able to become sacred. The ancients believed that sacred spirits lived at the top of the mountain, so only tribal leaders could climb it.

Now Mauna Kea or White Mountain, so named because of the large amount of snow, is Hawaii's main attraction. Hundreds of thousands of tourists come here every year to admire its beauty and go skiing.

About the history of the conquest of Everest in the article -

TOP 8 highest mountains

The most high mountains in the world are represented by a list that makes up the so-called 7 Peaks Club. Let's take a short excursion to each of these places.

Chomolungma (Everest)

Height – 8848 m. Location – China (Asia). As you can see in the photo, Everest has the shape of a triangular pyramid. The first ascent to its peak was made by two daredevils - New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Having climbed Chomolungma on May 29, 1953, they became national heroes. Of course, the mountain has such a harsh climate that climbing it is accompanied by incredible difficulties.

Aconcagua

Height – 6962 m. Location – Andes (Argentina). Translated from English the name of this extinct volcano means "stone guardian". The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1897 by E. Fitzgerald.

McKinley

Height – 6168 m. Location – Alaska ( North America). Named in honor of the 25th President of the United States. The Russian traveler L.A. was the first to study McKinley. Zagoskin. He became its discoverer, conquering the top of the mountain in 1896.

Kilimanjaro

Height – 5,891.8 m. Location – Tanzania (Africa). For the first time this mountain, which is active volcano, was conquered in 1889 by G. Meyer. Its top is covered with a snow-white ice cap, which decreases in size every year. According to scientists, by 2200 there will be no snow left on Kilimanjaro at all. During the ascent you can see everything climatic zones existing on the planet. Along the road to the top, here and there small huts intended for rest are scattered.

Elbrus

Height – 5642 m. Location – Kabardino-Balkaria (Russia). The first conquest of Elbrus took place in 1829. Occupying an honorable 4th place on the world map, the mountain has good developed infrastructure and is one of the popular mountaineering destinations. In addition, Elbrus occupies an important place in the preservation of the natural landscape - meltwater flowing from its slopes feeds the most large rivers North Caucasus– Malku, Baksan and Kuban.

Vinson Massif

Height – 4897 m. Location – Antarctica. Named after Carl Vinson, an American politician who sponsored the study of the coldest continent on Earth. The first who decided to conquer the top of this mountain was Nicholas Clinch, who made his ascent in 1966. Due to weather conditions it is difficult to climb. Summer temperatures are -30°C. With the arrival of winter, the mark on the thermometer drops to -60°C.

Pyramid of Carstens or Puncak Jaya

Height – 4884 m. Location – New Guinea(Australia). Puncak Jaya, part of the Maoke massif, was discovered in 1623 by the Dutch explorer J. Carstens, whose name it bears. The first ascent to the highest peak of Oceania took place in 1962. It was made by a group of 4 climbers, led by the Austrian traveler G. Harrera.

Mont Blanc

Height – 4810 m. Location – Alps (border between Italy and France). The first conquest of the peak occurred in 1786. Among the most famous climbers is the American President T. Roosevelt, who spent his honeymoon on Mont Blanc.

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-thousanders of these mountainous areas, but not a single attempt to storm the peaks of the eight-thousandth 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 highest peak 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).