60 years ago, New Zealand climber Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made the first confirmed ascent of the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, which is 8,848 meters high. Since then, thousands of people have tried to conquer Everest, many of them unsuccessfully.
In late May, 80-year-old Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura became the oldest person on Earth to climb Mount Everest. Miura did this for the third time. He admitted that he was on the verge of death during the descent. The first climbers to Everest Hillary and Norgay stayed at the summit for only 15 minutes. Norgay buried sweets in the snow, and Hillary installed a cross, which was given to him by the leader of the British expedition, Colonel John Hunt.
Tenzing Norgay (left) and Sir Edmund Hillary during their historic ascent of Everest in 1953.
Sir Edmund Hillary and his fellow climbers climb Mount Everest in 1953.
Tenzing Norgay stands on the summit of Everest, May 29, 1953. He and his partner Edmund Hillary became the first people to reach the highest high point on the ground.
Colonel John Hunt, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary returned to England after conquering Mount Everest.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay smile after climbing Mount Everest in 1953. Hillary's Nepalese friends, who passed away on January 11, 2008, illuminate with oil lamps and recite special Buddhist prayers in monasteries in memory of the climber, calling him a great benefactor and friend of Nepal. Hillary after conquering Mount Everest in 1953 most He spent his life helping Sherpa communities in Nepal, building hospitals and schools for them.
Journalists at the statue of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay during the 60th anniversary of their successful ascent of Mount Everest in Kathmandu, Nepal, May 29, 2013.
Sherpa Kancha, a member of the 1953 Everest ascent team, and Amelia Rose Hillary (second from right), granddaughter of New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary, celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Everest ascent in Kathmandu on May 29, 2013.
Buddhist prayer flags fly in the wind against the backdrop of Mount Everest (center) and Lhotse (right) near Tengboche village in Nepal, May 14, 2003. A team of 12 climbers from the Indian Army, Royal Nepal Army and Nepalese Sherpas conquered Lhotse, setting the record for the most climbers to conquer a technically challenging peak in one day.
Pooja ceremony at Everest Base Camp in Nepal on April 7, 2003. Puja is a religious ceremony in which the members of the expedition and their equipment are blessed.
Mount Everest, about 140 km northeast of Kathmandu, January 14, 2011. The government of Nepal has said it intends to double the number of foreign tourists visiting the country annually.
A member of the Extreme Everest Expedition E3 99 sets up a bridge over a crevasse at an altitude of 5943 meters on Mount Everest in Nepal, May 13, 1999.
Climbers from different countries descend the Khumbu Icefall after climbing Mount Everest on May 22, 2013. May is the most popular month for climbing Mount Everest due to the more favorable weather. Earlier this month, Japanese Yuichiro Miura became the oldest Everest conqueror, and Raha Moharrak became the first woman from Saudi Arabia who conquered Everest.
Everest Base Camp is a large campground at an altitude of 5486 meters, May 15, 2003. Nearly 1,000 climbers have planned to climb Mount Everest this month to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first successful ascent of the world's tallest mountain.
Nepalese sherrs climb the Khumbu Icefall on their way to the summit of Mount Everest on May 16, 2013.
The tallest mountain in the world bathes in the golden glow of the setting sun, November 15, 1983.
80-year-old Japanese professional skier and mountaineer Yuichiro Miura climbs an icefall on his way to the summit of Mount Everest, May 16, 2013.
80-year-old Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura becomes the oldest person to climb Mount Everest on May 23, 2013. At the top of the mountain, he was at 9:05 am local time. Miura has previously conquered Everest at the age of 70 and 75.
Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura arrives at Kathmandu airport after climbing Mount Everest on May 26, 2013. Miura, who underwent 4 heart surgeries, became the oldest person to climb Mount Everest. Before him, this title was held by 76-year-old Nepalese resident Min Bahadur Sherkhan, who climbed to the top in 2008.
Two people stand outside their tent in a camp at the foot of Everest in the Tibetan Autonomous Region, China People's Republic, October 13, 2011. Tibet is a vast land of arid plateaus and majestic mountain ranges. Many nomads live here at high altitudes. Religion is an integral part of the life of Tibetans, and many of them take part in religious pilgrimages hundreds of kilometers away to visit local monasteries and sacred places.
> The highest peak in the world is Mount Everest (or Sagarmatha in Nepali) at 8,848 meters, April 22, 2007. Below is Mount Ama Dablam with a height of 6812 meters.
Climbers descend from Mount Everest on May 19, 2009. A group of Nepalese professional climbers are planning a risky expedition to Everest to clear it. Decades of mountaineering have affected appearance the highest mountain in the world. Sherpa Namgyal, who climbed Everest 7 times, says the following: “Everest is losing its beauty. The top of the mountain is currently littered with oxygen tanks, old prayer flags, ropes and tents. By at least two corpses have been lying there for several years. "
Climbers climb a ridge just below Step Hillary Rock on their way to the summit of Mount Everest on May 18, 2013.
Arunima Sinha holds the Indian flag at the summit of Mount Everest, May 21, 2013.Sinha, 26, from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, who lost her leg two years ago, became the first disabled woman to climb Mount Everest of the year.
13-year-old Jordan Romero (right) became the youngest climber to climb Mount Everest on May 22, 2010. He climbed the mountain from the Chinese side, accompanied by a group of his father, stepmother and three Sherpa guides.
Two Japanese climbers relax on the summit of Mount Everest surrounded by Tibetan prayer flags on May 20, 2013.
Nepalese Sherpa Apa stands on the summit of Mount Everest on May 22, 2010. The climber climbed to the top of the mountain for the 20th time, breaking his personal and world records. He dedicated his ascent to the protection of the environment.
On May 29, Nepal celebrated the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest, the success of which served to destroy the fear of many climbers before conquering the highest mountain in the world.
Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags atop Mount Everest on May 18, 2013. On May 29, Nepal celebrated the 60th anniversary of the conquest of Everest, honoring the climbers who followed in the footsteps of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
The highest point of Everest (or Chomolungma) is located 8848 meters above sea level. Exploration of this mountain peak, located in the Himalayas, began in the 1850s, when British surveyors working in India were engaged in the creation of maps. By the way, the name "Everest" was given to the summit of the British geographer George Everest, who led one of the first expeditions in that area. In the same period, it was found that Chomolungma is the most high mountain, although the specific data on its height was constantly being adjusted, being in the range from 8839 meters to 8872.5 meters.
Representatives of the Sherpa people are the most frequent guests of Everest as expedition guides. They also own almost all the ascent records. For example, Appa Tenzing has been at the top of the world 21 times.
Naturally, such a peak could not fail to attract the attention of climbers from all over the world. However, many obstacles stood in the way of those wishing to conquer Everest, including a ban on foreigners from visiting most of the countries in which there are routes for climbing Chomolungma.
In addition, the problem of breathing at high altitudes presented a significant difficulty, since the air there is strong and does not saturate the lungs with oxygen in the required quantities. However, in 1922, the British Finch and Bruce decided to take the oxygen supply with them, which allowed them to reach an altitude of 8320 meters. In total, about 50 attempts were made to ascend, but none of them was crowned with success.
The first conqueror of Everest
In 1953, New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary took part in an expedition by the British Himalayan Committee. In those days, the government of Nepal allowed only one per year, so Hillary happily agreed, realizing that this was a very rare opportunity. In total, the expedition consisted of more than four hundred people, most of whom were porters and guides from the local Sherpa people.To date, more than four thousand people have conquered Everest, while about two hundred climbers have died on its slopes.
The base camp was deployed at an altitude of 7800 meters back in March, but the climbers set out to conquer the summit only in May, spending two months on acclimatization to high-mountain conditions. As a result, Edmund Hillary and Sherpa climber Tenzing Norgay hit the road on 28 May. In one day they reached a height of eight and a half kilometers, where they pitched their tent. The next day, at 11.20 am, the highest peak of the planet was conquered.
Heroes of the expedition awaited world recognition: Queen Elizabeth II of Britain bestowed a knighthood on Hillary and the chief of the expedition, John Hunt, and in 1992 New Zealand issued a five-dollar bill with a portrait of Hillary. Tenzing received the St. George Medal from the British government. Edmund Hillary died of heart failure in 2008 at the age of 88.
The first to conquer Everest on May 29, 1953 were New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. Climbing Mount Everest is very dangerous, but this does not stop climbers from all over the world.
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Everest climbers (Photo by Lloyd Smith) Top of the world - Everest (Photo by Pavel Novak) Airplane view of Everest (shrimpo1967 / flickr.com) Consumables - trash left by climbers Climbing Everest (Mahatma4711 / flickr.com) McKay Savage / flickr.com Climbing Camp (Kirsten / flickr.com)
Almost every person today knows the highest peak on Earth, however, probably not everyone knows who was the first to conquer Everest?
Climbing the highest mountain in the world is quite difficult and dangerous. It requires good training, equipment and mountaineering experience.
In addition to very difficult climbing conditions, it should be noted that Atmosphere pressure at the summit is only about a third of the normal pressure at sea level.
In this regard, the conquest of Everest without the use of oxygen masks is very difficult.
Most favorable time climbing to the top - the first half of May.
The first ascent of Everest took place on May 29, 1953. On that day, New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay conquered the summit.
It should be noted that the mountain was not named after one of the conquerors, as one might suppose. So after whom did it get its name? The summit was named after George Everest, who was the chief surveyor British India in the 1830s and 40s.
The first serious attempts to conquer the highest mountain in the world have been made since the 1920s. However, reaching the top was not so easy. Already in 1922, the mark was reached 8320 meters above sea level (then supplemental oxygen was used for the first time), and two years later - 8600 m.
Numerous attempts were also made in the 1930s and 40s, but they were all unsuccessful. All early attempts to climb were carried out from the side of China, since Nepal at that time was a country closed to foreigners. Subsequently, the situation changed and most of the ascents began to be carried out already from Nepal, which is explained by the difficulties of getting climbers into the TAP.
Who was the first to conquer Everest?
The very first successful ascent was made on May 29, 1953 by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary from New Zealand. The route of the expedition passed through the South Col.
Everest Conquerors: Summit Records
Later, climbers from many countries of the world ascended Mount Chomolungma. In 1976, the first woman climbed Mount Everest. She was a climber from Japan.
Two years later, two climbers were the very first to ascend the summit without using oxygen. In 1980, one of them climbed to the top again, but now alone.
He again did not use supplemental oxygen, nor did he use the services of porters.
The youngest climber to climb the mountain was only 13 years old, and the oldest 80 years old. In 2001, Everest was conquered by a blind American. The most numerous expedition to Mount Everest was the ascent of a team of 410 Chinese climbers in 1975.
The Sherpa Appa Tenzing has climbed the highest mountain in the world 21 times - more than anyone else. In 2011, one Nepalese spent thirty-two hours at the summit, the current record for the longest stay. Previous record also belonged to a sherpa who stayed at the summit for 21 hours and 30 minutes.
In May 2014, Malawath Purna from India conquered Everest, becoming the youngest woman to climb. Then she was only 13 years old.
Modern ascents: two base camps on opposite sides of Everest
At the beginning of 2014, more than four thousand climbers from all over the world have climbed Everest. More than 2,800 of them have made more than one ascent.
Climbing Camp (Kirsten / flickr.com)
Every year about five hundred people try to conquer the highest mountain on Earth, but only a few succeed. To a large extent, success depends on weather conditions and equipment. The last 300 meters are the most difficult.
Nowadays, the conquerors of Everest carry out ascents both from Nepal and from China. There are 18 different official routes. There are two base camps located on opposite sides of the mountain.
The Nepalese base camp is at an altitude of 5364 m, and the Tibetan base camp is at an elevation of 5150 m. The Tibetan camp can be reached by car.
Along with acclimatization and setting up camps, the ascent takes quite a long time - about two months. Of these, approximately two weeks take the climb with acclimatization from Kathmandu to base camp and about a month more - acclimatization in the camp itself.
The financial side: how much does it cost to conquer Everest?
In addition to the duration, the conquest of the summit is very big money... A permit from the Nepalese government alone will cost about ten thousand dollars.
Climbing Mount Everest (Rick McCharles / flickr.com)
Other costs associated with the ascent are also quite expensive. These include the services of guides, porters, various instructions, accommodation in the base camp, etc. In this way, total cost climbing can reach fifty thousand dollars.
Climbing from the Tibetan base camp costs about the same and also requires permission from the Chinese government. Due to the very high cost of climbing, often today wealthy tourists who have almost no mountaineering experience try to climb Everest.
V last years the number of ascents has increased significantly and continues to increase. Because of too a large number"traffic jams" are sometimes created on the slopes of those who wish.
Accidents
It should also be noted that from the first successful ascent to the present day, trying to reach the summit, more than two hundred people died.
The bodies of the dead are often left on the mountain, since it can be extremely difficult to evacuate them. Some of them even serve as landmarks. Many of the victims were covered by avalanches or fell into various crevices and remain unidentified to this day.
The most massive death of people on the mountain occurred in April 2014. Then the avalanche killed 16 people.
Another well-known tragic incident occurred in May 1996, when 8 people froze to death at the same time during a storm.
The safest year in the history of the conquest of Chomolungma is 1993. Then out of 129 climbers who conquered the summit, only 8 people died.
Everest is the highest peak on our planet and a terribly dangerous place. Every ten successful ascents end in one death. Almost all of the dead climbers lost their lives for similar reasons: snow avalanche, falling into the abyss, hypothermia, incorrect decision and, of course, recklessness.
Everest - climbing history
The long history of climbing Mount Everest is a kind of warning about insidiousness. local nature, a reminder of tragic events. Extreme circumstances have turned the top of the world into a real mountain of death: the bodies of climbers who have risked conquering the greatness of the planet rest on the slopes.
Everest is called the third pole of the Earth
But the climate of the local territory is much more severe than the northern and south poles... The air temperature at the foot extremely rarely exceeds zero, in winter it drops to -60 ° C. Above the slopes, thorny winds rage, the speed of gusts of which reaches 200 kilometers per hour.
A thin atmosphere and low interest oxygen is detrimental to health. Climbing, even for the most inveterate extreme climbers, turns into a difficult test, bordering on the limit of human capabilities. Under the influence of extreme loads, the heart fails, the equipment freezes, and every next movement is fraught with irreversible consequences. The slightest mistake becomes the price of life. Everest rules the fate of people, guided by the cruel laws of survival.
Local Sherpa guides
An altitude of 8000 meters above sea level is not at all a place where you can expect help. Only true fanatics undertake to conquer the legendary peak. Climbing Mount Everest is difficult full of danger Job. And the achievement of this goal is subject only to the favorites of fortune.
Locals the foot of Everest are called Sherpas
Nature has helped these people to adapt to the conditions of a harsh climate and thin air. Sherpas are adapted to the terrain: they are ready to do the work of porters, guides and become irreplaceable helpers... It is difficult for an adequate person to imagine climbing without such assistants. Thanks to the work of the Sherpas, climbing expeditions are provided with ropes, equipment is delivered on time, and rescue operations are carried out. Local residents work for money, because there is no other way to provide for their families. 
Every day, in any weather, Sherpas come to the foot to work. In fact, they risk their lives for the "crazy rich" who pay for their irrepressible thirst for fresh experiences.
Climbing Mount Everest is expensive. The lower bar starts at $ 30,000, and the desire to save money leads to a tragic ending
The latest statistic claims that more than 150 people rest on the slopes of Death Mountain. Climbers each time have to pass by the bodies of the dead, and deviations from the route are strictly prohibited. Because, every hero, striving for the top, can break loose, crash or lose consciousness due to oxygen deprivation. Chomolungma, another name for Mount Everest, does not forgive mistakes.
The first tragedy
Opening today's tragic "death list" was George Mallory. He died while descending from the height of Mount Everest in 1924. Mallory walked, tied with a rope to his comrade Irving. The travelers were observed by other members of the expedition through binoculars 150 meters from the peak. For some time, the clouds covered the tandem of extreme sportsmen, and the observers lost sight of them. So Mallory and Irving went missing. And this story of the death of European climbers for a long time remained a mystery. 
Later, in 1975, one of the members of the next expedition stated that he saw a frozen corpse, but could not approach the deceased climber. And in 1999, Mallory's body was found next to the bodies of other dead climbers. George was lying on his stomach (west of the main route): he froze in the pose of a man hugging a mountain. His limbs and face were frozen into the surface of the slope. The second climber, Irving, was never found. The rope in the harness with Mallory was cut with a knife. Perhaps Irving simply left the deceased comrade, continuing to move. 
Law of the jungle
Almost all the bodies of climbers remain on the slopes of the mountain forever. It is simply impossible to evacuate unfortunate people. Even modern helicopters cannot climb Everest. People involved in removing frozen bodies are hired only on rare occasions, so the bodies of the dead continue to lie on the surface. The icy winds turn dead heroes into the ossified skeletons, and the gaze of travelers is presented with an eerie picture. 
Renowned Freight Forwarder, Master sporting achievements climbing in the former USSR, Alexander Abramov argues that in conditions of high altitudes, behavior that is completely unacceptable in ordinary life... And the bodies of the dead climbers that come across along the routes should serve as a sacred reminder. After all, when lifting, you must act extremely carefully. Year after year, at the heights of the summit of Everest appears large quantity corpses. These consequences of inexperience and recklessness are difficult to prevent. 
Looking over the stories of climbing Everest, it becomes obvious that people, inspired by the victory of the ascent, indifferently pass next to the corpses. At a deadly height, the so-called "law of the jungle" rules: they leave the dead and even exhausted, but still living people. There are a great many examples of such cold-blooded behavior.
Chasing glory
In 1996, Japanese climbers did not help their Indian colleagues. The athletes decided not to interrupt the ascent and calmly walked along the freezing Indians. Following back, the Japanese stumbled upon the corpses of the frozen conquerors of Everest. 
A terrible story happened in 2006 as well. A climber from Great Britain froze on the side of the mountain. The film crew of the "Discovery" TV channel, which consisted of 42 people, was walking nearby. Nobody helped the dying athlete, because each member of this large group was striving for personal victory, and there was simply no time for "good deeds".
David Sharp climbed to the peak alone, because among the professionals he was considered an experienced climber. But the equipment let him down: the traveler was left without oxygen and fell on the slope. As the members of the film crew passing by later argued, the Briton just lay down to rest. 
In addition, on this day, the attention of journalists, television and other media was riveted to the feat of Mark Inglis, who conquered the top, having prostheses instead of legs. Inglis himself later admitted that the television men, in pursuit of a sensation, left Sharpe in need of professional help to die. 
David Sharp was well acquainted with the local harsh manners, and the main reason for his unsuccessful rise was a lack of Money... The hero went to conquer Everest alone, refusing the services of the Sherpas. Perhaps the incident would have ended differently if David had been able to pay for the services of the guides.
People who remain human regardless of the circumstances
Dead climbers are sometimes themselves guilty of own death... The tragedy of 1998, in which the spouses Sergei Arsentiev and Francis Distefano passed away, is a clear example of this. The couple went to conquer the peak, wanting to establish new record stay at the peak without oxygen. Descending, the husband and wife lost each other: Sergei returned to the camp, and Francis was found by another expedition. Experienced climbers offered the athlete oxygen and tea completely disinterestedly. However, the woman refused from the oxygen cylinder, wanting to keep the previously set record. 
The athlete froze, and her husband, who went in search, fell down and crashed. Francis was discovered by the next expedition, which could no longer help. The woman spent two nights at low temperatures and died from hypothermia. A year later, Sergei's body was found in the same place where the notorious Mallory had once died. 
In 1999, another climber from Ukraine was found next to the American woman. The athlete spent the night in a terrible cold, but since they managed to give him timely assistance, the hero was saved. True, he lost four fingers of his hand, but this is just a trifle, as the rescued himself later said. 
Modern ascents
Expeditions of a commercial nature are systematically sent to conquer the top of the world. Inexperienced, ill-prepared travelers are given the opportunity to visit Everest and capture all the stages of the ascent. And money in this matter plays the most important role.
After the tragedy that happened to Sharpe, she equipped herself at the peak of death another group, which included a visually impaired person. His name was Thomas Weber. An expedition of eight athletes found the body of the Briton, but continued the ascent with the same attitude. Before reaching the summit of 50 meters, Weber felt that his eyesight had dropped sharply. The athlete lost consciousness and died suddenly. Soon, his partner, the climber Hall, reported on the radio about his feeling unwell, after which he passed out. Sherpas set out to help the freezing climber. But they did not succeed in bringing Hall to his senses. The Sherpas received the command to return. They left the athlete without finding out whether he is alive or dead. 
Seven hours later, the next expedition followed the same route, which accidentally found Hall alive. The climber was provided with hot tea and necessary medicines. The rescue operation began. Lincoln Hall was a wealthy man and famous person, unlike David Sharpe. Therefore, Hall received professional help, only freezing his hands.
There are stories about people who have retained their humanity. We talked about them in our article. But do not forget that there is another side of the coin ...
Everest is the highest peak in the world, located in the Himalayas in China. The strongest winds blow here at a speed of up to 55 m / s, and the air temperature at night drops to -60 ° C.
May 29 marked exactly 60 years when New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first to climb Mount Everest in history. Since then, hundreds of people have followed their path, reached the summit using more difficult routes or remained forever on the slope, but the date May 29, 1953 went down in history as the day of the first ascent.
First. Nearly two meters tall, New Zealander Edmund Hillary photographed a small Sherpa on a snow dome with an ice ax raised, decorated with flags of the United Nations, Great Britain, Nepal and India. The climbers used oxygen devices, May 29, 1953. (Photo by Edmund Hillary | Royal Geographical Society via Associated Press): 
More than 30 Sherpas took part in the work of this expedition. Photo: New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his group ascend Everest, 1953. (Photo ( New york Times): 
New Zealander Edmund Hillary (right) and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay ascend the highest peak in the world, 1953. (Photo by Associated Press): 
The first conquerors of Everest - New Zealander Edmund Hillary (right) and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, 1953. (Photo by George W. Hales | Hulton Archive via Getty Images): 
Another photo of the first people to climb Everest in 1953. (Photo by Norgay Archive via Reuters): 
Exactly 60 years later, Kathmandu, Nepal, May 29, 2013. Journalists remove the monument to New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. (Photo by Niranjan Shrestha | Associated Press): 
The first successful ascent was preceded by 30 years of desperate attempts to make it to the top.
Everest, May 15, 2003. (Photo by Paula Bronstein | Getty Images): 
It still remains a mystery and subject of controversy whether George Mallory and Andrew Irwin reached the top in 1924. The body of the first was found only in 1999. at an altitude of 8,155 meters, 300 meters below Irwin's ice ax (whose body has not yet been found), which indicates a possible breakdown of climbers from the mountain. In the pocket of Mallory's clothes were found Sunglasses but no photo of his wife Ruth was found, which he promised to leave on the summit of Mount Everest! (Photo by Gurinder Osan | Associated Press): 
By the way, the phrase "conquering Everest" is not entirely correct, and climbers do not like it. This is from the same area as "sail on the sea". It is believed that the mountain cannot be conquered, it can only be climbed. In this case, the mountain can "let" or "not let".
Another team of climbers at the base camp, April 7, 2003. Puja ceremony (ceremony of worshiping God). (Photo by Erich Schlegel | The Dallas Morning News via Associated Press): 
The first who determined that Chomolungma is the highest mountain peak on Earth, there was an Indian mathematician and topographer Radhanat Sikdar in 1852 based on trigonometric calculations, when he was in India, 240 km from Chomolungma.
On the slopes of Everest, April 27, 2013. (AFP Photo | Getty Images): 
In 1856, the Geodetic Survey of British India made the first measurement of the summit's height - exactly 29,000 feet (8,839 m), but it was announced that the height of Chomolungma was 29,002 feet (8,840 m). This arbitrary addition was made so that the round number of 29,000 would not give the impression that the measurement was not very accurate.
Everest, January 14, 2011. (Photo by Prakash Mathema | AFP | Getty Images): 
Since April 8, 2010, the official height of Everest is fixed at 8,848 meters above sea level, and the height of solid rock is 8,844 meters.
Conquest of Everest. Height 5,944 meters, May 13, 1999. (Photo by Associated Press): 
Records. In 1996, Sherpa Ang Rita visited the summit 10 times without oxygen tanks. Four years later, his record was broken by another Sherpa, Apa, who reached the top for the 11th time. In total, Appa Tenzing has visited the summit of Everest 21 times (data is valid as of May 2011).
Kumbhu Icefall on the slope of Everest, May 17, 2003. (Photo by Gurinder Osan | Associated Press): 
Records. In 1999, the sherpa Babu Shiri spent 21 hours at the summit, and this despite the fact that already at an altitude of 7925 m the dead zone begins - the air contains only a third of the amount of oxygen that is present in the atmosphere at sea level.
Climbing Mount Everest, May 1, 1963. The success of this expedition was due to the talent of Jim Whittaker, the first American to conquer Mount Everest. (Photo by AP Photo | Henry S. Hall, Jr. American Alpine Club Library, Barry Corbet Personal Papers and Films): 
In 2001, a blind American, Eric Weichenmeier, made an amazing ascent to Mount Everest. By that time, he had already conquered all the highest mountain peaks on all continents. "Climbing the seven most high mountains seven parts of the world, I hoped to show people that goals that may seem out of reach are actually quite achievable, ”Weichenmeier said in a statement.
Everest, November 15, 1983. (Photo by Bikas Das | Associated Press): 
Conquering Everest is a very long process. The ascent to the summit takes about 2 months - with acclimatization and the installation of camps. Weight loss after climbing - an average of 10-15 kg.
On May 23, 2013, 80-year-old Japanese Yuichiro Miura, having completed the ascent, became the oldest person to conquer Mount Everest. (Photo by MIURA DOLPHINS Co., Ltd via Associated Press): 
In May 2011, Nepalese spiritual teacher Bhakta Kumar Raibyl set a new record for the length of time spent on the summit - 32 hours.
Conquerors of Everest with a tent (bottom left), October 13, 2011. (Photo by Barbara Walton | European Pressphoto Agency): 
From the moment of the first ascent to the summit (1953) to the present time (2013), more than 200 people have died on its slopes.
The body of the deceased climber is lowered, May 16, 2010. (Photo by NAMGYAL SHERPA | AFP | Getty Images): 
Even the most expensive and modern equipment does not always guarantee a successful ascent to the highest peak in the world. Nevertheless, about 500 people try to conquer Everest every year.
Everest Expedition, May 18, 2013 (Photo by Adrian Ballinger | Alpenglow Expeditions via Associated Press): 
In total, about 4,000 climbers have climbed the mountain to date. The bodies of the dead often remain on the slopes of the mountain due to the difficulties associated with their evacuation. Some of them serve as a guide for climbers. So the body of the Indian Tsewang Palzhor, who died in 1996, marks a height of 8,500 meters and even has its own name - "Green Shoes" - after the bright green shoes of the deceased.
Top of the World, April 22, 2007. (Photo by Desmond Boylan | Reuters): 
Countries on whose territory there are approaches to the summit charge a lot of money for climbing the summit. Also, money is charged for the opportunity to climb. The sequence of the ascent of expeditions is established. The cheapest way to conquer Chomolungma from the side of Tibet.
Climbing Mount Everest, May 19, 2009 (AFP Photo | Getty Images): 
Climbing Mount Everest is for the rich. The cost of the ascent is up to US $ 65,000, with the Nepal government's permission to climb alone costing US $ 10,000. A significant proportion of the hikers reaching the summit are now wealthy hikers with minimal mountaineering experience.
On the way to the summit of Everest, May 18, 2003. (Photo by Adrian Ballinger | ALPENGLOW EXPEDITIONS, via Associated Press): 
Records. On May 22, 2010, 13-year-old American Jordan Romero (right) climbed the summit with his father. Before that, the record was held by 15-year-old Min Kipa Sherpa. (Photo by Team Romero via Associated Press): 
In the 21st century, thanks to the development of tourist infrastructure, there has been a significant increase in annual ascents, so if in 1983 the peaks reached 8 people, in 1990 about forty, then in 2012 only 234 people climbed Everest in one day. During the ascent, many hours of traffic jams and even fights between the climbers were noted. (Photo by Tshering Sherpa | AFP | Getty Images): 
The amount of garbage accumulated on the slopes of the mountain is so great that Everest is called "the highest landfill in the world."
At the summit of Mount Everest, May 22, 2010. (Photo by Apa Sherpa via European Pressphoto Agency): 
In April 2013, Nepal police investigated the circumstances of a fight between famous European climbers and their Sherpa guides, which allegedly took place on the approaches to the summit of Everest. The conflict reportedly arose after climbers ignored orders to pause the ascent while the Sherpas were fixing the ropes.
Mount Everest, May 26, 2003. (Photo by Gurinder Osan | Associated Press): 
According to an American climber who watched the conflict, who wished to remain anonymous, "the fight was so intense that I was afraid that one of its participants would die." The conquerors of Everest fought with the Sherpas at an altitude of 8,000 meters.
On top of the world, May 18, 2013. (Photo by ALPENGLOW EXPEDITIONS via Associated Press): 
The most difficult part of the ascent to Everest is the last 300 m, called by climbers "the longest mile on Earth". For successful passage This section requires a steep, smooth rocky slope covered with powdery snow.
Base camp on the way to the summit of Everest, May 16, 2013. (Photo by AP Photo | Pasang Geljen Sherpa):
The main climbing season is spring and autumn, as there are no monsoons at this time. Spring is considered the most suitable season for climbing the southern and northern slopes. In the fall, you can only climb from the south.
The camp is at an altitude of 7,315 meters. (Photo by AP Photo | Courtesy of Alan Arnette via The Coloradoan): 
This was an article dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the conquest of Everest. (Photo by Adrian Ballinger | Alpenglow Expeditions via Associated Press): 
(Photo by AP Photo | Hiroyuki Kuraoka, HO):
