Mount Everest with its routes

World tallest mountain Mount Everest

One of the highest mountains ever to be climbed is the famous Mount Everest, which can be located in Asia between the border of Tibet and Nepal. Mount Everest is essentially part of the Himalaya range of mountains, but has been greatly publicized due to its immense height that has been recorded at 29,028 feet or 8,848 meters high.

Many local names have been given to Mount Everest in an attempt to recognize it for its majestic height. The origin of Mount Everest's name comes from the British General and Surveyor at that time, Andrew Waugh, who named the mountain after Sir George Everest in 1865. Later the Nepalese government gave Mount Everest a Nepalese name Sagarmatha in 1960. It was an Indian mathematician, Radhanath Sikdar, who first measured and identified Mount Everest as the highest mountain in the world in 1852.

Mount Everest was first recognized for its sheer height in 1953 when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made the first successful attempt to ascend to the top of this daunting mountain on the 29th of May. These two men did not have the advanced technology and climbing equipment that climbers have today, they completed this daunting task with no fixed ropes and basic ice climbing equipment. Previously there had been an attempt by two men Andrew Irvine and George Mallory from the United Kingdom thirty years before. However, whether they ever made it to the top or not, no-one knows as they never returned to relate their adventures.

The easier of the two main routes up Mount Everest is the southeast route that can be accessed from the Nepal side of the mountain and the other main route comes from the north on the Tibetan side of the mountain. Apart from these two routes there are a total of fifteen other routes that will take you to the top. Most climbers will attempt to climb Mount Everest between the months of April and May before the unstable, monsoon season hits with its high wind speeds.

One thing that can definitely be concluded about Mount Everest is that each and every person who attempts to climb this magnificent mountain does so taking their life in their hands. In 1996 a total of fifteen people lost their lives in an attempt to get to the top of the highest mountain in the world due to various freak weather conditions. There are many route to climb the mount Everest from the Nepal. some part of the Everest also fall in the china so it also can be climb from china but  it is said the it is difficult to climb from  china so most of the people climb from Nepal, Hence there are different route to climb Mount Everest the route are given below:

a) South Col Route

The South Col route is one to be taken very seriously as unlike most of the routes its fatality rate is far greater with a current total sitting at 17. This extraordinary amount can be greatly contributed to the geology of this specific route as well as other features such as rock fall, exposure, avalanches and icefall. Some of the worst years to take place during an ascent of Mount Everest were in 1993 where, eight out of 129 mountaineers were unfortunately killed bringing a ratio of 16:1. And In 1996 and 1998 where 15 came to their fatal end resulting in a ratio of 6.5:1.

Everest has one of the most extreme altitudes and weather; thus there is only a small window of opportunity for climbing safely. This is normally done during the months of May and October which fall between the summer monsoons and the winter snows. The South Col route to this day is a very popular route to take especially for the first-time “Everesters” as the probability of reaching the summit is greatly increased. However with the previous stats mentioned it does somehow concern you that maybe the safety aspect is taken a little too lightly.

Spring of this year will see expeditions being taken up the South Col Route as well as the North Ridge. A great advantage however to the South Col Route is the comparably shorter time needed to reach the summit. This can be done generally in one push with exposure to the elements greatly decreased unlike the North Ridge which will see you spending at least one night on the slopes as you attempt to summit Everest. Mountaineers normally find themselves sitting on the South Col which refers to the position between the Lhotse face and Mount Everest - this being the last camp position before reaching the top of Everest.

There are some interesting facts: the first ascent along the South Col Route was that ofSir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal, to this day no one knows for sure who reached the summit first and this information will possibly remain with them forever. It was in 1978 that the first oxygen-less climb would be made; it had seemed an impossible feat but with determination of Reinhold Messner from Italy and Peter Habler from Australia this was accomplished.

b) South East Ridge Route of Mount Everest

One of the most daunting mountains you can ever attempt to climb is that of Mount Everest – the highest mountain in the world. There are several routes that one can take up Everest, but the most popular two are the South East Ridge, that starts off in Nepal, and the North East Ridge, which begins on the Tibetan side of the Mountain.

The South East Ridge climb begins on the Southern side of themountain in Nepal. To get there requires that you first take a short plane trip to Lukia - a base camp that has a number of short landing strips - before you can carry on. It is suggested that you spend a few days here before you head over to the next base camp as a way of helping your body acclimatize. It is important you don't rush this process as it can cause problems later on, which you can ill afford when climbing Mount Everest. From Lukia you will take a trek up to the next base camp and again spend a couple of days adjusting before the real work begins.

The first stop in the climb up the southeast side of Mount Everest is the Khumbu Icefallwhich is well-known for its crevasses and unstable ice forms. One needs to be quite cautious here as things could go quite badly very soon into the climb up Everest. Once you pass Khumbu you will soon reach the first camping area called Camp I, which is approximately 6,065 meters high. After you have had a good rest and some warm food, your next camping site is at Camp II just over four hundred meters above Camp I.

Before you get to Camp II you will pass through a glacial valley, a relatively flat piece of land, called Western Cwm or ‘Valley of Silence’. This is an apt name as there is not much to see here. Interestingly, the Western Cwm can become quite hot when the sun is shining. This is due to the sun rays reflecting off the ice, which there is a lot of in this glacial valley. Camp III stands at 7,470 meters on an ice ledge, but first you need to climb up the Lhotse face before you can get there.

From Camp III you climb over the Yellow Band and Geneva Spur before you get to Camp IV at 7,920 meters. At 8,400 meters you will pass a platform called the Balcony that will take you up the eastern side of the mountain to the dome made of ice. This is officially the Summit of the Southern part of the climb. At this point you are standing at 8,750 meters high but you still have to climb up Kangshung face, pass over Hillary step and climb the slope before you reach the top.

c) South Pillar Route

Your adrenaline pumps as the cold wind brushes your face. You have to pinch yourself, if you can get beneath all those layers of clothing, knowing this is a dream you’ve been preparing yourself for most of your life. Here it is towering in front of you – Everest! Nothing will ever compensate for the emotions and feelings you experience as you ascend slowly to the top of the summit.

The South Pillar is considered one of the safer routes that one can take up Mount Everest, although when dealing with these incredible heights one has to question the meaning of “safe” when placing it next to the word “Everest”. It almost seems impossible. The South pillar (route 7) was first attempted in 1980 by Jerzy Kukuczka and Andrzei Czok, two renowned Polish climbers whose experience in the art of climbing, specifically the Alps, is insurmountable. To date this route has been climbed over 17 times and has only incurred one fatality unlike some of the more ‘treacherous’ routes.

The one fatality recorded was of Josef Psotka who died while descending when he unfortunately fell to his death. However, when you probe into the account a little deeper, you will notice that the fatal fall actually occurred from the side of the Lhotse Face and so it can be said that gratefully at this point no fatalities have occurred on the South Pillar route. Most climbers, however, find the climb a challenge – as it is – and will normally opt for the ‘gentler’ South East Ridge route which is further below.

Not many people are able to say they have ascended Everest five times, but for Dawa Temba, a Sherpa from Namche in Solukhumbu, this has been a grand privilege. His first summit was on the 23 May 1977 along the Standard South East Ridge route; thereafter in October of 1994 he again went along the Standard South East Ridge route but in accordance with a British expedition. Later in 1999 and 2000 he ascended for the third and fourth time along the Standard South East Ridge. Lastly in the same year he again summated via the South Pillar along with the Danish Expedition. He has set an amazing record that many will not even dream of repeating.

d) South West Face Route

Nothing can really express the emotions one feels after having just finished establishing your base camp. This is when you can take the time to gaze out at the surrounding landscape and allow your eyes to wonder heavenward. You may take in the surrounding landscape for what seems like an eternity before it suddenly hits you; you’re looking at the highest mountain in the world!

This is the feeling one must think Dougal Haston and Doug Scott, lead by Chris Bonington from the United Kingdom, must have felt as they began their ascent of Mount Everest with their team in 1975. Interestingly the route they chose to take was a previously unknown and unexplored by any mountaineer at that point. However today there have been over 15 summits recorded and over four fatalities. The route now has a 27% chance of death occurring during ascent or descent of Everest.

For a period of four years the Nepalese Government banned all climbing within the Nepalese Himalayas from 1966 to 1969. It reopened in 1969; however Tibet was still inaccessible which meant that the southern approach was the only route available. This made an interesting challenge which was lapped up by top mountaineers. What makes the South west face so demanding is its vertical cliffs which are over 600 meters in height and limit most progress.

The South West face has two routes which you can choose from; both routes are termed as Class 5 and so both are extremely difficult because they involve severe altitudes. The original route taken by Haston, Scott and Bonington was termed as route four and it allowed them to reach the summit by sunset. However, during descent they were forced to stay overnight near the South Summit – again emphasizing the ever changing nature of the mountain and the need to be fully prepared and aware if you wish to survive.

Fascinatingly enough, Mount Everest has at least eighteen paths that have been officially recorded to date. Regardless of whether you have experience as a professional climber who has organized numerous expeditions or you are still somewhat of an amateur who wishes to take part in a commercial outfit, it is vital to understand the potential dangers that you could come across whilst attempting a climb up Mount Everest. The risks inherent in such a trip should be a foremost consideration when deciding whether or not to attempt such a climb as these dangers become very real possibilities the day you arrive at the Mount Everest base camp.