Hey, adventure seekers!
Looking for a thrilling new activity to pump up that heart rate?
I’ve got just the thing: plan a trip to climb Mount Everest!
But before you pack your bag, you should learn about exactly what it takes to plan a trip
to one of the most dangerous climbs in the world.
Standing at 29,029 feet high, this rocky summit poses plenty of dangers and challenges that
can work against you if you’re not prepared.
First off, it’s important to understand a little bit about the great Mount Everest.
If you’ve ever seen any of the blockbuster films about this epic climbing adventure,
you know hiking up Everest is no joke.
People who climb Mt Everest typically plan their climb during what they call “the summit
window” during mid May and sometimes November.
Temperatures warm up a bit and the winds are somewhat calmer during these times.
While it may sound logical to climb during warmer months like July and August, it’s
actually a pretty bad idea since this time of year is “monsoon season” and you’d
be stuck in heavy rains.
Aside from climbing during the right seasons, there are plenty of other precautions you
should take when attempting such a challenging climb.
Unlike hiking on your average hillside or shoreline, the height of this mountain is
hard on your lungs.
Mount Everest’s summit is higher than any other mountain in the world.
So in terms of its height above sea level, it stands taller than anything else on our
planet.
Woah, is right.
And at this height, oxygen levels decrease pretty drastically.
It’s almost as if the air is getting “thinner” so to speak.
When climbing Mt. Everest, you’ll notice yourself feeling more short of breath the
higher up you get.
Sure, you’re exerting a lot of energy walking and climbing, but this shortness of breath
is also due to the lower oxygen level.
At an elevation of 29,029 feet, each breath you take only has one third of the amount
of oxygen as it would normally have at sea level.
So, clearly there are a lot of risks when it comes to climbing Mt. Everest, which is
why climbing it alone is probably the worst idea ever.
It’s best to plan the climb with a group.
There are plenty of excursions you can pick from and plan with, and they range in price.
But once you book your ticket, how can you possibly prepare for this climb of a lifetime?
Lucky for you, I’ve created the perfect to-do list for planning an epic trip to the
great Mount Everest.
First off, you’ve gotta know what to pack.
Here’s a quick list to check off as you’re stuffing your luggage with the essentials:
Sunscreen, since the sun is super bright up in the mountains.
Sunglasses, also to protect from the brightness of the sun.
It’s a good idea to bring snow glasses since the light reflecting on the white snow can
be incredibly bright.
A warm jacket filled with down.
No matter what season you go in, it can be pretty chilly at nighttime.
Moisturizer.
This applies to both your skin and your lips.
Your skin is likely to become dried out and chapped since the mountain’s climate is
dry and chilly.
Food.
It’s important to bring foods you’ll want to eat on your excursion.
Don’t bring food you’ve never had before or that you might not like or might not fill
you up.
You’ll need all the energy you can get - this isn’t a time for a diet.
Some helpful tips?
Bring things with garlic in them since this ingredient is actually helpful when it comes
to adapting to high altitudes, thanks to its ability to make your blood thinner.
You can also pack peanut butter and hard salami - but I wouldn’t eat those together, obviously.
Cup-a-soups, candy bars and canned tuna are also good, especially as you get higher and
higher in your climb.
Foods that can be prepared instantly are your best bet.
Lower base camps will have some food for sale that is prepared there, but the higher up
you go, the less ritzy it gets, so you’ll need to bring your own food.
Okay, so you’ve packed all your tasty snacks: now you need to actually get to the mountain.
Mt. Everest is located in Tibet on the border of China and Nepal.
You can fly into Tibet and hang out in Lhasa and Shigatse to explore a couple days before
you actually get to base camp.
It’s best to wait a day or two in Tibet before climbing the mountain, just to be sure
you won’t suffer from altitude sickness.
And on top of that, this time will give you a chance to get your Aliens’ Travel permit.
No, this isn’t a ticket to another planet.
If you’re entering onto Mt Everest from its Chinese side, the Aliens’ Travel permit
is necessary for both climbing Mt. Everest and just visiting its base camp.
You’ll also need something called the Frontier Pass.
You can attain these once you’re actually in Tibet.
However, if you choose to walk onto Everest Base Camp on the Nepal side of the mountain,
which is the most popular side to enter on, you don’t need to follow the more strict
traveling rules that China sets to get to the mountain.
Before you make your visit, it’s best to research all the permits needed for both sides
so you won’t have to cut your trip short.
Okay, it’s finally time to climb!
Because this is such an extensive and dangerous climb, it’s best for your group to be led
by someone who knows what they’re doing.
There are lots of organizations that do group treks and they typically visit the same various
paths up the mountain.
The groups will often hire what they call sherpas, who are kind of like the roadies
of your mountain climb.
They basically set up camp and carry the various amenities you’ll need.
Let’s say you choose to enter Mt. Everest from the South, on the Nepal side.
One of the first camps you’ll hit is at about 19,500 ft.
You’ll probably spend one night here as your body becomes acclimated with the new
climate and altitude.
Next you’ll hit Base Camp 2 at about 2,000 feet higher after walking through what they
call “The Valley of Silence”, which is fairly flat in terrain.
Even at 21,000 feet, your body will still feel the effects of the higher altitude.
But after staying here a couple days, you should start to get used to it.
As you go higher to other camps, you’ll see that Sherpas have already set up camp
for you.
It’s pretty incredible - at this height on the mountain, Sherpas can no longer rely
on animals to carry some of the load - they do it with their bare hands.
Pretty impressive, right?
When it comes time to approach the mountain’s summit, the weather becomes incredibly important.
To have the safest, most successful climb to the summit, you’ll need 5 days of clear
skies and minimal winds.
That’s why traveling between the months of May and June are usually best.
Because this can be such a small window of time, a mass amount of climbers can be seen
trekking through the mountain - sometimes around 800 people at a time during a short
period.
Makes rush hour traffic on the freeway look a little more appealing, doesn’t it?
Once you hit Camp 3 on your excursion, you’ll need to start wearing an oxygen mask as the
air becomes incredibly thin.
While it is possible to rough it and climb without bottled oxygen, it’s considered
pretty dangerous.
Don’t think the mask matches your trendy climbing outfit?
No need to look like a tough guy, there’s no shame in needing to breathe!
Better be safe than sorry, right?
Once you reach the summit, you’re looking at 29,029 ft above sea level!
Pretty wild!
At this point of the mountain, people can enjoy this incredible accomplishment and truly
feel like they’re on top of the world….but just for half an hour.
Once that 30 minutes is up, it’s time to climb back down.
Did I make all that sound really easy?
Trust me, it’s not.
People who plan this trip spend thousands of dollars and sometimes train for years,
getting their climbing and stamina ready for a trek like this.
Even if you don’t have a lot of experience climbing, would you ever attempt to climb
Everest?
Tell us if you think the work and money is worth the trip in the comments down below!
And don’t forget to give us a “like” and share this video with your friends and
challenge them to a climb!
Subscribe to our channel for more awesome videos and as always, stay on the bright side
of life!