You’ve done this more
than a dozen times.
The tallest mountain in the world
is your workplace,
and you know it
like the palm of your hand.
Unfortunately,
your companions
aren’t as skilled as you are.
They’re running out of oxygen.
Oh, no, is that an avalanche?
Everyone's survival depends
on what you do next.
The Sherpas migrated from
Eastern Tibet to Nepal,
and some of them
have a quite unique profession.
Now that scaling the 8,850 m (29,032 ft)
tall mountain
is more common,
the word "sherpa"
means the guides who take
mountain climbers
up the world's highest mountains.
Sherpas live at an average altitude
of 4,480 m (14,700 ft),
which is inhospitable to most people.
But they aren’t like most of us.
These superhumans
are genetically adapted
to endure these extremely
high mountain conditions,
and their different physiological traits
give them advantages.
But even they are not immune
to the dangers of mountain climbing.
About one-third of the people
who have died
while climbing Mount Everest
were Sherpas.
Along with guiding climbers up the mountain,
Sherpas help other climbers
haul their gear and supplies.
On average,
Sherpa men can carry about 93%
of their body weight
and the women around 66%.
Sometimes, you'll carry more
than your body weighs.
To do this,
you’d need proper gear called a doko.
It's an oversized basket
that would sit on your back,
with a strap going underneath the load
and around your head.
This way, your head would
bear most of the weight.
You’d also need a walking stick
called a tokma
to support the load when you stop.
When you're climbing at high altitudes,
your body produces more red blood cells
to carry more oxygen to your muscles.
But this thickens the blood,
puts extra stress on your heart
and causes altitude sickness.
A Sherpas’ red blood cell count
won’t increase as much as other people's,
but they don’t abuse their superpower.
They take their time
and take regular breaks.
They walk at less than 2 km/h (1.2 mph).
On a steep incline,
Sherpas walk for 15 seconds
then rest for 45.
Short, intense exercise
with frequent rests
helps them work at such intense levels
throughout the day.
Some mountaineers think it is impure
to climb Mount Everest
with oxygen,
and if you want to test your body
you should do it breathing
only the available air.
That way of thinking could kill you.
Even if you’re a Sherpa,
it is crucial
to use supplemental oxygen,
especially when summiting.
In 2017,
Sherpas climbing down the mountain
found two people,
a climber and another Sherpa.
They had thrown away their oxygen
without using it
and could no longer move.
The Sherpas quickly realized
that the only way to save them
was to drag them down
Mount Everest to safety.
They brought the two injured people
down to a camp.
After they got rushed to the hospital,
they survived.
To climb Mount Everest,
carry another human on your back
and endure
temperatures down to -50 °C (-58 °F),
you need to eat well.
A high-carb diet would
ensure you don’t lose any muscle
during the intense physical work,
so you’d eat white rice
with curried vegetables
and drink lentil juice.
This would give you the fuel needed
for this exhausting task.
As an experienced Sherpa
ascending to the higher camps
and the summit,
you’d make about $5,000
per two-month season
bringing people up and down the mountain.
And that price, or any,
is not worth
putting your life in extreme danger.
This might mean making the tough decision
not to summit
because of excessively hazardous conditions
on the mountain
or because your client doesn’t seem
well enough to handle it.
Regardless of the clients' wishes,
it should be your call to finish the climb
or to head back to base.
You are the expert.
I’m impressed.
You successfully guided
stubborn climbers
through extreme altitudes
and icefalls.
Now you can return home
to the warmth of the city,
unless you live here,
where the average temperature
is -50 °C (-58 °F),
earning it the title of one of the most
dangerous cities on Earth.
Want to know how 500 people
call this frigid landscape home?
Find out here
on How to Survive.