Mount Everest

Mount Everest, from the Tibetan Plateau to the north - photo in the public domain from the Chinese web

Mount Everest

8848m, P8848m

Location

Nepal / Tibet, China

Coordinates

27.9883° N, 86.9251 ° E

Range

Mahalangur Himal, a prominent sub-range of the greater Himalaya

Description of the mountain and geology

Mount Everest (Sagarmāthā सगरमाथा in Nepali; Chomolungma ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ in Tibetan; Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng 珠穆朗玛峰 in Chinese) rises to 8848.86m, according to the 2020 Nepali–Chinese joint survey. Its prominence is, of course, also 8848.86m, making it the highest and most prominent on Earth - at least at the current time.

Mount Everest is a pyramidal peak formed through the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, an ongoing tectonic process that continues to raise the Himalaya incrementally each year. The mountain consists of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks originally deposited on the floor of the ancient Tethys Sea. Its uppermost layers, known as the “Yellow Band,” are composed of metamorphosed limestone and marble. Beneath lie schists and gneisses, uplifted during major tectonic thrusting.

The mountain is mainly covered in snow and rime ice, with fierce winds sculpting cornices on its summit ridges. Jet stream influence often places the summit in winds exceeding 160 km/h. Temperatures can drop below –40°C in winter. The mountain supports several glaciers, including the Khumbu Glacier to the south and the Rongbuk Glacier to the north.

Archaeological, Historical and Cultural Notes
The mountain holds deep religious and cultural significance. To the Sherpa people of Nepal and the Tibetan communities across the border, Chomolungma is revered as a sacred mountain, sometimes described as the “Mother Goddess of the World.” Traditional narratives emphasise respect and spiritual caution.

European discovery and surveying began in the 19th century. In 1856 it was officially recorded as “Peak XV” before being named after Sir George Everest, former Surveyor General of India. The first people confirmed to reach the summit were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on 29 May 1953, an event that became a landmark of 20th-century mountaineering and exploration.  Summit attempts earlier in the 20th Century had ended in failure, and often death - for example that of George Mallory and Andrew Irving in 1924.

Since 1953, Everest has become a global mountaineering symbol, attracting climbers from all backgrounds in large numbers. Scientific studies now focus on glacial retreat, climate change, and the high-altitude physiology of climbers.

Summit Description
The summit is a small, gently convex dome of snow and ice, often windswept and hard-packed. It provides limited space—only a few climbers can stand there comfortably at once. Views extend across the Himalaya, with Makalu, Lhotse, and Cho Oyu dominating the skyline. Conditions can deteriorate rapidly, and oxygen levels are about one-third of sea-level concentration.

Popular Routes to the Summit

- South Col Route (Nepal): The most frequently climbed route. From Base Camp at 5364 m, climbers ascend through the Khumbu Icefall, Western Cwm, and Lhotse Face to reach the South Col. From there, they climb the South-east Ridge to the summit. Commercial expeditions largely favour this route for its logistical advantages and well-established camps.

- North-east Ridge Route (Tibet): The traditional route used by early British expeditions. Starting from the Rongbuk area, climbers travel via the North Col and along the exposed ridge to the summit pyramid. It is technically more demanding near the top due to the “Three Steps” - famous rocky obstacles at extreme altitude.

Other items of interest
Mount Everest presents formidable challenges despite its popularity. These include altitude sickness, cornices, crevasse hazards, avalanches, and sudden storms. Overcrowding during weather windows has become a modern issue, requiring ongoing regulation. Scientific interest continues to grow, particularly in glaciology, climate change, and human high-altitude adaptation. Everest remains both a natural wonder and a symbol of human aspiration.

Peakbagger website link - here

Note:  this profile has been generated, under human direction, using AI (ChatGPT), and then human-edited.