18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest!!

The pride of Nepal: Mt. Everest

Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world and is one of the top destinations for tourists across the world. With a height of 8848 m, Mt. Everest lies between the border between Nepal and the Tibetan region of China.

This tall standing mountain holds some interesting facts you may or may not know. So, let’s know 18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest together with us.

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18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest

Here is the list of 18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest. Enjoy Reading!!

1. The Name Everest was Suggested by Andrew Waugh

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
George Everest

Mt. Everest was named after George Everest who was the British Surveyor General of India. It was named Everest after its discovery by the Royal Geographical Society and Andrew Waugh suggested the name, Everest.

Note:

Mt. Everest was named after George Everest.

2. Mt. Everest is Called “Sagarmatha” in Nepali

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Mt. Everest is Called “Sagarmatha” in Nepali

Westerner/foreigner knows the highest peak in the world as Mt. Everest but its original name is not Everest. It was named Everest after its discovery by the Royal Geographical Society and Andrew Waugh suggested the name, Everest.

In Nepal, Mt. Everest is called “Sagarmatha”-named by historian late Baburam Acharya, which means ‘The heaven’s forehead’. The Sherpas community refer to Mt. Everest as Chomolungma, which means ‘The mother goddess of the earth.’

Mt. Everest and Sagarmatha are interchangeable words that both mean the same thing.

3. Mount Everest is NOT the Tallest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Mauna Kea

You must be wondering what am I saying, aren’t you? Read carefully and you will understand.

The height of Mt. Everest at present is 8849 m. Mt. Everest is for sure the highest mountain in the world above sea level.

But Hawaii’s Mauna Kea is the highest mountain in terms of height from base to peak below sea level. Its total height is 10,210m. It’s only 4,205m above sea level. Much of its base is on the ocean floor, nearly 6,000m below the surface. More than half part of Mauna Kea lies underwater.

4. Mount Everest rises 40 cm per Century

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Mount Everest rises 40 cm per Century

The Himalayas are being formed by the uplift of the Eurasian Plate caused by the Indian Plate sliding underneath. Mount Everest grows on average 4 mm (0.2”) a year or about 40 cm (16 inches) per century

5. Mount Everest is about 60 million years Old

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Mount Everest is about 60 million years Old

Explorer Noel Odell was the first person to discover marine fossils on Mount Everest in 1924 which proved that Mount Everest was under the ocean before the Eurasian and Indian plate collision.

In addition, the limestone and sandstone on the summit were found to be submarine sedimentary rocks formed approximately 450 million years ago.

However, geologists have considered that Mount Everest is 60 million years old, that is since the time when the Himalayas was formed. 

6. Mount Everest was first Climbed in 1953

Mount Everest was first climbed on May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa from Nepal.

7. Sherpas are the Only people who can Climb Mt. Everest without Oxygen

 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest!!
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Sherpas are the Only people who can Climb Mt. Everest without Oxygen

Sherpas are the ethnic group of Nepal that reside in the Himalayan region of Neal. Living in mountainous areas with thin air, they have generated a unique physical characteristic that has been inherited by the Sherpa people i.e. Increase in the Production of Haemoglobin.

This is one of the reasons why Sherpas people can function well in the Himalayas’ low-oxygen environment.

Sherpa people are the best guides on Mt. Everest. They lead the tourist while climbing Everest and also help with carrying supplies for the climber.

8. Everest’s Climate Is One Of The Harshest In the World

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Everest’s Climate Is One Of The Harshest In the World

Everest has one of the harshest climates in the world. Above 5,300 meters the mountains are capped with snow and ice. Violent storms with strong winds are common. The temperature on the top of Everest recorded is -20°C. Everest climate is one of the extremes. The temperature can drop up to -60°C. 

In addition to low oxygen and an extremely cold environment, be prepared to face hurricane-force wind that is common on Everest.

9. There is a “2 o’clock rule” when climbing Mount Everest

Everest Weather is one of the harshest weather in the world. Because of the cold and unpredictable weather, climbers must be sure to get to the summit by 2 pm, else it is suggested that they should return back to avoid being caught in the death zone or from shortcomings such as a drop in temperature, not to mention bad weather.

10. About 300 People Have Died on Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: About 300 People Have Died on Mount Everest

Everest is the 7th deadliest mountain in the world. The cumulative death rate is about 2% [2018].

It is impossible to bring dead bodies down to the base of Everest. Dead bodies left on the mountain become landmarks for other mountaineers. Scary, isn’t it?

11. It takes 10 weeks and at least 30,000 USD to climb Mount Everest

Descending down is more dangerous and time-consuming than climbing Everest. The actual climbing time from the lowest base camp to the summit is only a few days but it is tough to get down.

It takes at least 30,000 USD (NRs 3,858,018)per person to climb Mount Everest. The license Fee to climb Everest costs you around US$11,000 (NRs 1,414,606)per person [2021].

And you need to spend money on oxygen, equipment, transport, a guide etc. So, Climbing Everest will cost you a huge sum of money.

12. Helicopters can’t fly to the top of Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Everest’s Climate Is One Of The Harshest In the World

 A helicopter can fly up to altitudes of 5,000 meters. It needs a certain density of air to lift and fly. Due to Low Air Density/Low Air Pressure helicopters cannot fly to the top of Everest.

High-performance helicopters can get to the lowest of Everest’s base camps (altitude 5,200 m in China; 5,300 m in Nepal), which is the most expensive way to get to or from the Everest Base Camp.

13. Planes Can Fly Over Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Planes Can Fly Over Mount Everest

Yes!! planes can fly over Mt. Everest. Today’s aircraft can take flight at an altitude of 8,000 to 10,000 meters. So, the place can fly over Mt. Everest. But most don’t due to due to the increased risk of turbulence over high mountains. It is impossible to land on Everest.

14. The movie “Everest” was partially filmed on Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: The movie “Everest” was partially filmed on Mount Everest

The Hollywood movie “Everest” is based on the true story of a storm on the mountain in 1996 which ended in eight fatalities was partially filmed on Mt. Everest, in a location with an altitude of 4,750 meters in Nepal, which is not far from its EBC. Most of the other scenes were filmed in studios.

15. Tons Of Human Poop Are Frozen On Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Tons Of Human Poop Are Frozen On Mount Everest

The campaign to Cleaner Everest has estimated that 8,000 kilograms of human faeces have been left on Mount Everest. It is making serious health and environmental problems. Faeces does not decompose at the frozen higher altitude. 

16. Sherpas Are The Best Guides On Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Interesting Facts About Mount Everest: Sherpas Are The Best Guides On Mount Everest

Sherpas are the ethnic group of Nepal that reside in the Himalayan region of Nepal. Sherpa people are the best guides on Mt. Everest. They lead the tourist while climbing Everest and also help with carrying supplies for the climber.

17. The First Person to Climb Mt. Everest was Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
Edmund Hillary(left) and Tenzing Norgay

Yes!! The First Person to Climb Mt. Everest was Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer, and Tenzing Norgay Serpa from Nepal in

Yes!! The First Person to Climb Mt. Everest was Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer, and Tenzing Norgay Serpa from Nepal on May 29, 1953.

18. Nothing Lives On The Top Of Mount Everest

18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest
The Himalayan Jumping Spider

The temperature is below -20°C on the top of Everest. There is no sign of Life on the top of Everest. There is no source of food and the lack of oxygen makes life on the top of Everest impossible.

However, The Himalayan Jumping Spider is found living up to 6,700 meters above sea level. Below the altitude of 6,000 meters, you can spot other animals such as Snow Leopard, Himalayan Tahr, and Himalayan Yak. 

So,

We hope you enjoyed reading our article 18 Interesting Facts About Mount Everest.

Thank You! for reading it till the end. Have a good day!!

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