Have you ever thought about climbing Mt. Everest? Not many people can say they have. But if you get out there and actually make it to the top, then you are in for a life-changing experience. It’s not as easy as it looks, though, and you need lots of preparation. For an English project, I researched what it actually takes to climb Mt. Everest.

I learned everything from the conditions on Everest to what you need to get going. So why climb Everest? Gregory Mallor’s famous answer was, “because it is there.” There are so many things you need to know before the climb, because you cannot just say, “I think I’m going to scale Everest this morning!” I found out the steps to prepare for the climb, the supplies needed, how to climb it, and the conditions.

First, you need to start training right away and build up your muscles. Rock climbing is definitely not an easy task, so you need to be in great shape. It is necessary to take mountaineering courses also. You can practice facing steep and rough terrain on smaller mountains, or at rock climbing gyms. You should get a complete checkup on your health, and make an effort to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol down. You also need more than a strong body to scale the tallest mountain in the world, because trips can range from twenty-five thousand dollars to sixty thousand dollars including everything you need! Then, you must file for permits and passports six months ahead of time. You need loads of equipment, and should probably test all of your equipment against harsh conditions. There is a ton to do just to get to Everest, but climbing it will be even harder.

Now you are ready to actually climb Mount Everest. The best time to start the climb is in May, to avoid stormy and cold weather. There are high winds and extremely low temperatures in winter and monsoons with raging storms and precipitation in summer. Fly all the way to Nepal, where you begin your journey. Drink lots of water, rest often, and most of all, stay warm! Be prepared to call off your attempt due to fatigue, injury, or weather. Make sure you are comfortable with the climb before continuing. To take the south route up the mountain, sleep in the base camp, and be ready early the next morning to scale the Khumbu Icefall and sleep in Camp one. The Khumbu Icefall is said to be one of the most dangerous sections of the south route. Trek to Camp two at twenty-one thousand and three hundred feet. Next, you have to scale the Lhotse Face to make it to Camp three. Get rested up good, because Camp four is in the “death zone.” Make sure you have oxygen bottles when you go for the summit, and start before sunrise. The view from the summit is amazing, but don’t get relaxed yet, because the trip down is just as tough.

Thirdly, the conditions on Everest are brutal. Aside from the below-zero temperatures, steepness, ice, avalanches, strong winds, crevasses, and thin air make climbing Mount Everest exceptionally difficult. The temperatures drop to such low levels that any part of your body exposed to air will get frostbite, which can sometimes be so severe that you may need to have the part of the body with frostbite amputated. Also, some parts of the mountain are almost vertical, making it impossible to scale without proper rock climbing gear. I recently went to the Maine Rock Gym and tried rock climbing for myself, and it requires tons of energy. To make it to the top of the wall, I had to stop for a break in the middle of climbing, but on Everest, there are no breaks and you have all these other conditions to deal with! Hiking up ice is no day at the beach, either. You will need metal plates with spikes fixed to your boots called crampons to make it up the Khumbu Icefall safely. There is also a high risk of avalanche on Everest, and if there is an avalanche, it is nearly impossible to survive being buried by all that snow. Strong winds are one of the causes of the severely low temperatures, making for harder climbing and higher frostbite risk. Crevasses are deep open cracks in the ice sheets and are found on the mountain. The air on Everest has one third of the oxygen of what sea-level has. It is almost impossible to survive in the “death zone” without bottled oxygen. Some climbers have said that they have felt very different without as much oxygen. Symptoms include lightheadedness, hallucinations, slowed thinking, and more. Being at such a high altitude is very hard to adapt to and some climbers have to call off their attempts due to these harsh conditions. If you pull through the inhospitable environment and make it to the summit, you get to see the view from five miles above sea-level.

When you are standing on top of Everest, you can see so many things. All around you are the Himalayas, and you can see white clouds surrounding the mountains. On a clear day, you can even see the ocean, which is about a hundred miles away! Climbers say that it is a truly amazing experience.