The Relentless Pursuit of a Dream
Ascending Mount Everest demands months or years of grueling training, yet even with such preparation, reaching the summit is never guaranteed. In fact, over 300 individuals have tragically lost their lives on the mountain.
Despite the perilous odds, hundreds of mountaineers are drawn to tackle the world's highest peak each spring. So what compels them to brave the formidable heights?
Dr. Jacob Weasel, a trauma surgeon who successfully summited Everest in May of last year after nearly a year of rigorous training, shares, "I trained by putting a 50-pound pack on and doing two hours of stair climbing and felt like I was in pretty good shape. But I found out real quick that I was not prepared for the physical demands of the mountain."
"If you took somebody and plopped them down at the top of Everest, not even the top, one of the lower camps, they'd be unconscious in 10 or 15 minutes. They'd be dead within an hour because their body is not adjusted to the low oxygen," explains Weasel.
The Vital Role of Acclimatization
Mountaineers hoping to reach the summit typically engage in a process called rotational acclimatization to gradually adjust their bodies to the decreasing oxygen levels as they ascend the mountain. This involves ascending to one of four designated camps on Everest and staying there for one to four days before descending again. This cycle is repeated at least twice, allowing the body to adapt to the lower oxygen levels. It significantly increases climbers' chances of survival and summit success.
The Overwhelming Power of Nature
The initial target for climbers is Everest Base Camp at approximately 17,000 feet, which typically takes about two weeks to hike to. They then proceed to the three additional intermediate camps situated along the mountain.
Camp Four, the final camp before the summit push, rests along the edge of the death zone at 26,000 feet, exposing climbers to dangerously thin air, sub-freezing temperatures, and fierce winds that could potentially blow a person off the mountain.
"It's hard to function," Dr. Weasel tells CNN. High altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is one of the most common medical conditions encountered by climbers attempting the summit. HACE causes the brain to swell in an attempt to regain oxygen homeostasis and results in symptoms such as lethargy, slurred speech, and impaired thinking. It is often accompanied by blurred vision and sporadic hallucinations.
"I had auditory hallucinations where I could hear voices that I thought were behind me. I had visual hallucinations. I saw my wife and kids' faces in the rocks," reveals Weasel.
The Ultimate Sacrifice
According to Alan Arnette, a mountaineering instructor who summited Everest in 2014, if a fellow climber becomes severely injured or dies on the mountain, they must often be left behind, as rescue is improbable. "What most teams will do out of respect for the person is move the body out of sight, if possible," explains Arnette.
The guide continues, "Seeing a dead body on Everest is like seeing a really bad car crash." A decade has passed since the deadliest incident on the mountain, when an avalanche claimed the lives of 12 Sherpa guides. And 2023 stands as the deadliest year on Everest, with 18 individuals perishing on the mountain, including five bodies that remain unidentified.
Helicopter search and rescue missions face significant challenges due to the extreme altitude and frequently treacherous conditions, with a number of rescuers losing their lives while attempting to retrieve others.
Summary
Despite the perilous nature of the endeavor, Mount Everest continues to exert an irresistible allure. For those who summit, the reward is the unparalleled view of the sunrise from nearly 29,000 feet, casting Everest's majestic shadow across the valley below. "It was probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life. I've never felt so insignificant," reflects Dr. Weasel.