Mt. Everest

A recent visit to Colorado has "peaked" my interest in mountains. I have always loved the view of mountains and even better the view from the top. Hearing stories of hiking, climbers, and just the sight of the mountains makes me want to climb them myself.

I think mountains are one of the most beautiful creations God has given us (along with ocean/ waterfalls/ a field of wildflowers... etc.) I would absolutely love to climb a mountain. I don't care if I have to start out small with a hike to 9,000 feet or what, but this is something I've got to do in my lifetime. The Rocky Mountain range is beautiful. While in CO, Long's Peak has been in the forefront of my view. According to this site it is 14,255 feet tall. Which got me thinking how tall is Everest?

Check out these incredible facts. They blew my mind. Such an incredible feat that so many have conquered and unfortunately others have not. I could not imagine what that experience would do for your spiritual life. I'm sure I'd be that much more closer to my Creator even by the time I would make it to the base camp (which is just at 17,500 feet) for my perspective that is taller than Mt. Rainer (14,410 ft) and taller than Long's Peak (14,255 ft). Even if you set Long's Peak on top of Mt. Rainer, Mt. Everest has that beat still by 370 ft! That's huge!
Fascinating. Incredible.
EVEREST FACTS
Elevation:
29,035 (8850m)-found to be 6' higher in 1999
Mt. Everest rises a few milimeters each year due to geological forces
Name in Nepal:
Sagarmatha (means: goddess of the sky)
In Tibet:
Chomolungma: (means: mother goddess of the universe)
Named after:
Sir George Everest in 1865, the British surveyor-general of India. Once known as Peak 15
Location:
Latitude 27° 59' N.....Longitude 86° 56' E It's summit ridge seperates Nepal and Tibet
First Ascent:
May 29,1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary, NZ and Tenzing Norgay, NP, via the South Col Route
First Solo Ascent:
Aug. 20,1980, Reinhold Messner, IT, via the NE Ridge to North Face
First winter Ascent:
Feb. 17,1980 -L.Cichy and K. Wielicki, POL
First Ascent by an American:
May 1,1963, James Whittaker, via the South-Col
Everest Name:
Sir George Everest was the first person to record the height and location of Mt. Everest, this is where Mt."Everest" got its name from(In american language)
First Ascent by a Woman:
May 16,1975, Junko Tabei, JAP, via the South-Col
First Ascent by an American Woman:
Sep.29,1988, Stacey Allison, Portland, OR via the South-East Ridge
First Oxygenless Ascent:
May 8, 1978- Reinhold Messner, IT, and Peter Habeler, AUT, via the South-East Ridge
First woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest from both north & south sides:
Cathy O'Dowd (S.A.) South May 25,1996/North '99
Fastest Ascent from South:
Babu Chhiri Sherpa 34, NP-16 hours and 56 minutes (5-21-2000)
Fastest Ascent (north side):
Hans Kammerlander (IT) May,24,1996, via the standard North Col Ridge Route, 16 hours 45 minutes from base camp
Youngest person:
Temba Tsheri (NP) 15 on May,22,2001
Oldest Person:
Sherman Bull May,25,2001 -64 yrs
First Legally Blind Person:
Erik Weihenmeyer May,25,2001
Most Ascents:
Eleven, 24th May 2000 Appa Sherpa became the first person to climb Everest 11 times-Ten, Ang Rita Sherpa, Babu Chiri Sherpa all ascents were oxygen-less.
Best and Worst Years on Everest:
1993, 129 summitted and eight died (a ratio of 16:1); in 1996, 98 summitted and 15 died (a ratio of 6½:1)
Highest cause cause of death:
Avalanches-about a (2:1) ratio over falls
Country with most deaths on mountain:
Nepal-46
Most dangerous area on mountain:
Khumbu Ice Fall-19 deaths
First ski descent:
Davo Karnicar (Slovenia) 10-7-2000
Corpses remaining on Everest:
about 120
Longest stay on top:
Babu Chiri Sherpa stayed at the summit full 21 hours and a half
Largest team:
In 1975, China tackled Everest with a 410-member team.
Fastest descent:
In 1988, Jean-Marc Boivin of France descended from the top in just 11 minutes, paragliding.
Only climber to climb all 4 sides of Everest:
Kushang Sherpa, now an instructor with Himlayan Mountaineering Institute
First person to hike from sea level to summit, no oxygen:
11th May 1990,Tim Macartney-Snape, Australian
Largest number to reach the top in one day:
40, on May 10, 1993
First person to summit Everest twice:
Nawang Gombu-Nepal(once with Whitaker in '63,and again two years later in '65)Gombu now works for the Himalayan mountaineering institute
The oldest woman to summit:
Anna Czerwinska May 22, 2000.
for more information: www.EverestNews.com
I mean that is a life or death adventure/choice. This is not a spur of the moment decision "I'm going to climb Everest!" Not only does it cost as much as a luxury car to get you there, gear, guides, etc. But this is a serious decision that many people choose to do.

More Facts:
*Approximately 6,000 climbers have attempted the summit of Everest, but only 2,249 have made it.
Over 200 people have died trying and of those, at least 120 bodies are still missing on the mountain.
http://www.extremescience.com/HighestElevation.htm

*Mount Everest is just one of over 30 peaks in the Himalayas that are over 24,000 ft/7315m high.
http://www.extremescience.com/HighestElevation.htm

*The Himalayas is the world's highest mountain range comprising all top ten of the world's highest peaks. In fact, the Himalayas includes 14 peaks more than 8,000 meters high and some 200 more than 6000 meters.
http://www.indif.com/India/himalayas.asp

As a former Psychology major, I know to site my references. Sources:
http://www.frontrange.ca/Magazine/Nepal/kalapattar/kalapattar.html
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001798.html
http://www.everestnews.com/everest2008/76yearoldeverest01152008.htm