Known to be the highest peak, Mt. Everest is situated in the border between Nepal and Tibet in the Mahalangur Himal. The region attracts several climbers and trekkers who wish to gain a close up view of the magnificent mountain. So, how long does it take to climb Mount Everest?
Climbing Everest is like knowing throwing yourself in the face of death. And regardless of the innumerable risks involved, many have tried climbing the mountain- some have made it while the other has died trying.
How long does it take to climb Mt Everest is not a question that can be answered in exact numbers. On average, it will take about 7-9 weeks to complete the entire expedition.
How long does it take to climb down from Everest? – You will reach the base camp by the end of the first week.
How long does it take to climb Mount Everest?
It will take you at least 40 days in total to reach the summit. You will need a couple of days more to push the summit and about a week to reach home/Kathmandu.
How long does it take to climb Mount Everest also depends upon external factors like weather conditions. You may have to halt for extra few days due to unfavorable weather conditions. Sometimes, your health may not permit you to move further and hence you might have to spend additional days resting.
If you wonder how long to climb Everest summit from base camp then, it is gonna take rough 6-9 weeks.
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Everest climbing routes
There are two routes to climb Everest. The north ridge and the south ridge.
The north ridge is situated in Tibet and technically more difficult. It includes challenging rocks that need to be climbed and greater risk.
The south ridge, located in Neal, is the most frequently taken route. It has its own difficulty starting with the Khumbu icefall that needs to be crossed in the beginning itself to reach camp one. It is basically a frozen waterfall that moves slowly. A lot of people have lost their lives while crossing this region.
We will be talking about the south route in detail. After taking the general route to base camp that starts from a flight to Lukla from Kathmandu, you will be taking the following route.
Camp 1 (6065m)
This camp is located right above the Khumbu icefall. The place is daunting and plain. It is a flat area comprising of several deep crevasses and mountain walls. These places are a little warmer than the other ones that lie ahead. It is used for resting. From here, you will head towards camp 2.
Camp 2 (6750m)
Situated at the foot of the mountain Lhotse, Camp 2 is a very safe and sheltered location. It has an amazing view of Lhotse. This camp is used by almost all companies to set up their main climbing camp. It is also the main acclimatization camp and also the base for camp 3 acclimatization climb and the final summit.
Camp 3 (7100m)
It is located on a small ledge on the Lhotse wall. The wall needs to be climbed using ropes after acclimatization. Beyond the wall that measures up to 4000m, lies camp 4 which is a compact snowfield. The route is pretty safe.
Camp 4 (7920)
This is the last camp. It can be easily accessed even without the use of supplementary oxygen. There are two rock sections to navigate before camp 4: Phyllis and semi schist rocks and Geneva Spur. They are again set-up with fixed ropes.
Summit
This section is the southwest ridge leading to the south summit. The ridge is steep and snowy and has a convenient resting platform. For safety, the entire route is protected with fixed ropes.
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How hard is it to climb Mt. Everest?
People who have a strong desire to in climbing mount Everest might ask is it hard to climb Mount Everest?
This is an extremely difficult job and should not be taken for granted.
You will be operating on very less oxygen, in an environment that is below freezing. Also, you will be carrying gears and will be dressed in highly uncomfortable clothes.
To start with, you will be walking for about 6 hours every day to reach the base camp. Upon reaching there, you will have to cross the first deathly obstacle, Khumbu icefall that has taken the lives of hundreds of climbers.
It doesn’t get any easier from here. Physically, you will feel sleep-deprived, hungry, and combating frostbite. You don’t know if you will make it to the summit unless you do. Once you have, you don’t know if you will make it home alive. A greater number of people die on their way back. No one functions well in such altitudes.
Then there are other possible accidents like snow avalanche or altitude sickness. And yet, Everest is not hard compared to other summits.
