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Climbing
Peaks - Everest |
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Guide > The Himalayas
> Climbing Peaks |
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Latitude
27° 59' 17".
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Longitude
86° 55' 31" |
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Height
8848m
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Zone
Khumbu |
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Status
Highest in the world |
Mt. Everest, known to the Sherpas and Tibetans as Chomolungma
(Goddess Mother of the earth) was discovered in 1852 by Raghunath
Sikdhar, then chief computer working for the Survey General
of India.(a computer was a man who computed data). The Nepalese
call it Sagarmatha (sagar = sky. Matha = head). After many unsuccessful
attempts, the highest peak in the world was finally climbed
in 1953. The victorious team of Tenzing Sherpa and Edmund Hillary
stood on the summit one bright morning on 29th May. Tenzing
was born in a village in Khumbu in 1914 but from the age of
17 had been living in Darjeeling, India, where the early expeditions
to Everest began their trek. Hillary arrived from New Zealand
and hailed from a family of bee- keepers, though climbing took
precedence in his life. Englishman John Hunt was the leader
of this triumphant British expedition.
Everest has since been summited by more than a thousand people
some of whom have climbed several times. Appa Sherpa-11 times.
Ang Rita Sherpa - 10times. Late Babu Chhiri Sherpa-10 times.
The first woman to climb was a Japanese named Junko Tabei on16th
May 1975. Most recently it has been climbed by a blind American
named Eric Weihenmeyer and a 16- year old Nepali, Temba Tsheri
Sherpa (youngest to summit). Another American, Sherman Bull
at 64 became the oldest to climb. The first men to climb without
bottled oxygen were Reinhold Messner, a Tyroleon and Peter Habelar
(Austrian) in 1978. Late Babu Chhiri Sherpa also holds the record
for the fastest climb (16hr. 56 min) and also the longest summit
stay of 21 hrs. Along with the growing number of successful
climbs there are many fatalities each year.
Among the early expeditions, the most well known and most talked
about is the British Expedition of 1924. Taking the route from
the north via Tibet, two of the expedition members failed to
return. They were George Leigh Mallory and Andrew C. Irvine.
Last seen only 800 ft below the summit before they vanished,
the pair became a legend. 75 years later, in 1999 a search expedition
discovered the well-preserved body of Mallory but the search
for his partner goes on. Mallory was given a proper burial where
he was found. The mystery of whether the pair reached the summit
before they perished remains unsolved.
Everest can be climbed from both Nepal (south) as well as from
Tibet (north). The early expeditions from the late 1800s to
1949 climbed from Tibet as the Rana rulers of Nepal kept this
country strictly closed to all but a few foreigners. The '53
expedition began their trek from Bhaktapur but today climbers
can fly to Lukla airport (built by Hillary) from where it is
an 8-day trek to Everest Base Camp. This trek to Base Camp is
one of the most popular treks, second only to the Annapurna
Trek. The favourite viewing point for trekkers is the summit
of Kala Pathar (5545m), which indisputably provides the best
view of Everest. The trek halt overnight at popular Namche Bazaar.
The route then goes through Thyangboche (well known monastery
here), Pheriche, Lobuche and Gorakshep (camping site near Kala
Pathar). The alternate route to Everest is via Jiri following
in the footsteps of Tenzing and Hillary. Trekking through either
of these routes leads the expeditions through spectacular scenery
with views of countless Himalayan peaks. The trek is also a
cultural experience, leading through villages inhabited by Tamangs,
Sherpas and other hill tribes. As the route climbs higher, Hindus
give way to Buddhists until high in the mountainous regions
the inhabitants closely resemble the Tibetans.
There are many routes to the top and the most commonly used
southeast ridge route is also the most expensive. All routes
however converge at the top and climbers find themselves vying
for a place on the single track leading to the summit. Once
the weather clears up, a line of eager climbers can be seen
struggling to reach the highest point on earth.
Mountaineering brings in large foreign exchange earnings to
Nepal and Everest is the chief attraction. Every year about
600 to 900 mountaineers come to Nepal with Everest taking in
the largest share.
| Climbing
Fees, Rules & Regulations : |
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More
than one team may be permitted to climb Sagarmatha (Mt
Everest) by each separate route in one season.
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A Royalty of US$ 50,000/- has been fixed for Sagarmatha
for a team consisting of 7 members. The team may include
5 more members provided it pays extra US$ 10,000/- for
each additional member. The royalty includes trekking
fee of the team members. The team members will be granted
three months visas. Additional, US$ 20,000/- will have
to be paid by the team willing to scale Sagarmatha by
the normal South East ridge route.
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In all regions including Khumbu, an expedition team can
have up to 7 members for the minimum royalty and 5 more
members for the additional royalty.
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The team already permitted to scale Sagarmatha will have
to pay US$ 10,000/- if it intends to change the ascent
route. It will have to pay additional US$ 20,000/- if
it intends to change the ascent route to normal South
East ridge route.
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Expedition
team must complete all necessary administrative formalities
and procedures in order to send back the garbage of the
expedition team to their respective countries of the expedition.
Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation will take necessary
monitory deposit from them, which will be refunded after
the dispatch of garbage from Nepal.
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A
liaison officer appointed by the Ministry of Tourism must
accompany each expedition. |
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