Have you ever wondered how much a mountain such as Mount Everest must weigh? These are some of the greatest natural assets in the world. They come in different shapes and sizes and are made of differing amounts of rock, dirt, ice, and other materials.
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. It is situated near Nepal on the border of Tibet. It towers at 8846 meters (29, 032 feet). It is estimated that this mountain is more than 60 million years old. What is really fascinating is that the mountain grows by as much as 44 millimeters every year.
What other wonderful facts can we uncover about this phenomenon of nature?
How Much Does Mount Everest Weigh
The estimated weight of Mount Everest is close to 350 trillion pounds! The amazing thing about that number is it is the estimated weight of the mountain itself without the added weight of the ice and snow that are on the peak of the mountain.
One of the determining factors in the weight of a mountain such as this is the number of rocks that make up the mountain. Rocks are heavier than dirt, grass, or even snow.
Snow also determines the final weight of a mountain. You have to figure that a cubic foot of snow weighs about 15 pounds. If there are several cubic feet of snow on the face of the mountain then the weight of the mountain is increased dramatically by that white presence.
We can never be precise with our estimates of the weight of mountains but we can come close to the right weight using scientific calculations to determine approximate weights.
Is it Free to Climb The Mountain?
Climbing Mount Everest is actually a very expensive undertaking. It will cost you somewhere between $30,000 and $160,000 depending on what gear you need and the price of your guide and support.
You are going to need permits to climb. The Nepal permit costs $11,000 and that does not include the $2,500 it cost to hire a local company to facilitate the permit for you. Then you need a Tibet permit that will cost $8,000.
You will have to have a Sherpa to help keep you comfortable and on track. They are generally offered a pay ranging between $2000 and $5000, and they are generously tipped for their services.
Getting to Base
Just getting to the basecamp is going to cost you about $4000. You can also figure that you will need about $30 each day just for the food you will need to eat for each person.
Did You know?
- The area of the mountain above 8000 feet is known as the Death Zone or Everest’s Graveyard.
- Kami Rita has made the climb successfully 24 times.
- It takes about 40 days to summit Mount Everest.
- It takes 18 days to trek to the base camp.
- The typical hiker/climber travels for 4 to 7 hours each day.
- You should walk slowly when climbing up to the base camp.
- You must stay well hydrated to survive the summit.
- You need to wash your hands frequently to maintain health while climbing.
- Other names for Mount Everest include Chomolungma and Sagarmatha.
- Sherpas can climb the mountain without oxygen.
- The pack a Sherpa carries is five times heavier than the packs of ordinary climbers.
- It is recommended that you get to the summit by 2 pm to avoid being caught in the death zone for the night.
- Each climber needs about 7 bottles of oxygen to make the summit.’
- There are literally tons of human feces frozen on the mountain.
- Jumper spiders are present on Mount Everest. They live in the nooks and crannies. All other living animals stay below 6,000 meters.
- There are shrubs as high up as 18,864 feet.
- There are more than 17 routes to the top of the mountain.
- The longest amount of time anyone has stayed at the summit is 21 hours.
- Strong winds and violent storms are often encountered by climbers.
- The mountain is often called the world’s highest rubbish dump because of the amount of waste and trash people leave behind.
- Altitude sickness can cause loss of brain function, vomiting, and brain damage.
FAQs
How many people have successfully climbed Mount Everest?
As of January 2021, there were 10,184 successful summits of Mount Everest on record.
How many people have died while climbing Mount Everest?
There are records of 306 people dying while attempting to climb Mount Everest.
Are all the people who died climbing Mount Everest still on the mountain?
No. There have been a few people who had their bodies retrieved by family or their governments.