Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa from Nepal became the first climbers to summit the summit 70 years ago. Everest, the highest mountain in the world, on May 29, 1953.
This expedition changed mountaineering forever and left the names of these climbers inscribed in history.
Decades after this feat, hundreds of people climb this 8,849-meter peak each year, raising fears of crowds and too much pollution accumulating.
AFP then exposes the evolution of the Everest phenomenon.
What is this mountain called?
The formation was initially referred to by British cartographers as Peak XV and was identified as the world’s highest peak in 1850.
In 1865 it was renamed after Sir George Everest, who served as Surveyor General of India for the British.
The mountain is on the border between Nepal and China. Sherpas and Tibetans call it Chomolungma or Qomolangma, which means “Goddess mother of the world” and in Nepali it is called Sagarmatha, “Peak of Heaven”.
How has climbing Everest changed?
The 1953 expedition that reached the summit was preceded by nine attempts and after this feat in the next 20 years 600 people summited Everest.
Currently, in a single season, a similar number of climbers reach Everest, where climbers, experienced guides and companies that organize commercial expeditions mix.
The months-long trek to base camp was reduced to eight days with the construction of an airstrip in the town of Lukla in 1964, which is now the gateway to Everest.
Today’s equipment is lighter, oxygen is easier to get, and location devices make expeditions safer.
In an emergency, climbers can even be rescued by helicopter. Every season, experienced Nepali guides open the pathways for paying customers to follow in their footsteps.
Billi Bierling, who manages the Himalayan Database, said things have stayed the same.
“They went to the mountains in a way that is not very different from how we do it now. The Sherpas carried everything. The style of the expeditions has not changed”he assured.
How is the base camp?
Everest Base Camp, where the climb begins, was once a set of tents at 5,364 meters where climbers set up with canned food.
Now, mountaineers can enjoy trendy salads, baked goods and coffees. Broken conversations using bulky satellite phones were replaced by the internet and Instagram posts.
How did the news of the feat spread?
Hillary and Tenzing reached the top of Everest on May 29, but the news only made the news on June 2.
In order to report on the expedition, it was necessary to walk to a telegraph station in the village of Namche Bazaar and send a cable to the British embassy in Kathmandu.
In 2011, British mountaineer Kenton Cool tweeted from the summit using a 3G network when he crested the summit for the ninth time.
In 2020, China announced a plan for a 5G connection to the Everest summit.
What are the effects of climate change?
Warming temperatures are slowly widening the cracks in the mountain, and there is now water on slopes that were previously snow-covered.
A 2018 study of the Khumbu Glacier noted that this formation is vulnerable to even slight atmospheric changes, with the temperature of the thinnest ice near melting point.
“The future of the Khumbu waterfall is bleak”the report’s lead researcher, glacier expert Duncan Quincey, told AFP.
What is the impact of social networks?
This year the climbing season has been spread on social networks by enthusiastic mountaineers who want to capture their experience on Facebook or Instagram.
Online hashtags encourage sponsorship, and each post can grab the attention of potential funders.
A mountain of records?
Seasoned Nepali guides Kami Rita Sherpa and Pasang Dawa Sherpa briefly shared the record of 27 Everest ascents this season. But on May 23, Kami Rita Sherpa stood out and broke all precedents when she completed her 28th climb to the top.
In the mountains, the records are diverse and range from the fastest ascents to feats of endurance on the summits.
Others are more extravagant, such as a party thrown by a team of climbers dressed in ball gowns for dinner at 7,056 meters on the Chinese slope.
Source: AFP
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
