Mount Everest (8848m)

Mt. Everest is the highest mountain on earth, when measuring the height of its summit above sea level. Everest's summit ridge marks the border between Nepal and China. The summit of Mount Everest is thought to be rising at a rate of around 4 millimeters per year.

The mountain is called "Sagarmatha" in Nepal, which means "Forehead of the Sky" and in Tibetan language it is called Chomolungma or Qomolangma meaning "Mother of the Universe". The mountain was given its English name by Andrew Waugh, the British surveyor-general of India. With both Nepal and Tibet closed to foreign travel, he wrote:

"Hence Waugh chose to name the mountain after George Everest, first using the spelling Mont Everest, and then Mount Everest."

Mt. Everest have two main climbing routes, the south-east ridge from Nepal and the north-east ridge from Tibet, as well as thirteen other less frequently climbed routes. Of the two main routes, the south-east ridge is technically easier and is the more frequently-used route. It was the route used by Hillary and Tenzing in 1953. This was, however, a route decision dictated more by politics than by design as the Tibetan border was closed to foreigners in 1949.

Most attempts are made during April and May before the summer monsoon season. A change in the jet stream at this time of year also reduces the average wind speeds high on the mountain. While attempts are sometime made after the monsoon in September and October but the additional snow deposited by the monsoon makes climbing even more difficult.