---
id:"kb-2026-00389"
title:"Mount Everest"
schema_type:"TechArticle"
category:"geography"
language:"en"
confidence:"high"
last_verified:"2026-05-22"
generation_method:"ai_assisted"
ai_models:["claude-opus"]
derived_from_human_seed:true
primary_sources:
  - title:"Into Thin Air (Jon Krakauer)"
    type:"book"
    year:1997
    url:"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/306270/into-thin-air-by-jon-krakauer/"
    institution:"Villard"
secondary_sources:
  - title: "RESTful Web APIs"
    authors: ["Richardson", "Amundsen"]
    type: "book"
    year: 2013
    url: "https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/restful-web-apis/9781449359713/"
    institution: "O'Reilly"
completeness: 0.88
ai_citations:
  last_citation_check:"2026-05-22"
---

## TL;DR

Mount Everest (8,848.86m / 29,031.7ft) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, on the Nepal-Tibet (China) border. First ascent: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay (May 29, 1953). Over 6,000 people have summited; ~330 have died trying. Commercial expeditions (1990s+) dramatically increased summit attempts.

## Core Explanation

Death zone: above 8,000m, oxygen insufficient for human survival — even with supplemental O₂, body deteriorates. Key dangers: altitude sickness (HAPE/HACE), avalanches, crevasses, exposure, summit fever. Two main routes: South Col (Nepal, easier), North Col (Tibet). Traffic jams: 2019 photo of climbers queueing near summit sparked regulation debate. Helicopters cannot fly above ~6,500m — rescue extremely difficult.

## Further Reading

- [Into Thin Air (Jon Krakauer)](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/306270/into-thin-air-by-jon-krakauer/)