Visions of Nepal - Bob Bhandari

What Comes to Your Mind…When You Think

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NEPAL

Over sixty (60) millions of years ago, the highest mountain in Nepal towered over the city with its magical power that has become a trekkers challenge and too many, their death. There are multitudes of words to describe Mount Everest that range from alluring, defying, majestic, magnificent, imposing, bewitching, and deadly. Although the lure of this mountain calls you out in its beauty, have no doubt it is one of the most dangerous hikes one can undertake. Nepal is known as the land of the Himalayas world over. Mount Everest is also called Sagarmatha, meaning Forehead (or Goddess) of the Sky. The most dangerous area on the mountain is Khumbu icefall, which is thought to have claimed 19 lives. It would be best if you allowed two months to do this climb.

The main peak of the Himalayas, Mount Everest, is located in the east section of the border between China and Nepal. Mount Everest is Earth’s highest mountain that is above sea level and located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas in Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The weather and climate conditions of Mount Everest runs extremes. The temperatures at the summit are never above freezing. January temperatures can drop as low as -60° C (-76° F). The hurricane-force winds can blow at speeds of 200 mph, and wind chill, despite the low temperatures, is the biggest issue faced by climbers.

The Himalayan country surprisingly bears eight of the world’s highest mountains. Among the 14 peaks over 8,000m around the world, Nepal’s fortunate location boasts eight, which include Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, and Annapurna. Last reported on Sep 28, 2016. Source: www.mountainmonarch.com › highest-mountains-world

Nepal Himalayas, east-central section and highest part of the Himalayan mountain ranges in south-central Asia, extending some 500 miles (800 km) from the Kali River east to the Tista River. The range occupies most of Nepal and extends into the Tibet Autonomous Region of China and Sikkim state in India. Source: www.britannica.com › place › Nepal-Himalayas

Climbing this mountain is only advised within a short window between April and May. Still, from mid-June to August, it is the monsoon season, at which time rainfall is known to be in large volumes. The first ascent was on My 29, 1953. Source: Wikipedia

If interested in knowing the cost to climb Mount Everest, a Western agency charge will begin at approximately $45,000 and above, but a local Nepali operator is less, ranging between $25,000 to $40,000. A royalty fee of $11,000, for the peak, is part of those costs. Most of the escort agencies for this climb conduct sherpa-supported climbs. (Reported: May 28, 2019). Sherpas are local people who are highly skilled and experienced climbers. They are paid to do things such as prepare the route for foreign climbers to follow, fix ropes in place, and carry the necessary climbing kit up the mountain.

Climbing Everest is tough, and being a Sherpa is a dangerous job. The death toll for Sherpas and climbers each year is 11, according to USA Today. You may be wondering if it is possible to do the climb without a Sherpa, oxygen, and alone. That answer is yes, but only on the south side could you climb independently using ropes and ladders without oxygen, Sherpa, or cook support. There are two main routes to the summit: the south-east ridge from Nepal and the north ridge from Tibet. It is nearly impossible to climb Everest alone on the regular route. More than 4,000 people have climbed Mount Everest, but less than 200 have made it without oxygen. Oxygen, while necessary or highly recommended, is costly. I suppose many want to avoid the high cost of oxygen at $1,000 for each bottle, but it is so expensive because they must be filled with precision. If any water vapor gets into the tank, the O2 bottles freeze, making them worthless up on the mountain.

According to the Irish Times (irishtimes.com), Mount Everest is difficult to climb because of its altitude and being extremely challenging to survive 8000 meters (26,247 ft) above MSL (MSL Above Sea Level). The summit is just below the cruising height of a jet (around 31,000ft).

The death zone is the name used by mountain climbers for high altitude where there is not enough available oxygen for humans to breathe. It was reported that in 1978, climbing Mount Everest was actually considered scientifically impossible without oxygen canisters. There is a fatality rate of 6.5 percent of climbers who attempt to summit. Since 1924, 295 people have died on both sides of the mountain. Reported in May 2019, climbing Mount Everest is among the most dangerous pursuits in the world, with a fatality rate of 6.5 percent of climbers who attempt to summit. Discounting the tricky navigation, cliffs, and the occasional avalanches that kill climbers, the number-one cause of death is cold, coupled with exhaustion. A climber would become too tired and sit down to rest, never to get up again. It is said this happens more often on the descending part of the climb.

However, if you were to speak with anyone who has successfully climbed Mount Everest, you would learn the general feeling was worth any hardships. To be surrounded by the rare beauty and magical sense when you reached the top was and is the height of all pleasures.

Several exciting facts came across my screen as I researched this information. The youngest person to reach the top is Jordan Romero, who made it, aged 13, in 2010.. Now, that is certainly an accomplishment. I can only imagine the incredible sense of freedom one must feel in a place so much larger than life itself.

Nepal is the place where I was raised, with its beauty of the mountains always being a wonder to me, and its God-created splendor.

My reason for the book, The Golden Lady of Nepal, was doing everything I could to help those living in Nepal enjoy a better way of life. I invite you to browse my website where my book can be purchased directly or through my Amazon link. Please enter my drawings, catch up on my other blogs and lovely Photo Gallery, where you will find reasons to visit Nepal by viewing the many photographs.