May 29,1953: First Successful Ascent of Mount Everest

摘要

Known to the Nepalese as Sagar matha, which means "Goddess of the Sky," Mount Everest holds a fascination among adventurers as the ultimate mountain-climbing achievement. Situated in the Himalayan range along the border between Nepal and Tibet, Everest's superlative height among the giants of the Himalayas adds to both the allure and the challenge of climbing it. At an elevation of 29,029 feet (8,848 meters) above sea level, its summit straddles the upper-limits of the rntroposphere, where the low density of the air imposes a formidable physical challenge for climbers, even with the aid of oxygen. Furthermore, Everest's location makes it susceptible to the effects of the Asian monsoon, whose seasonal shift in wind direction brings blinding blizzard conditions and hurricane-force winds during the summer months. Because of this, most ascents are attempted during a very short window of time-typically during the month of May-after the winter season and before the onset of the monsoon.