As you would expect, the highest mountain on the planet has a long and interesting history. Here are a few facts relating to the geography, geology and human history on the mountain: Located at latitude 27° 59' N and longitude 86° 56' E, Mt. Everest’s summit ridge separates the Asian countries of Nepal and Tibet.

Geologists think that Mt. Everest was formed about 60 million years ago as tectonic plates in the eastern hemisphere pushed the landmass of India north into what is now Nepal/Tibet. The slow forces of plate movement pushed up the Himalayan range to heights nearing 30,000 feet above sea level. The height of the mountain is still raising fractions of an inch each year due to plate movement. For decades Mt. Everest was recorded as 29,028 feet in elevation. In 1999 satellite measuring technology has established the official elevation of the peak at 29,035 feet. BACK TO TOP

	Seen as a goddess by the indigenous people of this region, the mountain is seen symbol of human challenge and endurance by the outside world. Called “Sagarmtha” by the Nepalese, the name translates as “goddess of the sky.” From the north side of the mountain, Tibetain people refer to the mountain as “Chomolungma”, which means “goddess of the universe.” The Sherpa people have been essential partners for various climbing teams throughout the years. They represent a strong and knowledgable key element to any climb of Everest. The Sherpas are literally raised to climb given that their homes exist at elevations that would leave other people with noticable energy deprivation. BACK TO TOP

			The Generations On Everest team will be on the mountain 50 years from when the peak was officially climbed by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. These two pioneering climbers scaled the mountain via the South Col Route. Our team will ascend the peak via the North Col/North Ridge. The first American ascent was accomplished in 1963 by Jim Whittaker, also via the South Col. Since then the mountain has been climbed hundreds of times via multiple routes on all sides of the mountain. Reinhold Messner and Peter Habler climbed the mountain in 1978 without supplemental oxygen, and Messner returned two years later and summitted the mountain solo (without Sherpa support.) The peak has been climbed hundreds of times since 1953, by both men and women. The youngest climber to reach the summit was Temba Tsheri on May 22, 2001 at 15 years of age. The oldest person to summit was Sherman Bull, who reached the summit three days later on May 25, 2001 at 64 years of age. A successful attempt by Generations On Everest team member, Dick Bass will raise that age record to 73 years. A successful climb by team member Jess Roskelley would set the American record for the youngest climber, at 20 years of age. Even with these examples of successful climbs, a summit attempt of Everest is not to be taken lightly. This is a deadly mountain. Experience, good weather, and luck can contribute to the success of the climb, but the vast majority of climbers attempting to scale the mountain are not successful. The worst year for accidents on Everest was 1996, when 98 climbers summitted and 15 climbers died. On average, 15% of the climbers attempting to climb the mountain die in the attempt. Avalanches are the greatest cause of death on the mountain, with twice as many avalanche deaths than falls. Approximately 120 bodies remain on the slopes of Mt. Everest. Generations On Everest’s 13-person team, including climbing Sherpas Man Bahadur Tamang, Pema Tenzi Sherpa, Chhoisang Lama, Lil Bahadur Tamang, and Pasang Gelu Sherpa and 4 base camp staff is very small in comparison to the 1975 Chinese Everest Expedition that tackled the mountain with a team of 410 members! The decades of high-altitude climbing experience and “mountain-sense” of the Generations On Everest team members raises the potential of success as they attempt this climb in 2003. A climber’s adage states, “There are old climbers, and there are bold climbers. But there are no old, bold climbers.” This adage lends credence to the success that John Roskelley and Jim Wickwire have had on the extreme high-altitude climbs the have accomplished over the past 3 decades. BACK TO TOP