Rising about five and a half miles above sea level, Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. Reaching the top of this towering landform has long been one of the most audacious goals that outdoor adventurers could set for themselves. That’s because anyone attempting this prodigious feat would need to
grapple with a myriad of extremely difficult conditions, including bitterly cold temperatures, strong winds, ice-covered surfaces, and, at the highest points, air that is “thin,” or lacking in oxygen. Still, every year, during a climbing season that generally lasts from sometime in April to sometime in May, dozens of people, including world-class climbers, experienced though less elite mountaineers, and adventurous first-timers, vie for the rare honor of “summiting,” or getting to the top of the mountain.