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Mount Everest Numbers for 2017 and Overall

The Himalayan Database has updated their 2017 and overall statistics and the number are in. Himalayan expert Alan Arnette spent a few weeks digging through the archives and came up with a number of lists and trivia. Find the database here.

About the statistics, Arnette said: “The headlines include that Everest summits are growing, death rates are reducing and climbing from Tibet is getting more popular.

“Look for Everest to become more crowded, more expensive over the next five years, regardless of which side you climb, and six to eight people to lose their life each year – more on the south side due to more people climbing that side.”

Arnette goes into detail about who the Sherpa are and gives a number of interesting points, some are below. Visit his blog here for the full list of statistics.

Sherpas

Sherpa is the name of a people.
They mostly live in western Nepal.
They migrated from Tibet over the last several hundred years.
Sherpas climb Everest as a job to support their families.
Sherpas feel it is disrespectful to stand literally on the tippy top since that is where Miyolangsangma, the Tibetan Goddess of Mountains, lives.
Sherpa is also used as a last name.
Usually their first name is the day of the week they were born:
Nyima – Sunday
Dawa – Monday
Mingma – Tuesday
Lhakpa – Wednesday
Phurba – Thursday
Pasang – Friday
Pemba – Saturday

Everest Numbers

In 2017, there were 648 summits.
In 2017, 61 per cent of people above base camp reached the summit.
In 2017, 446 climbed it from south and 202 from the north.
In 2017, 17 attempted without supplemental oxygen, 11 succeeded.
In 2017, there were six confirmed deaths.
Overall, 4,833 different people have summited Everest for a total of 8,306 summits.
Overall, 288 people have died attempting Everest on all routes.
Of the 8,306 summits, only 265 (197 members and 68 hired) took a “non-standard” route in other words not the Southeast Ridge or Northeast Ridge.
Overall, only 208 have climbed Everest without O2.
The death rate on Everest is relatively low compared to Annapurna (one death for every three summits).
Overall, 1,106 people, mostly Sherpa, have summited multiple times.
Overall, the Nepal side is more popular with 5,280 summits compared to 3,026 summits from the Tibet side.
Overall, 32 climbers have traversed from one side to the other.
Overall, 542 climbers have summited from both Nepal and Tibet.
Overall, 88 climbers have summited more than once in a single season.
Most bodies of dead climbers are still on the mountain but China has removed many bodies from sight.
The top causes of death on both sides were from avalanche (77), fall (67), altitude sickness (32) and exposure (26).
There are 18 different climbing routes on Everest (one Canadian variation to West Ridge).
It takes 40 days to climb Everest in order for the body to adjust to the high altitude.
There is 66 per cent less oxygen molecules in each breath on the summit of Everest than at sea level.
You have to be 16 or older to climb from the Nepal side and between 18 and 60 on the Chinese side.
The average expedition takes about 39 days.
Babu Chiri Sherpa spent the night on the summit in 1999.
Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi both hold the record for most summits with 21.
Many climbers who climb at high altitudes hear voice, find out why here.

Mount Everest Photo Cory Richards

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