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75-408: In Tibet, the river is called Bum-chu , also transliterated Phung-Chu or from Chinese as Peng Qu or Pumqu . The Men Qu or Moinqu is an upper tributary draining glaciers from Shishapangma . In Nepal , the river's name changes to Arun . The Tibetan name Bum-chu may refer to a religious ceremony attempting to divine prospects for the coming year from the level of water in a pot or well, chu

150-688: A belt of Late Oligocene – Miocene intrusive rocks known as the Higher Himalayan leucogranite. They formed as the result of partial melting of Paleoproterozoic to Ordovician high-grade metasedimentary rocks of the Higher Himalayan Sequence about 20 to 24 million years ago during the subduction of the Indian Plate. Mount Everest consists of sedimentary and metamorphic rocks that have been faulted southward over continental crust composed of Archean granulites of

225-572: A distinctive yellowish brown, and muscovite - biotite phyllite and semischist . Petrographic analysis of marble collected from about 8,300 m (27,200 ft) found it to consist as much as five per cent of the ghosts of recrystallised crinoid ossicles. The upper five metres of the Yellow Band lying adjacent to the Qomolangma Detachment is badly deformed. A 5–40 cm (2.0–15.7 in) thick fault breccia separates it from

300-646: A feat accomplished by Tim Macartney-Snape's team in 1990. Climbers usually begin their ascent from base camps above 5,000 m (16,404 ft). The amount of elevation climbed from below these camps varies. On the Tibetan side, most climbers drive directly to the North Base Camp . On the Nepalese side, climbers generally fly into Kathmandu , then Lukla , and trek to the South Base Camp , making

375-600: A native name for the mountain was Gaurishankar , a mountain between Kathmandu and Everest. In 1802, the British began the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India to fix the locations, heights, and names of the world's highest mountains. Starting in southern India, the survey teams moved northward using giant theodolites , each weighing 500 kg (1,100 lb) and requiring 12 men to carry, to measure heights as accurately as possible. They reached

450-584: A new weather station at about 8,000 m (26,000 ft) elevation went online. The project was orchestrated by Stations at High Altitude for Research on the Environment (SHARE), which also placed the Mount Everest webcam in 2011. The solar-powered weather station is on the South Col . Mount Everest extends into the upper troposphere and penetrates the stratosphere . The air pressure at

525-419: A reference, and/or with a substantial contribution to the development of geological sciences through history." There is very little native flora or fauna on Everest. A type of moss grows at 6,480 metres (21,260 ft) on Mount Everest and it may be the highest altitude plant species. An alpine cushion plant called Arenaria is known to grow below 5,500 metres (18,000 ft) in the region. According to

600-438: A sequence of high-grade metamorphic and granitic rocks that were derived from the alteration of high-grade metasedimentary rocks. During the collision of India with Asia, these rocks were thrust downward and to the north as they were overridden by other strata; heated, metamorphosed, and partially melted at depths of over 15 to 20 kilometres (9.3 to 12.4 mi) below sea level; and then forced upward to surface by thrusting towards

675-410: A survey official back to Terai to make closer observations of peak "b", but clouds thwarted his attempts. In 1849, Waugh dispatched James Nicolson to the area, who made two observations from Jirol, 190 km (120 mi) away. Nicolson then took the largest theodolite and headed east, obtaining over 30 observations from five different locations, with the closest being 174 km (108 mi) from

750-654: Is Earth's highest mountain above sea level , located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas . The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point . Its elevation (snow height) of 8,848.86 m (29,031 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) was most recently established in 2020 by the Chinese and Nepali authorities. Mount Everest attracts many climbers, including highly experienced mountaineers. There are two main climbing routes, one approaching

825-413: Is Sagarmāthā ( IAST transcription) or Sagar-Matha (सगर-माथा, [sʌɡʌrmatʰa] , lit. "goddess of the sky" ), which means "the head in the great blue sky", being derived from सगर (sagar), meaning "sky", and माथा (māthā), meaning "head". The Tibetan name for Everest is Qomolangma ( ཇོ་མོ་གླང་མ , lit.  "holy mother"). The name was first recorded (in a Chinese transcription) in

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900-473: Is about 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) at the border, while Makalu and Kangchenjunga are both about 8,500 metres (27,900 ft), the valley is some 5,000 metres (16,000 ft) deep, one of the world's deepest. The Koshi or Sapta Koshi drains eastern Nepal. It is known as Sapta Koshi because of the seven rivers which join in east-central Nepal to form this river. The main rivers forming the Koshi system are –

975-776: Is also the highest peak in the Jugal Himal , which is contiguous with and often considered part of Langtang Himal. The Jugal/Langtang Himal straddles the Tibet/Nepal border. Since Shishapangma is on the dry north side of the Himalayan crest and farther from the lower terrain of Nepal, it has less dramatic vertical relief than most major Himalayan peaks. Shishapangma also has a subsidiary peak higher than 8,000 m, Central Peak, at 8,008 m (26,273 ft). Some of Shishapangma's ascents are not well verified, or still in dispute, with climbers potentially having only reached

1050-489: Is considered one of the easiest eight-thousanders to climb. The most common ascent, via the North Route, traverses the northwest face and northeast ridge and face, and has relatively easy access, with vehicle travel possible to base camp at 5,000 m (16,400 ft). Routes on the steeper southwest face are more technically demanding and involve 2,200 metres (7,220 ft) of ascent on a 50-degree slope. Shishapangma

1125-417: Is despite Chimborazo having a peak of 6,268 m (20,564.3 ft) above sea level versus Mount Everest's 8,848 m (29,028.9 ft). Nearby peaks include Lhotse , 8,516 m (27,940 ft); Nuptse , 7,855 m (25,771 ft), and Changtse , 7,580 m (24,870 ft) among others. Another nearby peak is Khumbutse , and many of the highest mountains in the world are near Mount Everest. On

1200-489: Is so high the jet stream can hit it. Climbers can be faced with winds beyond 320 km/h (200 mph) when the weather shifts. At certain times of the year the jet stream shifts north, providing periods of relative calm at the mountain. Other dangers include blizzards and avalanches. In 1885, Clinton Thomas Dent , president of the Alpine Club , suggested that climbing Mount Everest was possible in his book Above

1275-456: Is taller than Everest as well. Despite its height above sea level of only 6,190 m (20,308 ft), Denali sits atop a sloping plain with elevations from 300 to 900 m (980 to 2,950 ft), yielding a height above base in the range of 5,300 to 5,900 m (17,400 to 19,400 ft); a commonly quoted figure is 5,600 m (18,400 ft). By comparison, reasonable base elevations for Everest range from 4,200 m (13,800 ft) on

1350-459: Is the 14th-highest mountain in the world, at 8,027 metres (26,335 ft) above sea level. It is located entirely within Tibet . In 1964, it became the final eight-thousander to be climbed. Geologist Toni Hagen explained the name as meaning a "grassy plain" or "meadow" ( pangma ) above a "comb" or a "range" ( shisha or chisa ) in the local Tibetan language , thereby signifying

1425-707: Is the Tibetan word for water. The river originates near Gutso in Nyalam County of Tibet. Around 17 kilometres (11 mi) downstream, the Men-chu joins it. The Tingri county occupies the upper reaches of the Bum-chu and the lateral valleys formed by its tributaries, the foremost of which are Lolo-chu, Shel-chu, Rongpu-chu, Trakar-chu, Kharda-chu , Ra-chu Tsangpo, and Langkor Gya-chu. The Yeru Tsanpo converges with Bum-chu in Tingkye County , which accommodates

1500-587: Is the point at which Earth's surface reaches the greatest distance above sea level . Several other mountains are sometimes claimed to be the "tallest mountains on Earth". Mauna Kea in Hawaii is tallest when measured from its base; it rises over 10,200 m (33,464.6 ft) from its base on the mid-ocean floor, but only attains 4,205 m (13,796 ft) above sea level. By the same measure of base to summit, Denali , in Alaska , formerly known as Mount McKinley,

1575-509: Is widely quoted. Geoid uncertainty casts doubt upon the accuracy claimed by both the 1999 and 2005 (see § 21st-century surveys ) surveys. In 1955, a detailed photogrammetric map (at a scale of 1:50,000) of the Khumbu region, including the south side of Mount Everest, was made by Erwin Schneider as part of the 1955 International Himalayan Expedition, which also attempted Lhotse . In

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1650-452: The Great Trigonometrical Survey . From 1952 to 1954, the Survey of India , using triangulation methods, determined that the height of Everest was 8,847.73 m (29,028 ft). In 1975 it was subsequently reaffirmed by a Chinese measurement of 8,848.13 m (29,029.30 ft). In both cases the snow cap, not the rock head, was measured. The 8,848 m (29,029 ft) height given

1725-463: The North Col , the 1922 expedition pushed the north ridge route up to 8,320 m (27,300 ft), marking the first time a human had climbed above 8,000 m (26,247 ft). The 1924 expedition resulted in one of the greatest mysteries on Everest to this day: George Mallory and Andrew Irvine made a final summit attempt on 8 June but never returned, sparking debate as to whether they were

1800-530: The South Col at 7,920 metres (25,980 ft) and yellow-billed choughs have been seen as high as 7,900 metres (26,000 ft). Yaks are often used to haul gear for Mount Everest climbs. They can haul around 100 kg (220 pounds), have thick fur and large lungs. Other animals in the region include the Himalayan tahr , which is sometimes the prey of the snow leopard . The Himalayan black bear can be found up to about 4,300 metres (14,000 ft) and

1875-959: The Sun Koshi , the Indravati River , the Bhoté Koshi , the Dudh Koshi , the Arun River, Barun River , and Tamur River . The combined river flows through the Chatra Gorge in a southerly direction to emerge from the hills. The Sun Koshi contributes 44 per cent of the total water in the Sapta Koshi, the Arun 37 per cent and the Tamur 19 per cent. The Arun is the largest trans-Himalayan river passing through Nepal and also has

1950-502: The convergent boundary between the Eurasian Plate and Indian Plate , are adding to the height and moving the summit northeastwards. Two accounts suggest the rates of change are 4 mm (0.16 in) per year vertically and 3 to 6 mm (0.12 to 0.24 in) per year horizontally, but another account mentions more lateral movement (27 mm or 1.1 in), and even shrinkage has been suggested. The summit of Everest

2025-473: The red panda is also present in the region. One expedition found a surprising range of species in the region including a pika and ten new species of ants. Mount Everest has an ice cap climate (Köppen EF ) with all months averaging well below freezing. The base camp for Everest expeditions based out of Nepal is located by Khumbu Glacier , which is rapidly thinning and destabilizing due to climate change , making it unsafe for climbers. As recommended by

2100-493: The "crest above the grassy plains". On the other hand, Tibetologist Guntram Hazod records a local story that explains the mountain's name in terms of its literal meaning in the Standard Tibetan language: shisha , which means "meat of an animal that died of natural causes", and sbangma , which means "malt dregs left over from brewing beer". According to the story, one year a heavy snowfall killed most of

2175-799: The 1721 Kangxi Atlas, issued during the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi ; it first appeared in the West in 1733 as Tchoumour Lancma , on a map prepared by the French geographer D'Anville and based on Kangxi Atlas. The Tibetan name is also popularly romanised as Chomolungma and (in Wylie ) as Jo-mo-glang-ma . The official Chinese transcription is 珠穆朗玛峰 ( t   珠穆朗瑪峰 ), or Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng in pinyin . While other Chinese names have been used historically, including Shèngmǔ Fēng ( t   聖母峰 , s   圣母峰 , lit.  "holy mother peak"), these names were largely phased out after

2250-590: The British continued the survey and began detailed observations of the Himalayan peaks from observation stations up to 240 km (150 mi) distant. Weather restricted work to the last three months of the year. In November 1847, Andrew Scott Waugh , the British Surveyor General of India , made several observations from the Sawajpore station at the east end of the Himalayas. Kangchenjunga

2325-515: The Chinese Ministry of Internal Affairs issued a decree to adopt a sole name in May 1952. The British geographic survey of 1849 attempted to preserve local names when possible (e.g., Kangchenjunga and Dhaulagiri .) However, Andrew Waugh , the British Surveyor General of India , claimed that he could not find a commonly used local name, and that his search for one had been hampered by

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2400-591: The Himalayan foothills by the 1830s, but Nepal was unwilling to allow the British to enter the country due to suspicions of their intentions. Several requests by the surveyors to enter Nepal were denied. The British were forced to continue their observations from Terai , a region south of Nepal which is parallel to the Himalayas. Conditions in Terai were difficult because of torrential rains and malaria . Three survey officers died from malaria while two others had to retire because of failing health. Nonetheless, in 1847,

2475-588: The Indian Plate during the Cenozoic collision of India with Asia . Current interpretations argue that the Qomolangma and North Col formations consist of marine sediments that accumulated within the continental shelf of the northern passive continental margin of India before it collided with Asia. The Cenozoic collision of India with Asia subsequently deformed and metamorphosed these strata as it thrust them southward and upward. The Rongbuk Formation consists of

2550-605: The Nepalese and Tibetan policy of exclusion of foreigners. Waugh argued that – because there were many local names – it would be difficult to favour one name over all others; he therefore decided that Peak XV should be named after British surveyor Sir George Everest , his predecessor as Surveyor General of India. Everest himself opposed the honor, and told the Royal Geographical Society in 1857 that "Everest" could neither be written in Hindi nor pronounced by "

2625-611: The North Col Formation is a regional low-angle normal fault called the "Lhotse detachment". Below 7,000 m (23,000 ft), the Rongbuk Formation underlies the North Col Formation and forms the base of Mount Everest. It consists of sillimanite - K-feldspar grade schist and gneiss intruded by numerous sills and dikes of leucogranite ranging in thickness from 1 cm to 1,500 m (0.4 in to 4,900 ft). These leucogranites are part of

2700-455: The Tibet region at a height of about 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) and crosses the main Himalayan ranges. Leaving their rain shadow, the river's flow increases substantially in the monsoonal climate of east Nepal. The landscape south of the border tends to be steep with less than 15 percent of the area having a sustained slope of less than 15° and is strongly dissected by stream channels. Many of

2775-528: The air pressure further, reducing available oxygen by up to 14 percent. To avoid the harshest winds, climbers typically aim for a 7- to 10-day window in the spring and fall when the Asian monsoon season is starting up or ending. Mount Everest hosts several weather stations that collect important data on high-altitude weather conditions. Among them is the Balcony Station, the highest weather station on

2850-428: The animals at pasture. All that the people living near the mountain had to eat was the meat of the dead animals and the malt dregs left over from brewing beer, and so the mountain was named Shisha Pangma ( shisha sbangma ), signifying "meat of dead animals and malty dregs". The name of the mountain, Gosainthan , means "place of the saint" or "Abode of God". The name is in use in popular literature. For example, in

2925-441: The climb from Lukla to the summit about 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in elevation gain. The first recorded efforts to reach Everest's summit were made by British mountaineers . As Nepal did not allow foreigners to enter the country at the time, the British made several attempts on the north ridge route from the Tibetan side. After the first reconnaissance expedition by the British in 1921 reached 7,000 m (22,970 ft) on

3000-518: The comic strip Tintin in Tibet , a fictional Air India flight had crashed at Gosainthan. Tintin , Captain Haddock and the Sherpa team traveled to Gosainthan in search of Chang Chong-Chen. Shishapangma is located in south-central Tibet , five kilometres from the border with Nepal . It and Nanga Parbat are the only eight-thousanders entirely within Chinese and Pakistan territory respectively. It

3075-537: The committee formed by Nepal's government to facilitate and monitor mountaineering in the Everest region, Taranath Adhikari—the director general of Nepal's tourism department—said they have plans to move the base camp to a lower altitude. This would mean a longer distance for climbers between the base camp and Camp 1. However, the present base camp is still useful and could still serve its purpose for three to four years. The move may happen by 2024, per officials. In 2008,

Arun River (China–Nepal) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3150-512: The effort and attention poured into expeditions, only about 200 people had summited by 1987. Everest remained a difficult climb for decades, even for serious attempts by professional climbers and large national expeditions, which were the norm until the commercial era began in the 1990s. By March 2012, Everest had been climbed 5,656 times with 223 deaths. By 2013, The Himalayan Database recorded 6,871 summits by 4,042 different people. Although lower mountains have longer or steeper climbs, Everest

3225-463: The first to reach the top. Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first documented ascent of Everest in 1953 , using the southeast ridge route. Norgay had reached 8,595 m (28,199 ft) the previous year as a member of the 1952 Swiss expedition . The Chinese mountaineering team of Wang Fuzhou , Gonpo , and Qu Yinhua made the first reported ascent of the peak from the north ridge on 25 May 1960. Mount Everest's Nepali / Sanskrit name

3300-451: The greatest snow and ice-covered area of any Nepalese river basin. The Arun drains more than half of the area contributing to the Sapta Koshi river system but provides only about a quarter of the total discharge. This apparent contradiction is caused by the location of more than 80 percent of the Arun's drainage area in the rain shadow of the Himalayas . Average annual rainfall in Tibet is about 300 millimetres (12 in). The river leaves

3375-505: The hill slopes are structurally unstable, and the region is seismically active. The August 1988 Nepal earthquake , with an epicentre around 50 km south of the Arun basin, had a moment magnitude of 6.9 and resulted in more than 100 deaths in the basin alone. The northern third of the Nepalese portion of the Arun basin supports a rich, though human-modified, forest of mixed hardwoods , Chir pine , fir , and rhododendron at elevations of over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). The vegetation in

3450-507: The late 1980s, an even more detailed topographic map of the Everest area was made under the direction of Bradford Washburn, using extensive aerial photography . On 9 October 2005, after several months of measurement and calculation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping announced the height of Everest as 8,844.43 m (29,017.16 ft) with accuracy of ±0.21 m (8.3 in), claiming it

3525-407: The limestone from near the summit revealed them to be composed of carbonate pellets and finely fragmented remains of trilobites , crinoids, and ostracods . Other samples were so badly sheared and recrystallised that their original constituents could not be determined. A thick, white-weathering thrombolite bed that is 60 m (200 ft) thick comprises the foot of the " Third Step ", and base of

3600-457: The lower Bum-chu valley. Another river that meets Bum-chu is Trakar-chu. The river flows past the town of Kharda , gateway to the Khangzhung east face of Mount Everest . The force of its accumulated waters carves its way, south of Drengtrang, through the main chain of the Himalayas directly between the mountain massifs of Makalu and Kangchenjunga into Nepal. Since the river's elevation

3675-438: The lower part of the North Col Formation consists of biotite-quartz schist intercalated with epidote-quartz schist, biotite-calcite-quartz schist, and thin layers of quartzose marble . These metamorphic rocks appear to be the result of the metamorphism of Middle to Early Cambrian deep sea flysch composed of interbedded, mudstone , shale , clayey sandstone , calcareous sandstone, graywacke , and sandy limestone. The base of

3750-496: The mountain and have not been removed due to the dangerous conditions. Climbers typically ascend only part of Mount Everest's elevation, as the mountain's full elevation is measured from the geoid , which approximates sea level . The closest sea to Mount Everest's summit is the Bay of Bengal , almost 700 km (430 mi) away. To approximate a climb of the entire height of Mount Everest, one would need to start from this coastline,

3825-422: The mountain was climbed in ancient times is unknown. It may have been climbed in 1924, although this has never been confirmed, as neither of the men making the attempt returned. Several climbing routes have been established over several decades of climbing expeditions to the mountain. Everest's summit is first known to have been reached by a human in 1953, and interest from climbers increased thereafter. Despite

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3900-520: The native of India ". Despite Everest's objections, Waugh's proposed name prevailed, and the Royal Geographical Society officially adopted the name "Mount Everest" in 1865. The modern pronunciation of Everest ( / ˈ ɛ v ər ɪ s t / ) is different from Sir George's pronunciation of his surname ( / ˈ iː v r ɪ s t / EEV -rist ). In the late 19th century, many European cartographers incorrectly believed that

3975-517: The numbers, having to deal with the problems of light refraction, barometric pressure, and temperature over the vast distances of the observations. Finally, in March 1856 he announced his findings in a letter to his deputy in Calcutta . Kangchenjunga was declared to be 8,582 m (28,156 ft), while Peak XV was given the height of 8,840 m (29,002 ft). Waugh concluded that Peak XV

4050-528: The overlying Qomolangma Formation. The remainder of the North Col Formation, exposed between 7,000 to 8,200 m (23,000 to 26,900 ft) on Mount Everest, consists of interlayered and deformed schist, phyllite , and minor marble. Between 7,600 and 8,200 m (24,900 and 26,900 ft), the North Col Formation consists chiefly of biotite-quartz phyllite and chlorite-biotite phyllite intercalated with minor amounts of biotite- sericite -quartz schist. Between 7,000 and 7,600 m (23,000 and 24,900 ft),

4125-712: The peak. Nicolson retreated to Patna on the Ganges to perform the necessary calculations based on his observations. His raw data gave an average height of 9,200 m (30,200 ft) for peak "b", but this did not consider light refraction , which distorts heights. However, the number clearly indicated that peak "b" was higher than Kangchenjunga. Nicolson contracted malaria and was forced to return home without finishing his calculations. Michael Hennessy, one of Waugh's assistants, had begun designating peaks based on Roman numerals , with Kangchenjunga named Peak IX. Peak "b" now became known as Peak XV. In 1852, stationed at

4200-444: The planet, located at about 8,430 meters (27,657 feet) above sea level. Set up by climate scientists Tom Matthews and Baker Perry in 2019, this station is positioned just below the summit of Everest, which is the highest point on Earth. As of January 20, 2020, the Balcony Station ceased transmitting data. Because Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world, it has attracted considerable attention and climbing attempts. Whether

4275-861: The slightly lower west peak at 7,966 m (26,135 ft) or the central peak at 8,008 m (26,273 ft), which is still almost two hours of dangerous ridge-climbing from the 19-metre-higher (62 ft) true summit at 8,027 m (26,335 ft). Respected Himalayan chronicler and record keeper Elizabeth Hawley famously got Ed Viesturs (amongst others) to re-climb the true main summit of Shishapangma in his quest to climb all 14 eight-thousanders , as she would not accept central (or west) summit ascents as being full ascents of Shishapangma for her Himalayan Database . Thirty-one people have died climbing Shishapangma, including Americans Alex Lowe and Dave Bridges in 1999, veteran Portuguese climber Bruno Carvalho, and noted Bulgarian climber Boyan Petrov , who disappeared on 3 May 2018. Nevertheless, Shishapangma

4350-492: The snow height (8,848 m, Nepal). In 2010, both sides agreed that the height of Everest is 8,848 m, and Nepal recognises China's claim that the rock height of Everest is 8,844 m. On 8 December 2020, it was jointly announced by the two countries that the new official height is 8,848.86 metres (29,031.7 ft). It is thought that the plate tectonics of the Main Himalayan Thrust and related faults, which form

4425-774: The south between two major detachments. Mount Everest is rising by about 2 mm per year. In respect of the recognition of the "highest rocks on the planet" as fossiliferous, marine limestone, the Ordovician Rocks of Mount Everest were included by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) in its assemblage of 100 geological heritage sites around the world in a listing published in October 2022. The organisation defines an IUGS Geological Heritage Site as "a key place with geological elements and/or processes of international scientific relevance, used as

4500-580: The south side to 5,200 m (17,100 ft) on the Tibetan Plateau , yielding a height above base in the range of 3,650 to 4,650 m (11,980 to 15,260 ft). The summit of Chimborazo in Ecuador is 2,168 m (7,113 ft) farther from Earth's centre (6,384.4 km, 3,967.1 mi) than that of Everest (6,382.3 km, 3,965.8 mi), because the Earth bulges at the equator. This

4575-2151: The southern two-thirds of the area has been extensively modified for subsistence agriculture. Most of the half million people in the Arun basin live in this southern area between 300 metres (980 ft) and 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in widely scattered villages near the slopes they farm. Shishapangma Legend： 1： Mount Everest ,  2： Kangchenjunga ,  3： Lhotse ,  4： Yalung Kang, Kanchenjunga West ,  5： Makalu ,  6： Kangchenjunga South ,  7： Kangchenjunga Central ,  8： Cho Oyu ,  9： Dhaulagiri ,  10： Manaslu (Kutang) ,  11： Nanga Parbat (Diamer) ,  12： Annapurna ,  13： Shishapangma (Shishasbangma, Xixiabangma) ,  14： Manaslu East ,  15： Annapurna East Peak ,  16： Gyachung Kang ,  17： Annapurna II ,  18： Tenzing Peak (Ngojumba Kang, Ngozumpa Kang, Ngojumba Ri) ,  19： Kangbachen ,  20： Himalchuli (Himal Chuli) ,  21： Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna) ,  22： Nuptse (Nubtse) ,  23： Nanda Devi ,  24： Chomo Lonzo (Chomolonzo, Chomolönzo, Chomo Lönzo, Jomolönzo, Lhamalangcho) ,  25： Namcha Barwa (Namchabarwa) ,  26： Zemu Kang (Zemu Gap Peak) ,  27： Kamet ,  28： Dhaulagiri II ,  29： Ngojumba Kang II ,  30： Dhaulagiri III ,  31： Kumbhakarna Mountain (Mount Kumbhakarna, Jannu) ,  32： Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan) ,  33： Hillary Peak (Ngojumba Kang III) ,  34： Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen) ,  35： Dhaulagiri IV ,  36： Annapurna Fang ,  37： Silver Crag ,  38： Kangbachen Southwest ,  39： Gangkhar Puensum (Gangkar Punsum) ,  40： Annapurna III ,  41： Himalchuli West ,  42： Annapurna IV ,  43： Kula Kangri ,  44： Liankang Kangri (Gangkhar Puensum North, Liangkang Kangri) ,  45： Ngadi Chuli South Shishapangma , or Shishasbangma or Xixiabangma ( Chinese : 希夏邦马 ; pinyin : Xī xià bāng mǎ ),

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4650-417: The southwest side, a major feature in the lower areas is the Khumbu icefall and glacier , an obstacle to climbers on those routes but also to the base camps. Geologists have subdivided the rocks comprising Mount Everest into three units called formations . Each formation is separated from the other by low-angle faults , called detachments , along which they have been thrust southward over each other. From

4725-541: The study based on satellite data from 1993 to 2018, vegetation is expanding in the Everest region. Researchers have found plants in areas that were previously deemed bare. A minute black jumping spider of the genus Euophrys has been found at elevations as high as 6,700 metres (22,000 ft), possibly making it the highest confirmed non-microscopic permanent resident on Earth. Another Euophrys species, E. everestensis , has been found at 5,030 metres (16,500 ft), and may feed on insects that have been blown there by

4800-521: The summit from the southeast in Nepal (known as the "standard route") and the other from the north in Tibet . While not posing substantial technical climbing challenges on the standard route, Everest presents dangers such as altitude sickness , weather, and wind, as well as hazards from avalanches and the Khumbu Icefall . As of May 2024, 340 people have died on Everest . Over 200 bodies remain on

4875-472: The summit is generally about one-third what it is at sea level. The altitude can expose the summit to the fast and freezing winds of the jet stream . Winds commonly attain 160 km/h (100 mph); in February 2004, a wind speed of 280 km/h (175 mph) was recorded at the summit. These winds can hamper or endanger climbers, by blowing them into chasms or (by Bernoulli's principle ) by lowering

4950-949: The summit of Mount Everest to its base these rock units are the Qomolangma Formation, the North Col Formation, and the Rongbuk Formation . The Qomolangma Formation, also known as the Jolmo Lungama Formation, runs from the summit to the top of the Yellow Band, about 8,600 m (28,200 ft) above sea level. It consists of greyish to dark grey or white, parallel laminated and bedded, Ordovician limestone interlayered with subordinate beds of recrystallised dolomite with argillaceous laminae and siltstone . Gansser first reported finding microscopic fragments of crinoids in this limestone . Later petrographic analysis of samples of

5025-447: The summit pyramid of Everest. This bed, which crops out starting about 70 m (230 ft) below the summit of Mount Everest, consists of sediments trapped, bound, and cemented by the biofilms of micro-organisms, especially cyanobacteria , in shallow marine waters. The Qomolangma Formation is broken up by several high-angle faults that terminate at the low angle normal fault , the Qomolangma Detachment. This detachment separates it from

5100-536: The survey headquarters in Dehradun , Radhanath Sikdar , an Indian mathematician and surveyor from Bengal was the first to identify Everest as the world's highest peak, using trigonometric calculations based on Nicolson's measurements. An official announcement that Peak XV was the highest was delayed for several years as the calculations were repeatedly verified. Waugh began work on Nicolson's data in 1854, and along with his staff spent almost two years working on

5175-485: The underlying Yellow Band. The lower five metres of the Qomolangma Formation overlying this detachment are very highly deformed. The bulk of Mount Everest, between 7,000 and 8,600 m (23,000 and 28,200 ft), consists of the North Col Formation, of which the Yellow Band forms the upper part between 8,200 to 8,600 m (26,900 to 28,200 ft). The Yellow Band consists of intercalated beds of Middle Cambrian diopside - epidote -bearing marble , which weathers

5250-403: The wind. There is a high likelihood of microscopic life at even higher altitudes. The bar-headed goose migrates over the Himalayas and have been seen flying at the higher altitudes of the mountain. In 1953, George Lowe (part of the expedition of Tenzing and Hillary) said that he saw bar-headed geese flying over Everest's summit. Another bird species, the chough , have been spotted as high as

5325-619: Was "most probably the highest in the world". Peak XV (measured in feet) was calculated to be exactly 29,000 ft (8,839.2 m) high, but was publicly declared to be 29,002 ft (8,839.8 m) in order to avoid the impression that an exact height of 29,000 feet (8,839.2 m) was nothing more than a rounded estimate. Waugh is sometimes playfully credited with being "the first person to put two feet on top of Mount Everest". In 1856, Andrew Waugh announced Everest (then known as Peak XV) as 8,840 m (29,002 ft) high, after several years of calculations based on observations made by

5400-2196: Was first climbed, via the Northern Route, on 2 May 1964 by a Chinese expedition led by Xǔ Jìng . In addition to Xǔ Jìng, the summit team consisted of Zhāng Jùnyán (张俊岩), Wang Fuzhou , Wū Zōngyuè (邬宗岳), Chén Sān (陈三), Soinam Dorjê (索南多吉), Chéng Tiānliàng (成天亮), Migmar Zhaxi (米马扎西), Dorjê (多吉), and Yún Dēng (云登). Mount Everest Legend： 1： Mount Everest ,  2： Kangchenjunga ,  3： Lhotse ,  4： Yalung Kang, Kanchenjunga West ,  5： Makalu ,  6： Kangchenjunga South ,  7： Kangchenjunga Central ,  8： Cho Oyu ,  9： Dhaulagiri ,  10： Manaslu (Kutang) ,  11： Nanga Parbat (Diamer) ,  12： Annapurna ,  13： Shishapangma (Shishasbangma, Xixiabangma) ,  14： Manaslu East ,  15： Annapurna East Peak ,  16： Gyachung Kang ,  17： Annapurna II ,  18： Tenzing Peak (Ngojumba Kang, Ngozumpa Kang, Ngojumba Ri) ,  19： Kangbachen ,  20： Himalchuli (Himal Chuli) ,  21： Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29, Dakura, Dakum, Dunapurna) ,  22： Nuptse (Nubtse) ,  23： Nanda Devi ,  24： Chomo Lonzo (Chomolonzo, Chomolönzo, Chomo Lönzo, Jomolönzo, Lhamalangcho) ,  25： Namcha Barwa (Namchabarwa) ,  26： Zemu Kang (Zemu Gap Peak) ,  27： Kamet ,  28： Dhaulagiri II ,  29： Ngojumba Kang II ,  30： Dhaulagiri III ,  31： Kumbhakarna Mountain (Mount Kumbhakarna, Jannu) ,  32： Gurla Mandhata (Naimona'nyi, Namu Nan) ,  33： Hillary Peak (Ngojumba Kang III) ,  34： Molamenqing (Phola Gangchen) ,  35： Dhaulagiri IV ,  36： Annapurna Fang ,  37： Silver Crag ,  38： Kangbachen Southwest ,  39： Gangkhar Puensum (Gangkar Punsum) ,  40： Annapurna III ,  41： Himalchuli West ,  42： Annapurna IV ,  43： Kula Kangri ,  44： Liankang Kangri (Gangkhar Puensum North, Liangkang Kangri) ,  45： Ngadi Chuli South Mount Everest , known locally as Sagarmatha or Qomolangma ,

5475-570: Was officially recognised by Nepal and China. Nepal planned a new survey in 2019 to determine if the April 2015 Nepal earthquake affected the height of the mountain. In May 1999, an American Everest expedition directed by Bradford Washburn anchored a GPS unit into the highest bedrock. A rock head elevation of 8,850 m (29,035 ft), and a snow/ice elevation 1 m (3 ft) higher, were obtained via this device. Although as of 2001, it has not been officially recognised by Nepal, this figure

5550-414: Was the most accurate and precise measurement to date. This height is based on the highest point of rock and not the snow and ice covering it. The Chinese team measured a snow-ice depth of 3.5 m (11 ft), which is in agreement with a net elevation of 8,848 m (29,029 ft). An argument arose between China and Nepal as to whether the official height should be the rock height (8,844 m, China) or

5625-436: Was then considered the highest peak in the world , and with interest, he noted a peak beyond it, about 230 km (140 mi) away. John Armstrong, one of Waugh's subordinates, also saw the peak from a site farther west and called it peak "b". Waugh would later write that the observations indicated that peak "b" was higher than Kangchenjunga, but closer observations were required for verification. The following year, Waugh sent

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