12 Epic Climbing Adventures

12 Epic Climbing Adventures — page 1 — 1 Mount Everest Is the World’s Highest Mountain 11,000 Cost per person in US dollars for a permit to climb Mount Everest The most dangerous part of the climb is the Khumbu Icefall which is a glacier that moves up to 3 feet 1 m per day 4 Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world The climb takes about two and a half months to complete Climbing Mount Everest is very dangerous

12 Epic Climbing Adventures — page 2 — GUIDED BY SHERPAS Sherpas are part of an ancient ethnic community in Nepal They are able to live and work at higher altitudes than most other people Today about 10,000 Sherpas work in the climbing and hiking industries They plan routes prepare meals and carry heavy loads for the climbers They save lives by bringing injured or sick climbers back down the mountain Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world rising 29,029 feet 8,848 m above sea level It is part of the Himalayan Mountains on the border of Tibet and Nepal To climb Everest takes months of preparation Climbs usually begin in late March Climbing Everest is very dangerous Temperatures can reach minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit 34 C or lower Winds blow up to 20 miles per hour 32 km h The higher a climber goes the less oxygen is in the air This can cause altitude sickness Climbers can fall or be hit by falling rocks and ice An earthquake might start an avalanche Climbers choose from two main routes to go up the mountain Most follow the southeast ridge in Nepal The other route is along the north ridge in Tibet There are camps along both routes Climbers use the camps to acclimate themselves After they climb to a higher camp they go back down the mountain to sleep at a lower one This way their bodies get used to the thinner air Most expeditions take about two and a half months to complete Climbers who reach the summit are at the highest point on Earth They are just below the cruising height of a jet plane Sherpas lungs have evolved over thousands of years to survive in low-oxygen environments 5

12 Epic Climbing Adventures — page 3 — 2 Mount Kilimanjaro Towers Over Africa Rising 19,340 feet 5,895 m above sea level Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest peak in Africa It is also the highest freestanding mountain in the world Mount Kilimanjaro has three volcanic cones Two are extinct but one is dormant It may erupt again People of all ages can climb Mount Kilimanjaro But it is not an easy climb The air at the top of the mountain contains half as much oxygen as it does at sea level Climbers may get altitude sickness They must be sure to breathe hydrate and rest when necessary Otherwise they will not make it to the top Climbers must travel with a certified guide They must also take the proper camping and cooking gear Most climbers go with a support 87 Age in years of the oldest person to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro 6 The weather at the top is extremely variable and impossible to predict Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa Guides help climbers breathe rest and hydrate The climb takes about five to eight days to complete

12 Epic Climbing Adventures — page 4 — group that includes guides porters and a chef The porters are local young men They carry the supplies for the climbers THE BOOK ON THE PEAK The name of Mount Kilimanjaro’s dormant crater is Kibo Uhuhru Peak is the highest summit on the rim of Kibo’s crater Climbers who make it this far can write down their thoughts about their accomplishment in a book The book is stored in a wooden box Most groups take five to eight days to complete the climb They go through several different climates before they reach the top These include grasslands a rain forest and an alpine desert Only about half of the climbers who attempt Kilimanjaro make it all the way to the top Some start the last part of the climb in the middle of the night That way they reach the summit at sunrise The last volcanic activity was 220 years ago 7

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