Climbing Mount Everest is no mean feat. At 29 035 feet it is the highest mountain on earth. Its upper 2 000 feet are known as the Death Zone, because the human body cannot survive at that altitude for long.

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Climbing Everest demands superlative levels of fitness and determination. It also requires a lot of money - around $72 000 - and timing (much of this is accounted for by climbing permits).

For most of the year the summit is torn by winds 200km/h winds, because the summit pokes into the jet stream, those bodies of moving air that roar around the earth like freight trains. This also gives some idea of Everest's altitude: it's at airliner cruising height.

For a few weeks of the year, the jet stream lifts, leaving the summit relatively calm. It's during this narrow time window that teams make a push for the top. But this ups the stakes: the teams have a good chance of success, but there's congestion on the main route, the so-called South Col route.

There’s essentially one rope leading up and down, and perhaps dozens of people using it, with varying degrees of skill and stamina. Problem: if there's a sudden storm it's likely to affect all the teams on the route.

This is what happened in May 1996, when eight climbers died during one brutal storm. The dead included several of the world's best climbers.

Most people climbing Everest pay professional guides to escort them to the summit and sherpas to carry most of their stuff. Some mountaineering purists have written off Everest as a tawdry shadow of the accomplishment it once was. This isn’t strictly true.

It's still a real accomplishment with real risks. So apart from having a good bank balance, what's required?

Planning
Unless you're in superb physical shape already, you'll need to have a programme of cardiovascular exercise at least a year before going. You'll also need to climb some other mountains during this time. Everest is not the most technically demanding mountain in the world, but you'd need to have done some ice climbing before any guide would take you on an expedition. Also, simply getting to Everest and acclimatising takes time. The average human being, taken from sea level to 30 000 feet would lose consciousness within a few minutes and die shortly after that, because there's only a third as much oxygen at that altitude as at sea level. Climbers have to spend time at a series of base camps at 17600 feet, 21 300 feet and 24 000 feet before attempting the summit. This allows the body time to produce more red blood cells so it can carry more oxygen.

Running
Veteran climber Ed Viesturs, who climbed Everest without using oxygen tanks 1996, recommends running for at least an hour each day, a distance of around 12kms. Some climbers build stamina by running on a treadmill while wearing a backpack.

Weight training
You'll benefit from being as physically strong as possible as well as having plenty of muscle mass, much of which you're likely to lose while on the mountain. Most people lose around 20 percent of their body weight while on Everest.

Supplements
Vitamins, tonics and tissues salts will all help prepare you. Take plenty of antioxidants to perk up your immune system. Gingko Biloba has been widely recommended. - (William Smook)

Next: Health hazards at high altitude

Preventing hyopthermia

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