subject: How to Combat the Death Zone of Mount Everest [print this page] How to Combat the Death Zone of Mount Everest
Mount Everest being the world's highest mountain renders great many difficulties and life threatening risks to its mountaineers. As the altitude increases, dangers and survival challenge increases dramatically. The death zone is defined in mountain climbing as the point where the amount of oxygen in the air and atmospheric pressure dwarf to the level where human survival becomes extremely hard to maintain. The set point of altitude which is designated as death zone is at 8000 meters above sea level where less than 356 millibars of atmospheric pressure remains and oxygen content is less than one third of sea level air.
On Mount Everest, many deaths have been resulted by the drastic effects of the death zone either by loss of vital functions as a result of hyperventilation or respiratory alkalosis or sometimes as a result of accidents occurred by wrong decisions made under stressful conditions or physical weakening. A prolonged stay at the crest of Everest without supplementary oxygen can lead to impairment of body functions, loss of consciousness and finally death of the person. Therefore, it is important to take all protective measurements, supplementary breathing devices and follow the set exercises to make the body tough against harsh conditions of environment during the venture of climbing Mount Everest.
Most Everest excursions use oxygen masks and bottles at the height of 8000 meters. Although Everest can be climbed without artificial oxygen but it increases risks and dangers to the mountaineers. The combine effect of low oxygen content in air, extreme weather, temperature point many degrees below the freezing level, steep slopes and jet streaming wind cannot be neglected in order to accomplish a successful and save ascent as well as descent. Thereby it is always recommended by the well experienced climbers and guides to use artificial oxygen and acclimatizing exercises during Everest mounting.
Acclimatization is an exercise employed by mountaineers in order to make their body tough and get used to the conditions of higher altitude. Climbers aiming to ascend on Everest establish a camp at the base of the mountain and four higher camps on their way to the summit. For about four weeks they climb high and then came down thus making their bodies get used to the decreased oxygen content of the air and low atmospheric pressure. In the process mountaineers acclimatize by ascending gradually, taking rest for one day for every thousand foot they climb. Meanwhile they replenish their body with plenty of liquids and healthy food and high oxygen content present at lower altitude. This makes their bodies stronger, builds up more muscle masses required to survive at harsh conditions, and helps to heal their wounds.
Some mountaineers don't follow this process as they don't like to go down but substantial benefits rendered by the process makes it worth following. It is also important that climbers do not stay down for a long time as this will lower their physical stamina and loses the beneficial effects of the process. Further, it is also vital to make your Mount Everest expedition at right time and right season. The jet stream just above earth is about 4 to 6 miles per hour but increases sharply with higher altitudes making it to reach the strength and speed of a hurricane at the top of Everest, i.e. more than 118 miles per hour. The most advisable season is in early May when the jet stream is pushed northwards.
If you really want to stand on the summit of Mount Everest, then you need to make sure you take all the possible life saving measurements on your way to stay alive in the death zone.
