Week 2 - Mt. Everest DAY 1: Mt. Everest is the earth's highest mountain. Part of the mountain is in Nepal and part is in Tibet. Most expeditions to climb the mountain use oxygen tanks and masks above 8,000 meters. Everest can be climbed without supplementary oxygen, but only by the most accomplished mountaineers and at increased risk. Humans do not think clearly with low oxygen, and the combination of extreme weather, low temperatures, and steep slopes often require quick, accurate decisions.
Day 2: Weather
The Jet Stream sits on top of Everest almost all year long
The wind can blow over 200 mph
The temperature can be -80F
In mid May each year, the jet stream moves north causing the winds the calm and temperatures to warm enough for people to try to summit. This is called the 'summit window'. There is a similar period each fall in November.
It can be very hot with temperatures over 100F in the Western Cwm, an area climbers go through to reach the summit.
DAY 3: Sherpas
Sherpa is the name of a people. They mostly live in western Nepal. They migrated from Tibet over the last several hundred years
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
Sherpas help climbers by carrying tents and cooking food to the High Camps
Sherpas climb Everest as a job to support their families
Sherpas can get sick from the altitude like anyone
DAY 4: SIR EDMUND HILLARY Edmund Hillary was born on July 20, 1919, in Auckland, New Zealand, and took up mountain climbing. In 1953 he became the first, along with Tibetan climber Tenzing Norgay, to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Hillary later participated in expeditions to the South Pole and was among the first to reach the top of Mt. Herschel.
Scholastic has a great website for kids about Sir Edmund and his historic climb HERE
DAY 5 - Jordan Romero Jordan Romero is a US Citizen mountain climber who, on May 22, 2010, became the youngest person to climb Mount Everest. He was 13 years old when he reached the summit. Many people believe it was foolish to for someone to try something so dangerous. People still talk about that? What do you think?
TOO YOUNG? Many people thought Jordan's parents were wrong to allow their son to climb the dangerous Mr. Everest. News programs included segments talking about just that. WATCH one of those news segments to see what people were saying about his climb. What do you think? WATCH VIDEO HERE
