The summit of Mount Everest is a dream that can truly end in death. There are about two hundred dead bodies on the mountain. Most of the bodies are in the same exact position they were when they died. Perfectly preserved in time because of the cold. Along the route upto the summit climbers will pass all these bodies. There are bodies over 50 years old that looked like they were placed there only yesterday.
Several bodies are given names like “green boots” according to some of their most visible features. This one has become sort of landmark and has been in the same place since 1996. It is a bit harsh and cruel to call the remains of someone by some part of its equipment, but I guess that is the result of living in such harsh conditions for a very long time. The weather is cold, and air is extremely rare with ridiculously low percent of oxygen and it takes great will to survive, you might even say a great spite and determination to conquer the nature and push your body to the extremes.
I wonder how does a mountaineer feel while passing by these horrific monuments of those who didn’t manage to reach the top. Does this make them try even harder because they see very evidently what will happen tothem if they give up or do these terrible scenes give them chills and make themlose hope? I guess it depends on the nature of the climber, but I guess that people who give up easy wouldn’t even start this adventure. There is a good reason why only few people pluck up courage and go on such devastating trip and take such auto-destructive actions like climbing the Mount Everest.
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