Climbing Everest is the extreme sport du jour
More people are reaching the summit, but more people are dying on the way, too
Climbing Mount Everest used to be a feat of staggering bravery, endurance and skill. In the 40 years after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit in 1953, an average of 12 people a year followed in their footsteps. In 2023 more than 1,200 people attempted the climb, with 655 making it to the top.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Ain’t no mountain high enough”
Culture April 20th 2024
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