1) Mt. Everest is the highest point in the world at 29,029 feet. About 1,400 people have climbed it but 179 have died trying. 2) Climbing Everest requires specialized equipment like oxygen masks and 5 layers of protective clothing. Younger and more experienced climbers have higher survival rates. 3) Dangers at high altitudes include avalanches, extreme cold, and low oxygen levels. This can cause illnesses like cerebral edema, pulmonary edema, and the Khumbu cough. Immediate descent is needed to treat many of these conditions.

1. High Altitudes By Erin Blair

2. Highest Altitude in the World The highest altitude in the world is Mt. Everest and the surrounding Himalayas. It is 8848 M or 29,029 feet tall. 1,400 people have climbed the mountain and about 179 people have died trying. With advances in technology and more knowledge about extreme environments the fatality rate is about 4.4%

3. Climbing Equipment What does it take to survive a climb? Clothing: 5 layers of clothing including long underwear, socks, pants, shirt, shoes, a pile coat, a down coat, a down suit, ski mask, ski goggles and spiked boots. Equipment: An oxygen mask, radio, ice axe, and canned oxygen. Age: Age is a huge factor as anyone under 40 has an exponentially larger chance of survival than those over 40. Past 60, the death rate skyrockets. Experience: All climbs require extensive training and accompaniment by a trained Sherpa.

4. Conditions Avalanches: Probably the most deadly of the high altitude conditions, these are still what take the most lives simply because of how unpredictable they are. Extreme Cold: Causing such problems as hypothermia and frostbite, frigid surroundings determine the climber’s equipment to what altitude they climb. “ Thin” Air: The air in higher altitudes does not have less oxygen but because of the change in air pressure it is harder for the body to absorb this type of air. The body has to work a lot harder not only to acquire oxygen but to make it usable.

5. Limits of the Human Body The average human (untrained) can survive breathing at the oxygen level of Mt. Everest for about 25 seconds. The peak of Mt. Everest has the absolute minimal amount of oxygen required to sustain life. At its very coldest, Everest can get as cold as -75 ° F and during climbing season it is -25 ° F to 5 ° F.

6. Common High Altitude Ailments Cerebral Edema- When there is less oxygen to consume the body sends more blood to the head. Fluid pools around the brain and causes AMS Acute Mountain Sickness- The results of cerebral edema. Fluid pooling around the brain squeezes it back towards the spinal cord. If not treated right away, this condition is fatal. The higher the altitude, the more severe the condition becomes so an immediate descent is required for survival. Common symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, loss of coordination, headaches, and problems with thought-processes. Blood Clots- Blood flow being stopped or clogged in a vessel preventing blood from reaching an area of the body.

7. More High Altitude Ailments Pulmonary Edema- Flu-like symptoms due to the build up of fluid in the lungs. The lungs are trying to get more oxygen in an atmosphere low in oxygenated air so the lungs have to work harder. When they work harder, the body pumps more blood into them and they become bloated and the body becomes fatigued. If the body becomes too overexerted, the lungs will burst and the person can die. The Khumbu Cough- A dry cough so powerful it can break a person’s ribs. This cough comes from the bronchi in the lungs being dried out in cold, mountain air.

8. Treatments Acute Mountain Sickness: Stay hydrated Canned oxygen Pulmonary Edema: Immediate medical attention Canned oxygen Khumbu Cough: Move slowly to avoid overexertion

9. Affected Body Systems Respiratory: Affected mainly by Pulmonary Edema and Khumbu cough, this system is compromised by the dry, cold, harsh conditions of high altitudes which put major stress on the lungs. The lungs can become engorged with blood or too dried out but both are dangerous. Circulatory/Cardiovascular: This system unevenly distributes blood when faced with high altitude conditions. Blood is kept close to the body maintaining internal organs and overcompensates in areas like the lungs and brain. Not enough blood is transferred to extremities which results in frostbite or hypothermia.

10. Affected Body Systems Nervous: The brain can be flooded with blood at high altitudes if the climber induces Cerebral Edema. In this case, swelling will cut-off the nervous system’s path to the rest of the body which can cause numbness or loss of consciousness. Excretory and Endocrine: Too much salt is stored in the body and more waste is released than the body can compensate for. This causes an imbalance not only in the bladder but in the other organs the body utilizes for necessary fluids. Kidneys are affected by the higher levels of alkaline in the system and this cause AMS.

11. Tips for Survival Don’t increase sleeping altitude by more than 1,000 feet per night. Stop for a day of rest every 3,000 feet. Spend one night below 10,000 feet before ascension. If any symptoms arise, stop climbing until the symptoms completely disappear. If symptoms persist, descend immediately.