Mount Everest Northeast Ridge Overview

Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth, standing proudly at 29,029ft (8,848m).

Situated on the border of Nepal and Tibet, Mount Everest’s North Side expedition has become more accessible in recent years, but offers a much harder climb. The North Ridge route follows the Rongbuk Glacier system, also known as Changtse, and puts all climbers up against a tough test of strength and stamina.

Quick Facts about Everest North Side

  • Everest’s summit rises by around a quarter of an inch every year.
  • At 29,030ft (8,484m), the summit of Everest has approximately one-third of the air pressure that exists at sea level.
  • The actual summit at Everest is a small dome of snow around the size of a dining room table!

History of Everest North Side 

Mount Everest became popular amongst climbers back in the 1920s. George Mallory and Andrew Irvine attempted one of the first Everest expeditions in 1924, although it is unknown whether they summited the mountain or not. It remains one of the greatest mysteries of Everest to this day.

The first known Everest summit was made by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hilary in 1953, using the South Col route. Everest’s North Route began attracting more climbers from the mid-1990s onwards. 

The Norton Couloir (a steep gorge on Everest North Side) was the scene for one of the greatest mountaineering accomplishments in history. In 1980, Reinhold Messner entered the gorge as a solo climber in order to avoid the Three Pinnacles and ascended to the summit without using supplemental oxygen. 

Experience Required For Climbing Everest North Side 

Climbing Everest from the North Side is far more technically challenging. You will be exposed to the extremes both in terms of the terrain, prevailing winds, freezing temperatures and altitude. Due to this, you will need to have an exceptionally high level of mountaineering and high altitude experience. 

Main Routes at Everest North Side

A handful of routes are available to follow on the North Side, however, some are extremely dangerous and not recommended due to previous fatalities.

The standard route from the North Side is almost identical to Mallory’s route which he took back in 1924. There are high camps at around 7,700m and 8,300m to help you get some much-needed rest.y.

Useful information about Mount Everest Northeast Ridge (China/Tibet side)

Height: 8,848m/29,029ft

Weather: Expect an average of -26C with weak winds

Peak Climbing Season: April - May

Summit Window: There’s usually a small window of stable weather around the 11th May, lasting for approximately 12 days.

Average Hike Length: 42 Days

Accepted Currencies: Nepalese Rupee, Chinese Yen (official), US Dollars (preferred), Euros, British Pound (accepted)

Language: Tibetan, Nepalese, English

How to Get to Everest North Side

Your travel route will vary depending on the expedition you choose. Please refer to the individual expeditions listed on Expedreview for more information.

There are multiple ways to reach Everest North Side, but the most comfortable and popular route involves travelling on the asphalt halfway across the Tibetan plateau. This road takes you right up to Everest North Side Base Camp, cutting out the need for any treks. However, this way of travel is likely to bring some altitude sickness risks.

To prevent altitude sickness, it is recommended to take your time getting to Base Camp. Trekking some of the way will help your body slowly acclimatise, plus there are many beautiful sights to see along the wa

Everest Northeast Ridge Equipment List coming soon

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Everest via Northeast Ridge (Tibet)