The Power of Nature on a Mount Everest Expedition
The Mount Everest summit is literally in the Jet Stream. Winds can reach over 200 mph (320 km/h) in winter. For any Mount Everest expedition, wind is a bigger threat than the cold.
That famous 'cloud' you see trailing from the Mount Everest summit? It’s actually snow being blown off at incredible speeds. When the plume is large, the summit is closed to all climbers.
A temperature of -30°C becomes -60°C with wind. Exposed skin freezes in seconds. This is why Everest trekking gear must be 100% windproof to protect against the invisible killer.
High-altitude tents at Camp 4 are often shredded by the wind. Expeditions must anchor their shelters with heavy rocks and multiple guy-lines to survive the night before the Mount Everest summit push.
On Everest, wind is the ultimate gatekeeper. Respecting the weather forecast is the first rule of a safe Mount Everest expedition.
