Human Bodies don’t function properly when they reach a certain altitude while climbing Mount Everest. In the lower altitude, our lungs and minds receive sufficient oxygen to function correctly, but the oxygen level decreases as the altitude increases. Over the 8,000 ft, the body starts feeling numb, which is called the death zone on Everest. In the death zone during the climb to the summit of Sagarmatha, the body and cells stop functioning and die cell by cell, minute by minute. To reach Mount Everest, at elevation 8848.86, you must climb beyond 800m from the death zone.
One of the other primary reasons that trekkers tend to lose their lives in the death zone is because the region has become overcrowded. Due to the crowd-over surge, the climbers cannot quickly pass the death zone and reach the top of Mount Summit. At the summit of Everest, the oxygen level is 40% lower than it should be at sea level. So, let’s learn about the Death Zone in Everest and Rainbow Valley.
Table of Contents
What is Rainbow Valley in Everest?
Rainbow Valley is another name for the Death Zone on Mount Everest, at an elevation of over 8000m. This Valley is located on the slopes of Mount Everest, where the oxygen level starts decreasing to its all-time low. In this region, natural lives can’t be sustained due to a thin layer of oxygen, and everyone visiting the place must carry their supplement oxygen levels.
Rainbow Valley is one of the most dangerous places in the mountains that mountain climbers will face during their expedition to Everest. This valley is near Mount Everest’s top, between the South Col and the summit. The area is known for hazardous conditions with freezing temperatures, rugged terrain, and thin oxygen, making it one of the problematic parts of climbing Everest.
Where are most of the dead bodies found on Everest?
The climb to Mount Everest is fun and adventurous, but it is also equally threatening. There are a few deaths in the death zone of Mount Everest every month. According to the researchers, the dead bodies are found between the route of Camp 4 and the Summit of Mount Everest. Camp IV lies at 26,000 ft, starting at the death zone’s beginning till the top of the Mount Summit.
This is why the term death zone has been handled to an altitude over 7500ft. The Human body dies bit by bit and cell by cell due to extreme weather conditions, freezing temperatures, and lack of oxygen.
Why is Everest Called a Death Zone?
Everest is called the Death Zone due to extreme weather conditions, deficient oxygen, and high altitudes. After 8000m above sea level, the oxygen level starts lowering, which stops the body’s regular functions. Furthermore, several other problems, such as extreme weather conditions, freezing temperatures, lower oxygen levels, etc., can even endanger your life.
The Mount Everest Summit is the bucket list for all mountaineers worldwide as you ascend the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, at an elevation of 8849m. So, whenever you think of climbing Mount Everest, consider why it is regarded as the death zone and why you should prepare, plan, and make your climb as favorable as possible.
Importance of acclimatization in Everest Base Camp
Everest Base Camp Trek, or the trek to the Mount Everest summit, is a very tough, fun, and challenging activity. Several factors increase the difficulty level of this trek, including high altitude. The high altitude invites one major challenge for the trekkers: altitude sickness. Altitude sickness makes the body ill due to the low oxygen level of the high-altitude Khumbu region. You have to acclimatize correctly to minimize the chances of altitude sickness. There are a few other importance of acclimatization, which are as follows:
Preventing Altitude Sickness
One of the primary reasons for acclimatizing is to prevent altitude sickness. As the altitude increases, the oxygen level of the area decreases, making it uncomfortable for trekkers to breathe. For this purpose, acclimatization is necessary. The acclimatization makes trekkers customize to the weather and climate. Also, it increases the red blood cells in the body, which will tackle the coldness and reduce the chance of acute mountain sickness.
Ensuring Safe Trek
If you want to ensure you are healthy and fit when you are trekking at high altitudes, then acclimatization is reasonably necessary. There are several jeopardies of the trek in the high-altitude trek, so proper acclimatization will allow you to prepare, plan, eat necessary foods, keep yourself hydrated, and get plenty of rest to ensure a safe trek.
Improving Health
If you rush to the high altitude trek, you are sure to regress your health conditions due to extreme cold and weather. The chance of hypoxia, hypothermia, altitude sickness, and Khumbu cough is always present, so you must be healthy to complete your health. Acclimatizing thoroughly during the trek will constantly improve your health and prepare you rejuvenated for the next day’s climb.
Levels of Oxygen in Mt Everest
At Everest Base Camp, about 17,600 feet high, there is about 50% less oxygen than at sea level. It’s important to know this if you’re planning to trek to Everest Base Camp. Standing at the base of the world’s highest mountain is very appealing, but it comes with challenges. When you go up to higher places, the air pressure decreases, meaning less oxygen is available for your body. In simple terms, the higher you go, the less oxygen there is in the air. This is true for all high-altitude locations, not just Everest Base Camp.
How does hypoxia hurt the human body?
Hypoxia is a body condition with a low oxygen level in the tissues. When you inhale oxygen, it passes through your lungs to your alveoli, to your blood, and to the different tissues of your body. Hypoxia arises when the required level of oxygen doesn’t pass through blood vessels, to the blood, and to the different tissues of your body. If there’s not enough oxygen in a specific part of the body, it can cause hypoxia. Both airflow and blood flow are essential for this process. That’s why having lung disease or heart disease increases the risk of hypoxia. Here is what happens to the human body if it suffers from Hypoxia.
Organ Dysfunction
Hypoxia results in damage to the organs of the human body. The lack of blood flow to the tissues impacts different organs like the brain, lungs, hearts, and other parts of the human body like kidneys, livers, and muscles. Hypoxia makes your entire human organs shut down and makes you completely ill, which is also very dangerous for your life if you don’t receive medical attention in time.
Cell Damage
Hypoxia also affects the functions of cells in the human body. The cells have different functions like metabolism, energy function, etc. So, when the body suffers from Hypoxia, the cellular functions of the human body completely stop, which shuts down the body entirely. Hypoxia also prevents the body from waste management, which in return accumulates waste in the body, leading to further harm.
Long term damage
After suffering from Hypoxia, the body of the victims gets damaged for a long time. Some of the further long-term damage that they suffer are cognitive impairment like memory loss, loss of hearing, blindness, etc. Furthermore, hypoxia also leads to chronic diseases like heart attacks, brain aneurysms, strokes, and others.
How Long Can You Stay in the Death Zone on Mount Everest?
The maximum experts recommend you stay in the death zone in Everest is a maximum of 16 to 20 hours. In the death zone, oxygen levels are lower, along with other problems like snow blindness, blizzards, and frostbite, which create immense issues.
Sherpas are the ones who are genetically adapted to high altitudes and hold the record for time spent in the death zone. Babu Chiri Sherpa spent about 21 hours without oxygen on Everest, while Pemba Gyalje spent 90 hours with oxygen on K2. These are anomaly numbers that happen very, very rarely, so any climbers raring to climb the mountain over 8000m must be prepared to tackle the death zone of the said mountains.
Everest Base Camp Altitude
Everest Base Camp Lies at an altitude of over 5,364 m, equivalent to 17,598ft. This base camp is among the highest base camps in Nepal. The major attraction of the Everest Base Camp is to explore its altitude as it takes the trekkers closer to the top of the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest.
The majestic views of the other mountains, like Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Baruntse, are also visible during this trek. The highest altitude you will reach during the EBC trek is Kala Patthar at 5644m. From the peak of Kala Patthar, trekkers will be able to see panoramic views of the mountains and also stunning scenes of sunrise and sunset, which is why Kala Patthar is crowded especially in the early morning or dusk time.
How to be aware of Altitude Sickness?
To be aware of altitude sickness, you must first learn about it and its symptoms. When you trek frequently, you will be primarily aware of the height, elevation, and conditions that cause altitude sickness.
Some of the most common symptoms of altitude sickness provide context on how this sickness can affect the human body. Here are some of the symptoms of altitude sickness: headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, joint pain, etc. However, we have to be more aware of altitude sickness since there are other severe cases as well.
HAPE and HACE are severe cases of altitude sickness. In HAPE, the sickness drastically affects the lungs, and in HACE, it affects the brain of the human body. Failure to provide medical attention to a person suffering from HAPE or HACE can result in the loss of life or severe damage to the body.
Symptoms and Remedies for Lack of Oxygen
The lack of oxygen in the human body is the condition of Hypoxia. Hypoxia generally arises at the top of the mountain laps where there is thin air and the oxygen level is significantly lower. Here are some of the significant symptoms and remedies of Hypoxia, especially for mountain climbers.
Symptoms
- Confusion
- Bluish skin (cyanosis)
- Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
- Extreme restlessness
- Restlessness
- Headache
- Rapid breathing (tachypnea).
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (dyspnea
- Anxiety
- Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
Remedies
- The most common remedy for Hypoxia is the additional oxygen supplements or oxygen concentrators.
- If the victim is suffering from Hypoxia, they should immediately get medical attention.
- The victims need different types of medications, like Corticosteroids, Diuretics, Bronchodilators, and Blood transfusions.
Conclusion
Hence, the Death Zone on Everest is where trekkers and mountain climbers struggle a lot during their mountain expeditions. It is also the area with the most deaths, as the climbers who struggle in the hills near the death zone are bound to lose their lives.
We hope our blog on the death zone on Everest gives you enough knowledge on the problems you will face and the remedies for short oxygen levels. So, if you plan to climb Mount Everest, prepare and plan for the death zone and carry enough oxygen levels. Also, make sure you are not staying more than 16 hours in the death zone and start descending as soon as you feel the symptoms of Hypoxia.
FAQs
Why Climbers Use Oxygen on Everest?
Climbers in the death zone use extra oxygen to stay safe. Oxygen cylinders are crucial tools for climbing the tops of mountains, and they also help climbers climb the highest peaks with more safety and confidence. The extra oxygen helps reduce acute mountain sickness and the critical conditions of HAPE and HACE.
Can sherpas survive the death zone?
Sherpas are more customed to the high altitude of the winter region of Khumbu; however, they also don’t survive in the death zone without the additional oxygen supplement. So when the climbers take Sherpas with them, they also need extra oxygen cylinders.
Which Everest Camp is located in the Death Zone?
The Everest Camp 4 is located in the Death Zone of the Mount Everest. The altitude of the Everest Camp 4 is about 7,950m. In Everest Camp 4 you can stay in the tent safely amid blistering winds, freezing temperatures, and constant blizzards.
Can altitude sickness be caused in the death zone?
Yes, Altitude sickness or Acute Mountain sickness is a common occurrence in the death zone of Mount Everest. In fact, even severe versions of altitude sickness like HAPE and HACE are possible in the death zone, which can even take a victim’s life if not treated in time.
What Happens to the Human Body in the Death Zone?
When you go up really high, there’s less oxygen in the air. Our brains and organs need oxygen to work well. If they don’t get enough, they can’t work right. You might feel a little sick with dizziness, headaches, and trouble breathing. If you keep going higher, you could get even sicker and even pass out or die.
