Everest Explorer: Peak Facts & Wild Stories

Test your knowledge of Mount Everest—its peaks, people, and surprising secrets. Ready to climb through fun questions and uncover high-altitude wonders?

  1. What is the official height of Mount Everest as announced by Nepal and China in 2020?
    1. 8848.86 m
    2. 8848 m
    3. 8850 m
    4. 8844.43 m
  2. Which two countries share the border that runs across Everest's summit ridge?
    1. India Pakistan
    2. Nepal India
    3. China Bhutan
    4. Nepal China
  3. Which mountain was first measured and recognized as the world's highest before modern surveying confirmed Everest?
    1. K2
    2. Mount Everest
    3. Kangchenjunga
    4. Lhotse
  4. Which Sherpa climber held the record for the most Everest summits (as of 2023)?
    1. Ang Rita
    2. Tenzing Norgay
    3. Kami Rita
    4. Apa Sherpa
  5. What is the name of the notorious icy slope above 8,000 meters on the southeast route called the 'Death Zone'?
    1. Hillary Step
    2. Khumbu Icefall
    3. South Col
    4. Summit Ridge
  6. What common effect makes breathing much harder near Everest's summit?
    1. Too hot
    2. High humidity
    3. Low oxygen
    4. High pressure
  7. Who were the first confirmed climbers to reach Everest's summit in 1953?
    1. George Mallory
    2. Tenzing Norgay
    3. Edmund Hillary
    4. Reinhold Messner

Answers and explanations

  1. Question: What is the official height of Mount Everest as announced by Nepal and China in 2020?
    Answer: 8848.86 m
    Explanation: In 2020 both countries agreed on 8,848.86 meters as the official height; surveys used modern GPS and gravity measurements. Many older sources list 8,848 m because of earlier measurements and rounding.
  2. Question: Which two countries share the border that runs across Everest's summit ridge?
    Answer: Nepal China
    Explanation: The summit ridge marks the boundary between Nepal and China (Tibet); India does not border the summit despite its proximity in the Himalaya. Some confuse China with India because of regional maps.
  3. Question: Which mountain was first measured and recognized as the world's highest before modern surveying confirmed Everest?
    Answer: Mount Everest
    Explanation: Everest was identified in the 19th century by the Great Trigonometrical Survey as the highest based on triangulation; earlier explorers had guessed other peaks but surveys settled it. People sometimes mistakenly think K2 was first named highest due to its fame.
  4. Question: Which Sherpa climber held the record for the most Everest summits (as of 2023)?
    Answer: Kami Rita
    Explanation: Kami Rita Sherpa has the highest number of recorded ascents, reflecting Sherpa expertise in guiding; others may be famous climbers but not hold this record. Some confuse him with other famous Sherpas like Tenzing Norgay who have historical firsts.
  5. Question: What is the name of the notorious icy slope above 8,000 meters on the southeast route called the 'Death Zone'?
    Answer: Hillary Step
    Explanation: The Hillary Step was a near-vertical rock/ice face on the southeast ridge named after Sir Edmund Hillary's team; it was a key technical section (its appearance changed after the 2015 earthquake). Many confuse it with the Khumbu Icefall lower on the route.
  6. Question: What common effect makes breathing much harder near Everest's summit?
    Answer: Low oxygen
    Explanation: At high altitude air pressure is much lower, so each breath contains far fewer oxygen molecules; this is why climbers acclimatize or use supplemental oxygen. 'Cold' is a factor but not the main reason breathing is hard.
  7. Question: Who were the first confirmed climbers to reach Everest's summit in 1953?
    Answer: Edmund Hillary
    Explanation: Sir Edmund Hillary (with Tenzing Norgay) is credited as a first summiter; historical credit is often shared with Tenzing, but expedition records list both as first confirmed. Some sources list only Tenzing or only Hillary, which can cause confusion.