Mount Everest (8848 m high) bears rightly its Indian name of Sagarmatha (King of Sky). It is wedged in further magnificent peaks reaching 6000-8000 meters increases in this frontier area between Nepal and Tibet, the highest mountain range of the world – Himalaya, 2500 kms long range (Home of Snow). You find here ten from total fourteen peaks, higher than 8000 m, rest is to be found in neighbouring Karakorum Mountains. Thanks to such height, mountain range arch is bound to collision of Indian as well as North-Asiatic earth-layers. To this wrinkelling occured – from geological age of Earth – even short time period ago, and this process continues and it is not terminated up to now. So, Mount Everest is still growing. This wrinkelling and movements, in the course of foundation of mountain range, led to a fact that Mount Everest has, under massif basis formed from crystalic material, more soft point from sandstone and lime-stone, the petrification of which (these fossils are found on highest place of the world at all) show for sea alluvial deposit. However, the accumulation of such high peaks in the environs of Mount Everest, did not allow to recognize within long time period, which peak would be the highest. Even in 1852, the Indian Geodesia Office decided, that the highest peak would be mount Everest, and its real height was stipulated. Till 1865, there was noted (as its local name was unknown) as XV peak, and later, named according to George Everest, British Officer (he was Cheaf of Land-Surveyor Office - Survey of India, in period 1828-1843).

Himalaya-population took these high peaks as seats of God, so they respected mountains a lot. Tibetans and Nepals people name Mount Everest as Cumulangma (Mother of Earth - Goddess). So, there were founded several monasteries along its slopes. Local inhabitants in valleys – known as Sherpas - (they participated on first mountaneering expeditions as porters), watched first European climbers with big part of mistrust and displeasure. They were afraid that these impertinent intruders would made angry Lords of mountains. History of attempts to overcome most highest  peak of the world started in 1920, when so called Tibet way was open for mounteneers. So, British expeditions (since 1921 till 1938) did their best to reach a target through north-east slope, but they were unsuccessfull. In 1924, the expedition reached a point in height of  8572 m (two expedition members were seen alive here for the last time). After 2nd World War, the other three attempts were made, however without success, this time through south-east way. The mountain offered resistance to climbers, there was huge damger of ice-breakage along entrance slope, and the climb was made in more difficult way by means of  steep walls, cruel frosts and violent winds. Anyway, too scarse air made big problems for all members of expeditions. In spite of all of this, in 1953, two members of Bristish expedition, led by John Hunt, Edmund Hillary (from New Zealand) and Tenzing Norkay (Sherpa), managed to terminate their first climb upstairs. Since that time period, the top of Mount Everest was reached by many expeditions from various countries – from Switzerland (1956), USA (1963), India (1965) or China (1975). In the same year, first woman, Junko Tabei from Japan,managed to climb upstairs. In 1980, Polish expedition effected the climbing in winter by means of ropes. Nevertheless, most interesting climbing was managed  by two Tirol mountaneers: In 1978, Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler reached Mount Everest for the first time without using of oxygen devices. Messner  reached Everest once more in 1980, this time alone.

First citizen of Czech Republic, who conquested a top of highest mountain of the world, was Leopold Sulovsky in spring 1991, member of Italian expedition (he was there as a substitute as one Italian climber was ill).

Text: Jakub Štantejský and Monumente der Welt

Photo: Google