Everest Summit
29,028'
Climbers leave the South Col on a summit bid around midnight to assure a daylight return time up to 18 hours later. In most cases, the altitude has prevented them from sleeping or eating since Camp II (2 days ago), and each breath only brings in about half the oxygen of sea-level. Each step is a struggle, it's cold, and extremely windy. From their camp, the climbers first cross an icy wall at the end of the col and begin moving up the triangular face to the corniced Southeast Ridge which crests at a spot called the Balcony at 27,500'. They then go on to the South Summit at 28,700' where fresh oxygen bottles are stashed for the descent. From here a narrow crest leads to the Hillary Step — a 40-foot, steep rock climb which is rigged with fixed ropes. The summit is now only 20 minutes away along the wind-blown Summit Ridge. Descending to Camp IV can be the most difficult part of the expedition as exhaustion, hypoxia, fading daylight, and incoming afternoon storms compound the hazards.
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