Mountaineers on Mount Everest: Effects of age, sex, experience, and crowding on rates of success and death

Women at Altitude: Menstrual-Cycle Phase, Menopause, and Exogenous Progesterone Are Not Associated with Acute Mountain Sickness

Gardner, Laurel, Linda E. Keyes, Caleb Phillips, Elan Small, Tejaswi Adhikari, Nathan Barott, Ken Zafren, Rony Maharjan, and James Marvel. Women at altitude: Menstrual-cycle phase, menopause, and exogenous progesterone are not associated with acute mountain sickness. High Alt Med Biol. 00:000-000, 2024. Background: Elevated progesterone levels in women may protect against acute mountain sickness (AMS). The impact of hormonal contraception (HC) on AMS is unknown. We examined the effect of natural and exogenous progesterone on the occurrence of AMS. Methods: We conducted a prospective observational convenience study of female trekkers in Lobuche (4,940 m) and Manang (3,519 m). We collected data on last menstrual period, use of exogenous hormones, and development of AMS. Results: There were 1,161 trekkers who met inclusion criteria, of whom 307 (26%) had AMS. There was no significant difference in occurrence of AMS between women in the follicular (28%) and the luteal (25%) phases of menstruation (p = 0.48). The proportion of premenopausal (25%) versus postmenopausal women (30%) with AMS did not differ (p = 0.33). The use of HC did not influence the occurrence of AMS (HC 23% vs. no HC 26%, p = 0.47), nor did hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) (HRT 11% vs. no HRT 31%, p = 0.13). Conclusion: We found no relationship between menstrual-cycle phase, menopausal status, or use of exogenous progesterone and the occurrence of AMS in trekkers and conclude that hormonal status is not a risk factor for AMS. Furthermore, women should not be excluded from future AMS studies based on hormonal status.

Simulations of the human heat balance during Mount Everest summit attempts in spring and winter

The majority of research dealing with the impacts of the Himalayan climate on human physiology focuses on low air temperature, high wind speed, and low air pressure and oxygen content, potentially leading to hypothermia and hypoxia. Only a few studies describe the influence of the weather conditions in the Himalayas on the body's ability to maintain thermal balance. The aim of the present research is to trace the heat exchange between humans and their surroundings during a typical, 6-day summit attempt of Mount Everest in the spring and winter seasons. Additionally, an emergency night outdoors without tent protection is considered. Daily variation of the heat balance components were calculated by the MENEX_HA model using meteorological data collected at automatic weather stations installed during a National Geographic expedition in 2019-2020. The data represent the hourly values of the measured meteorological parameters. The research shows that in spite of extreme environmental conditions in the sub-summit zone of Mount Everest during the spring weather window, it is possible to keep heat equilibrium of the climbers' body. This can be achieved by the use of appropriate clothing and by regulating activity level. In winter, extreme environmental conditions in the sub-summit zone make it impossible to maintain heat equilibrium and lead to hypothermia. The emergency night in the sub-peak zone leads to gradual cooling of the body which in winter can cause severe hypothermia of the climber's body. At altitudes < 7000 m, climbers should consider using clothing that allows variation of insulation and active regulation of their fit around the body.

Frostbite and Mortality in Mountaineering Women: A Scoping Review-UIAA Medical Commission Recommendations

Kriemler, Susi, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Alison Rosier, Linda E. Keyes, Peter Paal, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth A. Beidleman, Mia Derstine, Jacqueline Pichler Hefti, David Hillebrandt, Lenka Horakova, and Dominique Jean; for the UIAA MedCom Writing Group on Women's Health in the Mountains. Frostbite and mortality in mountaineering women: a scoping review-UIAA Medical Commission recommendations. High Alt Med Biol. 24:247-258, 2023. Background: The harsh environment of high altitudes (HA) poses many serious health risks for mountaineers, including cold injuries and death. The aim of this work was to review whether female mountaineers are at special risk for frostbite or death at HA compared with their male counterparts. Methods: The UIAA Medical Commission convened an international author team to review women's health issues at HA and to publish updated recommendations. Pertinent literature from PubMed and Cochrane was identified with additional publications found by hand search. The primary search focus was for articles assessing cold injuries and death in women mountaineers at HA. Results: We reviewed the literature and identified 20 relevant studies: 2 studies on frostbite at HA, plus 7 studies and 1 report for death at HA. An additional 10 studies about frostbite at low altitude were included. We found that female mountaineers at HA were at lower risk of death than their male counterparts, but sex differences in frostbite were inconclusive. Conclusions: The frequency of cold injuries and mortality in female mountaineers is not yet well studied, and the studies that have been published tend to lack precise exposure data. More studies and registries with sex-differentiated data are needed.

High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema in Women: A Scoping Review-UIAA Medical Commission Recommendations

Pichler Hefti, Jacqueline, Dominique Jean, Alison Rosier, Mia Derstine, David Hillebrandt, Lenka Horakova, Linda E. Keyes, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Peter Paal, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth Beidlemann, and Susi Kriemler. High-altitude pulmonary edema in women: a scoping review-UIAA Medical Commission Recommendations. High Alt Med Biol. 24:268-273, 2023. Background: High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) can occur >2,500-3,000 m asl and is a life-threatening medical condition. This scoping review aims to summarize the current data on sex differences in HAPE. Methods: The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Medical Commission convened an international author team to review women's health issues at high altitude. Pertinent literature from PubMed and Cochrane was identified by keyword search combinations (including HAPE), with additional publications found by hand search. The primary search focus was for original articles that included minimum one woman and at least a rudimentary subgroup analysis. Results: The literature search yielded 7,165 articles, 416 of which were relevant for HAPE, and 7 of which were ultimately included here. Six were case series, consistently reporting a lower HAPE prevalence in women. The one retrospective case-control study reported male HAPE prevalence at 10/100,000 and female at 0.74/100,000. No studies were identified that directly compared sex differences in the prevalence of HAPE. No published data was found for topics other than epidemiology. Conclusions: Few studies and associated methodological limitations allow few conclusions to be drawn. Incidence of HAPE may be lower in women than in men. We speculate that besides physiological aspects, behavioral differences may contribute to this potential sex difference.

Women's Health at High Altitude: An Introduction to a 7-Part Series by the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation Medical Commission

Horakova, Lenka, Peter Paal, Jacqueline Pichler Hefti, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth A. Beidleman, Mia Derstine, David Hillebrandt, Dominique Jean, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Alison J. Rosier, Susi Kriemler, and Linda E. Keyes. Women's health at high altitude: An introduction to a 7-part series by the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation Medical Commission. High Alt Med Biol. 24:243-246, 2023. Background: Women have been traveling to high altitude since the inception of modern mountaineering. Although there are distinct female-specific features such as menstruation and menopause relevant to adaptation to and performance at high altitude, very little data exist on women's high-altitude health. To summarize what is known to date, the Medical Commission of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has created a series of articles on women's health, high altitude illness, and performance at high altitude. Methods: Assembling an international author team, two types of manuscripts were developed: (1) reviews on female-specific topics such as pregnancy; (2) reviews on sex differences in high-altitude related illnesses, nutrition, cold injuries, and mortality. Results: The literature search yielded 7,165 articles, with 482 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for full-text review. The authors of individual chapters reviewed these articles and performed additional hand searches. Conclusions: Some important questions on women sojourning and exercising at high altitude have been studied, but many are still awaiting a qualified and evidence-based response. Our seven reviews, to be published in future issues of this journal, summarize what is known about lowland women sojourning at high altitude, provide recommendations, and highlight knowledge gaps in high altitude women's medicine.

Diet, Supplementation and Nutritional Habits of Climbers in High Mountain Conditions

Appropriate nutritional preparation for a high-mountain expedition can contribute to the prevention of nutritional deficiencies affecting the deterioration of health and performance. The aim of the study was to analyze the dietary habits, supplementation and nutritional value of diets of high mountain climbers. The study group consisted of 28 men (average age 33.12 ± 5.96 years), taking part in summer mountaineering expeditions at an altitude above 3000 m above sea level, lasting at least 3 weeks. Food groups consumed with low frequency during the expedition include vegetables, fruits, eggs, milk and milk products, butter and cream, fish and meat. The energy demand of the study participants was 4559.5 ± 425 kcal, and the energy supply was 2776.8 ± 878 kcal. The participants provided 79.6 ± 18.5 g of protein (1.1 ± 0.3 g protein/kg bw), 374.0 ± 164.5 g of carbohydrates (5.3 ± 2.5 g/kg bw) and 110.7 ± 31.7 g of fat (1.6 ± 0.5 g/kg bw) in the diet. The climbers' diet was low in calories, the protein supply was too low, and the fat supply was too high. There is a need to develop nutritional and supplementation recommendations that would serve as guidelines for climbers, improving their well-being and exercise capacity in severe high-mountain conditions, which would take their individual taste preferences into account.

Pharmaceutical treatment of bone loss: From animal models and drug development to future treatment strategies

Animal models are fundamental to advance our knowledge of the underlying pathophysiology of bone loss and to study pharmaceutical countermeasures against it. The animal model of post-menopausal osteoporosis from ovariectomy is the most widely used preclinical approach to study skeletal deterioration. However, several other animal models exist, each with unique characteristics such as bone loss from disuse, lactation, glucocorticoid excess, or exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. The present review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of these animal models to emphasize the importance and significance of investigating bone loss and pharmaceutical countermeasures from perspectives other than post-menopausal osteoporosis only. Hence, the pathophysiology and underlying cellular mechanisms involved in the various types of bone loss are different, and this might influence which prevention and treatment strategies are the most effective. In addition, the review sought to map the current landscape of pharmaceutical countermeasures against osteoporosis with an emphasis on how drug development has changed from being driven by clinical observations and enhancement or repurposing of existing drugs to today's use of targeted anti-bodies that are the result of advanced insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of bone formation and resorption. Moreover, new treatment combinations or repurposing opportunities of already approved drugs with a focus on dabigatran, parathyroid hormone and abaloparatide, growth hormone, inhibitors of the activin signaling pathway, acetazolamide, zoledronate, and romosozumab are discussed. Despite the considerable progress in drug development, there is still a clear need to improve treatment strategies and develop new pharmaceuticals against various types of osteoporosis. The review also highlights that new treatment indications should be explored using multiple animal models of bone loss in order to ensure a broad representation of different types of skeletal deterioration instead of mainly focusing on primary osteoporosis from post-menopausal estrogen deficiency.

Do cardiopulmonary exercise tests predict summit success and acute mountain sickness? A prospective observational field study at extreme altitude

OBJECTIVE

During a high-altitude expedition, the association of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) parameters with the risk of developing acute mountain sickness (AMS) and the chance of reaching the summit were investigated.

METHODS

Thirty-nine subjects underwent maximal CPET at lowlands and during ascent to Mount Himlung Himal (7126 m) at 4844 m, before and after 12 days of acclimatisation, and at 6022 m. Daily records of Lake-Louise-Score (LLS) determined AMS. Participants were categorised as AMS+ if moderate to severe AMS occurred.

RESULTS

Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O_2max) decreased by 40.5%±13.7% at 6022 m and improved after acclimatisation (all p<0.001). Ventilation at maximal exercise (VE_max) was reduced at 6022 m, but higher VE_max was related to summit success (p=0.031). In the 23 AMS+ subjects (mean LLS 7.4±2.4), a pronounced exercise-induced oxygen desaturation (ΔSpO_2exercise) was found after arrival at 4844 m (p=0.005). ΔSpO_2exercise >-14.0% identified 74% of participants correctly with a sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 81% for predicting moderate to severe AMS. All 15 summiteers showed higher V̇O_2max (p<0.001), and a higher risk of AMS in non-summiteers was suggested but did not reach statistical significance (OR: 3.64 (95% CI: 0.78 to 17.58), p=0.057). V̇O_2max ≥49.0 mL/min/kg at lowlands and ≥35.0 mL/min/kg at 4844 m predicted summit success with a sensitivity of 46.7% and 53.3%, and specificity of 83.3% and 91.3%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Summiteers were able to sustain higher VE_max throughout the expedition. Baseline V̇O_2max below 49.0 mL/min/kg was associated with a high chance of 83.3% for summit failure, when climbing without supplemental oxygen. A pronounced drop of SpO_2exercise at 4844 m may identify climbers at higher risk of AMS.

Night-Time Heart Rate Variability during an Expedition to Mt Everest: A Case Report

Mt Everest has been gaining popularity from casual hiking athletes, climbers, and ultra-endurance marathon runners. However, living and sleeping at altitude increases the risk of injury and illness. This is because travel to high altitudes adversely affects human physiology and performance, with unfavourable changes in body composition, exercise capacity, and mental function. This is a case report of a climber who reached the summit of Mt Everest from the north side. During his 40-day expedition, we collected sleep quality data and night-time heart rate variability. During the night inside the tent, the air temperature ranged from -12.9 to 1.8 °C (-5.8 ± 4.9 °C) and the relative humidity ranged from 26.1 to 78.9% (50.7 ± 16.9%). Awake time was 17.1 ± 6.0% of every sleep-time hour and increased with altitude (r = 0.42). Sleep time (r = -0.51) and subjective quality (r = 0.89) deteriorated with altitude. Resting heart rate increased (r = 0.70) and oxygen saturation decreased (r = -0.94) with altitude. The mean NN, RMSSD, total power, LF/HF, and SD1 and SD2 were computed using the NN time series. Altitude reduced the mean ΝΝ (r = -0.73), RMSSD (r = -0.31), total power (r = -0.60), LF/HF ratio (r = -0.40), SD1 (r = -0.31), and SD2 (r = -0.70). In conclusion, this case report shows that sleeping at high altitudes above 5500 m results in progressively reduced HRV, increased awakenings, as well as deteriorated sleep duration and subjective sleep quality. These findings provide further insight into the effects of high altitude on cardiac autonomic function and sleep quality and may have implications for individuals who frequently spend time at high altitudes, such as climbers.

The collective vs individual nature of mountaineering: a network and simplicial approach

Mountaineering is a sport of contrary forces: teamwork plays a large role in mental fortitude and skills, but the actual act of climbing, and indeed survival, is largely individualistic. This work studies the effects of the structure and topology of relationships within climbers on the level of cooperation and success. It does so using simplicial complexes, where relationships between climbers are captured through simplices that correspond to joint previous expeditions with dimension given by the number of climbers minus one and weight given by the number of occurrences of the simplex. First, this analysis establishes the importance of relationships in mountaineering and shows that chances of failure to summit reduce drastically when climbing with repeated partners. From a climber-centric perspective, it finds that climbers that belong to simplices with large dimension were more likely to be successful, across all experience levels. Then, the distribution of relationships within a group is explored to categorize collective human behavior in expeditions, on a spectrum from polarized to cooperative. Expeditions containing simplices with large dimension, and usually low weight (weak relationships), implying that a large number of people participated in a small number of joint expeditions, tended to be more cooperative, improving chances of success of all members of the group, not just those that were part of the simplex. On the other hand, the existence of small, usually high weight (i.e., strong relationships) simplices, subgroups lead to a polarized style where climbers that were not a part of the subgroup were less likely to succeed. Lastly, this work examines the effects of individual features (such as age, gender, climber experience etc.) and expedition-wide factors (number of camps, total number of days etc.) that are more important determiners of success in individualistic and cooperative expeditions respectively. Centrality indicates that individual features of youth and oxygen use while ascending are the most important predictors of success. Of expedition-wide factors, the expedition size and number of expedition days are found to be strongly correlated with success rate.

A change of heart: Mechanisms of cardiac adaptation to acute and chronic hypoxia

Over the last 100 years, high-altitude researchers have amassed a comprehensive understanding of the global cardiac responses to acute, prolonged and lifelong hypoxia. When lowlanders are exposed to hypoxia, the drop in arterial oxygen content demands an increase in cardiac output, which is facilitated by an elevated heart rate at the same time as ventricular volumes are maintained. As exposure is prolonged, haemoconcentration restores arterial oxygen content, whereas left ventricular filling and stroke volume are lowered as a result of a combination of reduced blood volume and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. Populations native to high-altitude, such as the Sherpa in Asia, exhibit unique lifelong or generational adaptations to hypoxia. For example, they have smaller left ventricular volumes compared to lowlanders despite having larger total blood volume. More recent investigations have begun to explore the mechanisms underlying such adaptive responses by combining novel imaging techniques with interventions that manipulate cardiac preload, afterload, and/or contractility. This work has revealed the contributions and interactions of (i) plasma volume constriction; (ii) sympathoexcitation; and (iii) hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction with respect to altering cardiac loading, or otherwise preserving or enhancing biventricular systolic and diastolic function even amongst high altitude natives with excessive erythrocytosis. Despite these advances, various areas of investigation remain understudied, including potential sex-related differences in response to high altitude. Collectively, the available evidence supports the conclusion that the human heart successfully adapts to hypoxia over the short- and long-term, without signs of myocardial dysfunction in healthy humans, except in very rare cases of maladaptation.

Hypobaric hypoxia deteriorates bone mass and strength in mice

Mountaineers at high altitude are at increased risk of acute mountain sickness as well as high altitude pulmonary and cerebral edema. A densitometric study in mountaineers has suggested that expeditions at high altitude decrease bone mineral density. Surprisingly, the in vivo skeletal effects of hypobaric hypoxia are largely unknown, and have not been studied using advanced contemporary methods to assess bone microstructure. Eighty-four 22-week-old female mice were divided into seven groups with 12 mice in each group: 1. Baseline; 2. Normobaric, 4 weeks; 3. Hypobaric hypoxia, 4 weeks; 4. Normobaric, 8 weeks; 5. Hypobaric hypoxia, 8 weeks; 6. Normobaric, 12 weeks; and 7. Hypobaric hypoxia, 12 weeks. Hypobaric hypoxia mice were housed in hypobaric chambers at an ambient pressure of 500 mbar (5500 m altitude), while normobaric mice were housed at sea level atmospheric pressure for 4, 8, or 12 weeks, respectively. Hypobaric hypoxia had a profound impact on femoral cortical bone and L4 trabecular bone, while the effect on femoral trabecular bone was less pronounced. Hypobaric hypoxia reduced the bone strength of the femoral mid-diaphysis and L4 at all time-points. At femoral cortical bone, hypobaric hypoxia reduced bone formation through fewer mineralizing surfaces and lower bone formation rate after 2 weeks. In addition, bone strength decreased, and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) increased independently of the duration of exposure to simulated high altitude. At L4, hypobaric hypoxia resulted in a substantial reduction in bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, and trabecular number after 4 weeks of exposure. Hypobaric hypoxia reduced bone strength and femoral bone mass, while femoral trabecular bone was much less affected, indicating the skeletal response to hypobaric hypoxia differ between cortical and trabecular bone. These findings provide initial preclinical support for future clinical studies in mountaineers to assess bone status and bone strength after exposure to prolonged high altitude exposure.

Effect of Acetazolamide and Zoledronate on Simulated High Altitude-Induced Bone Loss

Exposure to hypobaric hypoxia at high altitude puts mountaineers at risk of acute mountain sickness. The carbonic anhydrase inhibitor acetazolamide is used to accelerate acclimatization, when it is not feasible to make a controlled and slow ascend. Studies in rodents have suggested that exposure to hypobaric hypoxia deteriorates bone integrity and reduces bone strength. The study investigated the effect of treatment with acetazolamide and the bisphosphonate, zoledronate, on the skeletal effects of exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. Eighty 16-week-old female RjOrl : SWISS mice were divided into five groups: 1. Baseline; 2. Normobaric; 3. Hypobaric hypoxia; 4. Hypobaric hypoxia + acetazolamide, and 5. Hypobaric hypoxia + zoledronate. Acetazolamide was administered in the drinking water (62 mg/kg/day) for four weeks, and zoledronate (100 μg/kg) was administered as a single subcutaneous injection at study start. Exposure to hypobaric hypoxia significantly increased lung wet weight and decreased femoral cortical thickness. Trabecular bone was spared from the detrimental effects of hypobaric hypoxia, although a trend towards reduced bone volume fraction was found at the L4 vertebral body. Treatment with acetazolamide did not have any negative skeletal effects, but could not mitigate the altitude-induced bone loss. Zoledronate was able to prevent the altitude-induced reduction in cortical thickness. In conclusion, simulated high altitude affected primarily cortical bone, whereas trabecular bone was spared. Only treatment with zoledronate prevented the altitude-induced cortical bone loss. The study provides preclinical support for future studies of zoledronate as a potential pharmacological countermeasure for altitude-related bone loss.

Heat Balance When Climbing Mount Everest

Background: Mountaineers must control and regulate their thermal comfort and heat balance to survive the rigors of high altitude environment. High altitudes feature low air pressure and temperatures, strong winds and intense solar radiation, key factors affecting an expedition’s success. All these climatic elements stress human heat balance and survival. We assess components of human heat balance while climbing Mt. Everest.

Materials and Methods: We calculated climbers’ heat balance using the Man-ENvironment heat EXchange model (MENEX-2005) and derived meteorological data from the National Geographic Expedition’s in situ dataset. Three weather stations sited between 3810 and 7945 m a.s.l. provided data with hourly resolution. We used data for summer (1 May–15 August 2019) and winter (16 October 2019–6 January 2020) seasons to analyze heat balance elements of convection, evaporation, respiration and radiation (solar and thermal).

Results: Meteorological and other factors affecting physiology—such as clothing insulation of 3.5–5.5 clo and activity levels of 3–5 MET—regulate human heat balance. Elevation above sea level is the main element affecting heat balance. In summer two to three times more solar radiation can be absorbed at the summit of the mountain than at the foot. Low air pressure reduces air density, which reduces convective heat loss at high altitude by up to half of the loss at lower locations with the same wind speed and air temperature.

Conclusion: 1. Alpinists face little risk of overheating or overcooling while actively climbing Mt. Everest, despite the potential risk of overcooling at extreme altitudes on Mt. Everest in winter. 2. Convection and evaporation are responsible for most of the heat lost at altitude. 3. Levels of physical activity and clothing insulation play the greatest role in counteracting heat loss at high altitude.

Urological Emergencies and Diseases in Wilderness Expeditions

When considering medical emergencies that might affect an expedition, urologic emergencies are typically not included. However, the reality is that manageable and prevalent urologic disease processes can pose significant challenges for the wilderness medicine physician and warrant consideration. The purpose of this review is to identify and discuss the most commonly encountered urologic emergencies and diseases in the wilderness setting and to prepare the expedition medicine physician for management of these urgent conditions. A PubMed and Internet search for urologic emergencies and diseases in wilderness conditions was conducted. We also searched bibliographies for useful supplemental literature and material from leading mountain medicine and wilderness medicine societies as well as population-based studies for common urologic diseases. Urologic emergencies and diseases on expeditions and in wilderness conditions have been reported primarily with retrospective case series and case reports. The most commonly reported urologic emergencies in this setting include urologic trauma, renal calculi, and urinary retention. Parasitic infections in the urinary tract also have been reported to cause urinary symptoms and urinary retention in wilderness conditions. Although urologic diseases in such conditions are uncommon, significant morbidity and even potentially life-threatening sequelae to urologic emergencies were found to occur. Major genitourinary emergencies in expedition medicine are uncommon but involve both potentially manageable urgent conditions and serious life-threatening conditions best treated with urgent stabilization and occasionally medical evacuation. The opportunity exists for increased awareness for management strategies for urologic conditions in the often remote or extreme environments of an expedition.

Death Zone Weather Extremes Mountaineers Have Experienced in Successful Ascents

Background

Few data are available on mountaineers’ survival prospects in extreme weather above 8000 m (the Death Zone). We aimed to assess Death Zone weather extremes experienced in climbing-season ascents of Everest and K2, all winter ascents of 8000 m peaks (8K) in the Himalayas and Karakoram, environmental records of human survival, and weather extremes experienced with and without oxygen support.

Materials and Methods

We analyzed 528 ascents of 8K peaks: 423 non-winter ascents without supplemental oxygen (Everest–210, K2–213), 76 ascents in winter without oxygen, and 29 in winter with oxygen. We assessed environmental conditions using the ERA5 dataset (1978–2021): barometric pressure (BP), temperature (Temp), wind speed (Wind), wind chill equivalent temperature (WCT), and facial frostbite time (FFT).

Results

The most extreme conditions that climbers have experienced with and without supplemental oxygen were: BP 320 hPa (winter Everest) vs. 329 hPa (non-winter Everest); Temp –41°C (winter Everest) vs. –45°C (winter Nanga Parbat); Wind 46 m⋅s^–1 (winter Everest) vs. 48 m⋅s^–1 (winter Kangchenjunga). The most extreme combined conditions of BP ≤ 333 hPa, Temp ≤ −30°C, Wind ≥ 25 m⋅s^–1, WCT ≤ −54°C and FFT ≤ 3 min were encountered in 14 ascents of Everest, two without oxygen (late autumn and winter) and 12 oxygen-supported in winter. The average extreme conditions experienced in ascents with and without oxygen were: BP 326 ± 3 hPa (winter Everest) vs. 335 ± 2 hPa (non-winter Everest); Temp −40 ± 0°C (winter K2) vs. −38 ± 5°C (winter low Karakoram 8K peaks); Wind 36 ± 7 m⋅s^–1 (winter Everest) vs. 41 ± 9 m⋅s^–1 (winter high Himalayan 8K peaks).

Conclusions

Into Thick(er) Air? Oxygen Availability at Humans' Physiological Frontier on Mount Everest

Global audiences are captivated by climbers pushing themselves to the limits in the hypoxic environment of Mount Everest. However, air pressure sets oxygen abundance, meaning it varies with the weather and climate warming. This presents safety issues for mountaineers but also an opportunity for public engagement around climate change. Here we blend new observations from Everest with ERA5 reanalysis (1979-2019) and climate model results to address both perspectives. We find that plausible warming could generate subtle but physiologically relevant changes in summit oxygen availability, including an almost 5% increase in annual minimum VO₂ max for 2°C warming since pre-industrial. In the current climate we find evidence of swings in pressure sufficient to change Everest's apparent elevation by almost 750 m. Winter pressures can also plunge lower than previously reported, highlighting the importance of air pressure forecasts for the safety of those trying to push the physiological frontier on Mt. Everest.