At 29,029 feet (8848 meters) in height, Everest is the tallest mountain on the planet, and a significant challenge to any high altitude climber. For years, the mountain has held sway over the general public as well, despite the fact that most of us have no idea what it actually takes to reach to the summit. The video below helps to put it all into perspective however, demonstrating the process that climbers go through on their expeditions.

Scaling the highest mountain on Earth requires a significant investment in both time and money. Mountaineers will spend in the neighborhood of $50,000 for the opportunity to possibly stand at the top of the world. But perhaps more surprising than that, they'll also spend upwards of about two months on the climb as well. Due to the extreme altitude involved, they must take time to acclimatize before making their summit push. That process can take several weeks at least.

This video demonstrates that process very well by showing the path that most climbers take when climbing from Nepal's South Col Route. The mountaineers begin in Base Camp, which is located at about 17,600 feet, and proceed up the mountain to a series of high camps. They'll usually shuttle gear to those pre-set locations, then spend a night there, before descending back to lower altitudes to rest and recover. All the while, their bodies are slowly getting use to the much thinner air.

This video was created by climber Alan Arnette, who will be attempting Everest for the 4th time this spring. Everest is just another challenge on his 7 Summits for Alzheimer's expedition however, during which he hopes to climb the highest mountain on each of the continents to raise funds for the Cure Alzheimer's Fund.

[Photo credit: Pavel Novak via WikiMedia]

Filed under: Climbing, Learning, Asia, Nepal