What's it like to queue on Everest? - BBC 

"They don't die from queuing, they die from running out of oxygen from waiting in the queue" yes.... that's what queuing on Everest means...

When your hipster mountain goes mainstream

If I were climbing a mountain and I found a queue near the top I would just say, "Yep, climbed it," and then turn around and leave.

It seems as if the main reason people climb Mount Everest isn't for self gratification but rather so people can brag about climbing Mount Everest. I'm guessing that 99% of the people that climb Everest, wouldn't climb it if they weren't allowed to let anyone know they climbed it. Some people pay thousands of dollars to these expedition companies, that drag these people that have no business climbing mountains, up to the summit just so they can tell everyone, they climbed Mount Everest.

Maybe enact a 'once per decade' policy and require that each climber conquers two smaller peaks in the region first (which you can charge them for). Gets rid of the regulars and makes sure that climbers have the skills and commitment required to climb Everest.

To me those queues on mount Everest tells more about the intrinsic shallowness of the human being than about mountenaireering. I'm sure that there are lots of 7000 meters summits around that are more challenging to climb than Everest given the huge infrastructure and logistics put in place to facilitate its ascension. Now stating in a dinner that you climbed the 7126m Himlung Himal Peak carries a lot less bragging rights. That those people queuing like idiots at 8000+ on Everest carried up by their often over inflated ego do die from time to time seems an obvious good choice for darwinism driven selection.

***Climbing Everest is and should be a lifetime achievement. And now the good old Gandhi: 'The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed.'

If there are enough people up there to create a line, maybe climbing Everest isn't the impossible challenge we have been lead to believe.

There should be very strict requirements people need to meet before theyre even allowed on the mountain. But I'm guessing the tour companies don't care if you live or die they need the money

Stepping over dead climbers that were ahead of you? Leaving trash along the way...nice. Where does your head have to go, to want experience this insanity ?

Love how the guy complains about there being too many people but has climbed it 5 times

Just watched a Sherpa interview. He said 90% of them do not want to carry your crap up the mountain. They do it to feed their family. There’s no other work there.

"bag it and brag it." That sums up the entirety of what human beings do: our insatiable, unquenchable, never-ending quest to be able to say I'm better than you.

It isn't inexperience that keeps people from stepping aside when they need to rest. It's their sense of entitlement. Anyone could see that they are holding up the entire queue. The same arrogance that makes them think they're in better shape than they are makes them think everyone else should have to wait for them.

I've always been fascinated with this mountain. Getting to one of the base camps would be enough for me. I wouldn't be fit or brave enough to consider climbing higher.

Once the elevator broke so I needed to use the stairs to get to my apartment. I live on the 3rd floor. Gosh that was hell of a climb, I'm guessing mount everest is similar.

Mountaineers like this fella are some of the most self absorbed people you'll ever meet.

Climbing Everest has no glory connected to it anymore. It's just sad seeing all the dead people and litter scattered across that beautiful mountain. Use all that extra energy doing something good for the world.

Why tf did we watch him change his bedsheets at home?

Climbs Everest, makes sure everyone he meets ever knows about it

I don't think people fully understand. Except me of course.

Just a bit snobby really isn’t it

Wow i felt so much compassion for these people. So hearthbreaking. The summit of the world seems to attract the summit of self absortion.

If you didn’t carry your bag and equipment yourself you shouldn’t be aloud to say you’ve climbed Everest...maybe climbed assisted

Climbing K2 is a much more impressive feat. First of, it's a much harder climb, you need serious mountaineering skills to make the ascent. Second, it has far fewer people trying to climb it partly because of it's difficulty and partly because the Pakistani government restricts access.

imagine dropping $40k+ to stand in line

Whats the point in climbing Everest anymore? Yes its still the highest. But when its SOOO crowded with climbers, and 90% of them complete amatures. I wouldn't find it enjoyable.

The people on this video talk like its theirs. It's a big rock you dont belong on. She says dont bag and brag... what are you doing? It does seem stupid.

Christ Almighty! Not even Everest can escape people.

What's wrong with a nice brisk walk in the Cotswolds?

If you popularize something, especially in this era of disillusionment and a desire for adventure because our lives are so sterile, you create a demand for it. Where you once had a small group who knew the risks and who knew how to limit them, you now have risk seekers who have no idea what they are getting themselves into.

Honestly, I admire the courage and perseverance of these experienced climbers but I question the rationality of the inexperienced ones that do this. Personally, I'm glad I'm too old to even consider it.

What I think is crazy is that there like 12 or 15 perfectly accessible lines that can be used. Also, there's a copious amounts of lines just sitting.... Waiting, waiting to be discovered.

A conga line for some selfies.

Looking at the footage of the several queues in this film, I couldn’t help thinking of what would have happened if a storm similar to the 1996 disaster had blown in. It would have resulted in carnage. If you want to impress your mates summit K2, survive the decent, then you can call yourself a mountaineer.

I don’t like hordes of people and queues. Spiritually lost!

If you’re going to listen to the Black Eyed Peas while climbing Everest. You deserve to be stuck in a queue

People who want to climb Everest need to know this. That way, they know what they sign up for. No one's forcing them to go. I prefer a walk in the countryside myself.

Woman says "Up until 2014 I had never climbed anything before... Then in 2015 I climbed Everest!" The man then says "people read an article and believe they can climb Everest within a year and that's where the trouble starts"

Such a waste of money, over a hundred thousand pounds, purely about ego, so Tarquin can hold court at dinner parties.

I was shocked when I first found out about the queues. It seems climbing Mount Everest has turned into a fairground ride-like jolly any egotistical Tom, Dick and Harry can do to bore disinterested people to death by bragging about it. It would've been something to brag about when far fewer people did it, but now the whole world and it's cat are doing it, who gives a toss?

Kind of a letdown to finally reach the summit to say "I've made it to the top of the world!" and then hear "Hey, me too" a couple dozen times.

Can you say you climbed Everest when you hired a slave wage sherpa to carry your bag?!

Literally when everyone wants to be on top

It could be a commercial: "tired of standing in lane for the Mount Everest?"

They should shut Everest down to climbers completely.

What a lovely sight - a sea of people.

Where is the challenge in being dragged up by a Sherpa. Looks like a line at Disney.

I've been climbing in the UK and the Alps in Europe for years. You'll never find me up in the 800m Himalayan mountains, if you need to bring your own oxygen I don't wanna go!

Just build an escalator already.

This reeks of greed.

That line is insane! Why wouldn’t they regulate how many people can go at a time? I’d be so mad if I got all the way up there a saw that many people...

Dilettante Foreign Climber: "I don't really think people understand Everest" Sherpa: "And YOU do??"

Man, that is just disgusting, everything I want to avoid when up in the mountains.

Feels like two people upset about the person in front of them at the grocery teller. “Why didn’t I just go to the self-serve line?!”

These two interviewed "climbers" wouldn't even manage to climb the mountain without their Sherpas. They're no different from the "inexperienced climbers" they are comparing their self with. They managed to climb the mountain because they paid lots of $$$ for it not really because they are skilled mountaineers. lol

Nice images !

The scary part is not climbing up, it's coming back down those slopes alive

Why isn't there a lottery system/drawing to keep the crowds down to safe levels? Instead of everyone that has $65,000 being allowed to go whenever they want to go...

The trick is for two of the best climbers on the mountain to each fix ropes at the Hillary Step. Both lines could enable the climbers’ ascension (at first) and later one line could be reserved for descending.

I think you’ve all got rocks in your head. Leave the mountain alone. It’s been done before.

I love it when people go somewhere then moan about everyone else that goes there. Go somewhere else. These people are the problem. They think they have the right but others don’t. Kind of like a load of Range Rovers in the golf club car park over two spaces and all the owners moaning there’s no room.

Forget Bees and Sharks, most people die from Hubris.

You shouldn’t be allowed to climb Everest until you have climbed at least 2 other 8000m peaks

The sadness I feel when I see so many people standing in line as if standing in line at an amusement park on this utterly majestic mountain 💔😢

Ever-rest. It's in the Name.

Beautiful. Would love to go. But that crowd to summit doesn’t look like fun.

Man doesnt it take away from the accomplishment and the special feeling of climbing Everest when it appears like everyone and their grandmom has done it too?Like you are at one of the most desolate places on Earth and there is literally like 100+ people standing in a stupid que just to get to the summit.

What this looks like to me is people that who have done the climb just don't want anyone else to do it.

Honestly, should put an EXPERIENCE cap on it - something simple like YOU HAVE TO CLIMB AT LEAST ANOTHER 8000M PEAK..... I mean, I know even experienced people die on there but still. RIP to all who've perished.

This is the main reason I won't waste my money to climb Everest just to experiencing the worst and deadliest traffic jam

Thank you for this video. Its a major issue

So much hypocrisy... The guy says that far too many people are climbing yet he's been up the mountain 5 times. The woman says people should be prepared but hadn't climbed even the most tame mountain by her late thirties. Then climbed Everest in her early 40's. If you guys feel that strongly then stay away... I've been interested in mountaineering for 15 years or so but I would never even consider this mountain. It's far too dangerous and far too abused.

People die from their decision to climb Everest (with a heap of other people). Everything we do has a risk. The queue is just a contributing side-effect, not the cause of death and injury. My son died last year falling from a local rockface. He wanted the challenge, was desperate to get out after Covid lockdown, was aware of the risk and very sadly, it didn't pay off. He made the decision to climb that day, but I take full responsibility for not loooking into that climb more closely and then stopping him from going on his own. He was only 19 and I didn't protect him. I understand the desire to do a risky, challenging activity, such as Everest. I guess there are many reasons and values behind it - sense of accomplishment, ego, status, achievement of a lifelong ambition.... However, adults make their own decisions and are fully responsible for them (unless they're being held at gunpoint). Blaming queues or weather or avalanches or poor management or ill health or being on the "wrong team" as I think the guy in the video suggested, are just excuses. We simply need to accept that some of our choices are exceedingly risky.

The trials and tribulations these poor rich people go through. It's just so heartbreaking.

I can't even climb out of bed , let alone mt Everest!

These two are proper Nerds...

Guess the Ego holds no bounds.

Never mind about Everest. He's got a Blue Peter badge!!

That’s an easy question to answer!!!! To each his own Everest is definitely not my cup of tea! So I don’t understand how human beings can step over dead people to get to the top of a bloody rock

It’s incredible that there are enough people that can afford to do this for a queue to even be possible…

Climbed Ben Nevis (tallest mountain in the UK 1000ish metres) (Yes small compared to others) and it was literally just a giant queue. There was a traffic jam even walking up the path. Was quite boring. Found climbing the peaks of Snowdon more thrilling as that was challenging and not a gravel path

“Bag it, and brag it” sums it up.

Thanks for the presentation I'm not a climber, so its very interesting. I had no idea there was so much effort/ people.

What I love about these “climbers” is that most of them brag about climbing the tallest mountain on earth while paying 30grand, with oxygen and sherpas to assure they actually get up there. Meanwhile Messner in the 70s did it without oxygen and alone. That is climbing. This is tourism...

If would actually be the most terrifying part of the climb.

The one place on earth where one would think that there couldn't possibly be a line.

I'm a mountaineer, but I do not particularly aspire to go to Everest. I cant't understand where exactly the adventure spirtit lies in paying poor locals to carry your stuff, and after that having to wait in queus like you're in the bank. The ascend to Everest has become a soap opera. I prefer to go to a relatively unkwnown peak of Caucasus, without flags, without glory and without spotlights, accompanied by trusted companions and a deep connection to nature.

Is a sad indictment of humanity that we've commodified something like this for the sake of box ticking and bragging rights.

Too many mice, not enough cheese!

Just wow !

The most amusing thing is the Your Wait From Here Is 55 Minutes sign.

This guy is so smug, just wants the mountain to himself. He was a first timer once

Almost feels like a being stuck with only geriatric drivers in a traffic jam on a major highway.

Respect!

Happy new year first of all .. your knowledge and experience show people a way forward on there fault and how to correct in a situation at this place , does it really take that long to get to ur level and experience to climb such awesome mountain,

First clue: He's clearly annoyed about waiting in line for a cup of coffee.

My suggestion: Check every climber if they have been on any other 5000+m peak. UIAA or any given organization that operates in country where the peaks are should acknowledge and verify that climber has summited 5000+m peak. Given that Everest is most popular and most wanted peak to summit, this way you'd actually know that you're dealing with experienced climber. That should be checked before giving any permit to climb Everest from either side. This would be beneficial to both groups because there would be less queues and for an individual because based on his earlier experience he'd be more prepared for hell of Everest and not some rookie adventure hunter.

The picture @4:15 is the funniest image I’ve seen in a long time. You had this great plan to conquer the mountain top. You aren’t going to be like those people who go to EPCOT for their vacation. Oh, no. You’re going where only the bravest dare to tre... oh, there’s a line. And we could die. And we may have to turn back without making it to the top. And we saw a guy in green boots who never made it to EPCOT.

The day I decided on a whim after watching a documentary, the queue started at the bus stop in Stansted. The guy in front hadn't moved for hours, had crampons on back to front, suncream spilling out his rucksack. If I hang on here any longer I'll run out of oxygen and jelly babies. Told my mates I'd done the Everest thing when I got home and put the kettle on to watch Wallace in A Close Shave.