Reaching the top of Mount Everest - the highest point on the planet at nearly 30,000 feet - is a legendary feat that less than 4,500 people have accomplished in human history. The trek to the summit takes months of physical preparation and weeks of acclimatization to get climbers used to the mountain's oxygen-starved altitudes. Climbing Mount Everest is among the most dangerous pursuits in the world, with a fatality rate of almost 9 percent of climbers who attempt to summit. To date approximately 400 people have died trying to climb the world’s highest mountain, and some 4,500 have summited. Avalanches, cracking ice flows and deadly crevices are just some of the obstacles faced by climbers. The chief impediment, however, is extreme altitude sickness. The “death zone” is above 8,000 metres.

Dr. Brockmeyer is Professor and Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Utah. In his spare time, he scales mountains. Brockmeyer reached a longtime goal in 2005 when he summited Mount Everest. Brockmeyer kept up a regular rock-climbing routine for 10 years before attempting Everest, building his strength and experience at sites near his home in Salt Lake City. On vacations, he visited more challenging regions, such as Alaska or Peru. In total, after a decade of conditioning, 2 years of planning, and 3 months on location, he finally achieved the remarkable goal of reaching the summit and conquering Mount Everest.