Content Warning: This episode does describe instances of death on the mountain, along with how the bodies are treated on the mountain. Listener discretion is advised.

Everyone's heard of Mount Everest, but have you ever learned about the actual makeup of the mountain? Or what the most common route up the mountain looks like? Join Monica and Trini as they explore the world's highest (but not largest) mountain.

Episode note: Trini misspoke during this episode. While 2024 was one of the most deadly years on the mountain, the current deadliest year on record was actually 2023 when a series of avalanches saw the death of 18 climbers, including Sherpas.

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Sources:

Britannica Editors (2025, May 28). Sherpa. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sherpa-people

Future Us Inc. (2023, November 3). Mt. Everest - Why Do People Keep Climbing it? LiveScience. Retrieved November 7, 2025, from https://www.livescience.com/45041-mt-everest-why-do-people-keep-climbing-it.html

Gurung, P. (2025, July 24). Mount Everest, the Highest Peak in the World. Retrieved November 9, 2025, from https://www.discoveryworldtrekking.com/blog/mount-everest

Hillary Step. (2025, October 24). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Step

Himalayatra (2025, July 25). Everest - A Jewel of the Himalaya. Retrieved November 7, 2025, from https://himalayatra.com/everest-a-jewel-of-the-himalaya/

Impacts of Tourism. (2025, November 5). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impacts_of_tourism#Mount_Everest

Limbu, S. (2024, April 24). Amongst Growing Mountain Tourism in Nepal, Mount Everest Confronts the Perils of Pollution. Earth.org. Retrieved November 4, 2025, from https://earth.org/amidst-growing-mountain-tourism-in-nepal-mount-everest-confronts-the-perils-of-pollution/

National Geographic Society (2025, April 10). Mount Everest. National Geographic. Retrieved November 7, 2025, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/mount-everest/

Saunders, T. (2023, July 1). What is the tallest mountain in the world? No, it's not Mount Everest. BBC Science Focus Magazine. Retrieved November 4, 2025, from https://www.sciencefocus.com/planet-earth/what-is-the-tallest-mountain-in-the-world