How much does it cost to climb Mount Everest? (Outside Magazine)
I saw this article referred to in a couple blogs and news services (Time Magazine), and had to read it. Very interesting to say the least. I’ve been on the edge of an Everest expedition for a few years now, since just after Kili when Angie told me I had to Everest. Alan Arnette does an excellent job of making the cost of climbing Everest comprehensible to the average climber, and especially arm-chair climber.
Cooked with care at Aconcagua Basecamp
If saving money is the goal [of going solo], you will be disappointed. Every climber and expedition must pay for a permit, liaison officer, visa, park fee, Icefall route management, fixed ropes, waste deposit, travel, and insurance. Then there is gear, food, tents, oxygen, and sherpa support. Add in and the bill comes out to at least $35K per person for a seven-person team, or $60K for a solo climber.
By sharing the fixed and transportation expenses (permits, logistics, fees, etc.) among 6 or more climbers in a group, you save quite a bit. Total costs for a participant in a guided trip are estimated between $30-100K, while expenses for a solo climber are estimated around $60K and higher.
If you opt to fly solo, according to Arnette’s estimates, at the high end of the spectrum that will total $82,900. Still feeling intrepid? For that cost, you could get a new Audi A8, a three-bedroom house in Schenectady, N.Y., or 150 iPads.
Keep in mind that these articles offer price ranges, and that there are expeditions costing over $100,000 per climber on Everest.
On some expeditions, you will also receive a higher quality of food. One service likes to promote their sushi, another their five-star chef. Some offer espresso machines and open bars. The sky’s the limit, all at a price.
So let me know how you feel about this…
1) I’d rather have the Audi
2) I’d rather have the 150 iPads
3) I am being supported by my charity, so expense is nothing to me
4) I like my La-Z-Boy a lot, thankyou.
5) I like my toes a lot, thankyou.
6) It’s way worth it and I’m going to go no matter what
7) Schenectady probably isn’t as bad as it sounds
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