Top-notch achievement
The major problems due to oxygen shortage usually start at altitudes above 7,500 m: both the physical and mental capacities become seriously affected. And there is nothing you can do to prevent it. Some climbers even start suffering from altitude sickness at much lower elevations.
One step back to take two steps forward
Up to an altitude of 7,500 m, the human body is able to adapt to the lack of oxygen as long as you allow it enough time. It is for this reason that different tent camps are set up on the mountain. These allow us to gradually get used to the increasingly thinning air. This process is also called acclimatisation. We continue returning to the base camp, an absolute must for physical recovery (lower altitudes mean more oxygen) and for the logistical operation. So we literally take one step back to be able to take two steps forward!
An actual attempt at reaching the summit can only be undertaken once all of the camps have been set up, the climbers have been sufficiently acclimatised and the weather conditions are favourable. It is during this last phase of the climb that reaching the top truly matters, for both the team and the individual climber. Clearly, this is where the success of the expedition depends on good communication and collaboration within the team.
Expeditions to reach the 8,000-m peaks are major undertakings of at least two months.
For more information about Katja Staartjes’s expeditions, read more under Expeditions.
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