How to Climb Everest: A Three-Year Gameplan

It used to be that serious mountaineers spent their entire careers working their way up to a Mount Everest summit bid. But in recent years, climbing Everest has seemed like a dilettante’s pursuit: Any socialite with a Himalayan-size wallet can buy their way up the Big One, no matter if they endanger themselves, their teammates, or their guides. Today’s reality lies somewhere in between. Radically light new gear, flexible work schedules, and a glut of guiding services have made Everest’s 29,035-foot summit a much more attainable goal than it was even 20 years ago. But no matter how rich you are, you’ve still got to be prepared for the ordeal. Our three-year training program explains how a rank amateur can make it to the top of the world – the right way.