Climbing Mount Everest – My Thoughts
Mount Everest doesn’t belong to anyone. It’s not reserved for elite climbers or those with the best gear or biggest egos. It’s a patch of earth on this planet that anyone has the right to walk on, if they’re willing to respect it, prepare for it, and earn their place on it. That’s something I’ve always believed.
Everest has taken a bit of stick in the last decade, people saying it’s overcrowded, that the wrong people are on the mountain, that it’s been turned into a tourist trail. And yeah, I get it. I’ve seen the crowds. I’ve seen people who probably shouldn’t be there, relying on guides for every single move. But here’s the truth: that doesn’t take away from the mountain itself. Everest will always be Everest. It’ll always be the highest point on Earth. It’ll always be beautiful. And climbing it will always be one of the most epic things a person can do.
The problem isn’t the mountain. It’s how people approach it.
Climbing Everest isn’t a decision you make after watching a Netflix documentary and fancying a bit of adventure. It’s something you prepare for. You train your body. You prepare your mind. You study what it will take. And you choose the right people to go with.
If you’re thinking of climbing Everest, my first piece of advice is simple: choose the right company and the right guide. This isn’t something you want to get wrong. You’ll be spending weeks with your guide, often in high-pressure, dangerous situations. Speak to them before you commit. Ask questions. Get a feel for their experience, their energy, how they work under pressure. If they don’t fill you with confidence, they’re probably not the right one. As guides, our job is not just to keep you safe and give you the best chance of success, it’s to give you an experience. One you’ll remember forever. One that shapes you.
The mountain will test you in ways you can’t really explain until you’ve been up there. It’s a slow, brutal journey. You’ll face altitude, cold, exhaustion, fear, doubt, and some of the most intense physical and emotional lows you’ve ever felt. But you’ll also experience something few people ever get to, the stillness of high-altitude mornings, the sound of your breath above the clouds, the simple joy of putting one foot in front of the other when everything in you wants to stop.
It’ll be the hardest thing you ever do. But also the most rewarding.
You’ll come down changed. Not in a dramatic, Hollywood sense, but in a quiet, grounded way. You’ll carry something with you. Maybe it’s self-belief. Maybe it’s peace. Maybe it’s the memory of what you pushed through when everything inside you wanted to quit. Everest doesn’t hand those things out freely, you have to earn them.
So don’t be put off by the noise. Yes, there are crowds. Yes, people can be reckless. But that doesn’t define the experience. What matters is how you show up. How you prepare. The respect you bring to the mountain. And the way you carry yourself through every step of the journey.
Everest is still Everest. And if you feel the pull to climb it, do it. But do it right.
—
Jay Morton
Founder, Concept Expeditions
