Standing at 29,000 feet above sea level, where earth meets sky, Mount Everest annually attracts thousands of people who risk everything to get to the top. In 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first humans to stand on the summit of Everest, and over 10,000 people have been successful since. The “Death Zone” at above 8,000 metres has only 1/3 of the oxygen found in sea level air, limiting how long one can survive there. The Sherpa guides have adapted to high altitudes and are crucial to a successful climb. Everest is an important economic asset for Nepal, and the country must find ways to deal with the swarms of climbers, their garbage, and the effects of global warming.