Are you one of these people who would love to climb Mt Everest and be on top of the world, literally?
Does that appeal to you and would you do it, given the chance, or when younger still?

The Everest is 8848m high and there's not enough oxygen for humans to breathe and live above 8,000 metres (26,247 feet). They take oxygen tanks with 'em for that.
The last section is a mother, hihi, almost vertical.

Would you?

I personally never understood that drive. You see people losing feet, (parts of) their legs, and then still go back with a prosthetic foot/leg to climb it. Makes me wonder if they're secretly happy to have lost those body parts so they don't have to worry about 'em no more.
It doesn't appeal to me, never did. I'd not climb it. I know I physically cannot do it but I'd never willingly risk parts of my body. For me it's Mt Neverest :)

How bout you? On top of the world, YESS!! Or nope? If Yes, what's the appeal?

Nope! I love hiking in the mountains but I have no desire to climb that high, or to do any kind of rock climbing.

Two winters ago I spent five months in Granby, Colorado at the YMCA in Snow Mountain Ranch, I remember how difficult it was to breathe at 8,700 feet. It took a couple months to fully acclimate, and I had altitude sickness pretty bad for the first week. I can only imagine how sick I'd be at 26,247 feet. No thanks, not for me.

OMG, that was that high up?? Unbelievable! So you could breathe there but with difficulty?
Your story reminds me of travelling through the Atlas, Morocco, going up in 1 day for a trip. At some point everyone bar the driver in the mini-bus was asleep, or had passed out, haha. Including me. And I was sick as a dog! The highest point we crossed was 2260 meters.
I didn't like it one bit, and decided there and then mountains aren't for me.
I was told later on you should only go up 1000 or 1500m a day, we did much more in a few hours.

I could breathe, but it was difficult. I did end up quitting smoking while I was there, so that was a good thing. Except that I started back again a year later, haha. I had a bloody nose for the first few days and a major headache the first week. They were nice enough to let me wait before starting my first day of work. Once I was fully acclimated, it wasn't so bad and I went snowshoeing and had fun. But I ended up with problems like cellulite in my legs due to the deprivation of oxygen.

The next year when I went to Este Park, at 8,000 feet I used a single disposable oxygen can to help and it did, but I was still somewhat sick the first week. I left after a month.

Yes, taking it slow and drinking plenty of water is recommended and definitely helps.

i spent a year in peru as a kid in a little town at an alt. of 9600 ft.
we drove up (2 day trip) so i didn't get hit over the head with it... so when i started walking up a hill and found myself (nearly instantly) huffing and puffing i was surprised and confused.

...took about three days to get acclimated. after that i don't recall ever noticing it again even at the higher altitudes i visited.

Cellulite due to lack of oxygen? How can people work there for years?
In the movie Everest this guide says that above a certain height your body simply starts dying (due to lack of oxygen). I take it that at 8700m up you have that too.

Doesn't oxygen make you feel weird too?

Wow... I guess as a kid we're more adaptable.

i should think so. i was definitely in a lot better shape to start with then than i would be now!

I did some research on cellulite and one of the main causes is lack of oxygen to your cells. I didn't have any signs of it or problems until after being there, so it makes sense that it was the cause.

Yes, it makes you feel weird. I felt light headed and would lose my bearings at times. That went away after a few weeks. I believe it depends on how well your body adjusts and age seems to have a factor in that. Kids at the camp didn't seem to have any problems, though there were a couple who did.

The ones who live there for a long time are totally acclimated so there body's adjusted to survive in those altitudes.

No nor me. I did a little bouldering in my 20's Low to the ground over the sea. fell in a few times lol. I wouldnt like to fall of a mountain.
I think maybe the attraction is to do with pushing self reliance and strength/ stamina to your limits. Just you and the rock, and death if you allow weekness to overtake you.
It hardens the spirit. Climbers are usually inspirational people on many levels.
I've known a climer, he also drums, writes and has done a couple of TED talks.

A better man than I.

No.

Top of the world, for me, is much like "groovy".
Being, that both are positive states of mind.

Finding a quiet meadow, away from human
noise, can lead to the feeling of being
'on top of the world'.

LoL... I love hiking, and have spent way more
than my share of time in the mountains.
However, I do have an aversion to altitudes
above 10,000+A.

As for the first 2 paragraphs.... I feel the same! I don't need to climb a mountain to feel on top of the world.

Last bit... hiking is not so common, there's nothing to hike here, not like the US or even the UK.
As for heights of max 3000m... Even that is too much for me, hihi.
55% of my country is below sea-level. And after my experience in the Atlas I rather keep my feeties on the ground, sea-level.
Getting on top of the Tor in UK is high enough for me

OT -- All I can think when watching "Everest", based on the 1996 Everest disaster, is "Stupid nutters!"
I really feel there should be a law against climbing Everest. Other people having to risk their lives to save the idiots, costing a fortune too.
But that's me...

Never.
Never, never, never.
Like, never would I do that.
Danger all around.
Freaking cold with little oxygen.
So, someone did it once, now everyone thinks it is easy.
De rigueur..
Go home and plant a tree.

I spent a good portion of my life,
at or above 5,000 feet above sea level.

Not much of a choice to hike in mountains,
when you live on a mountainside.

The main issue that I have, with MORONS
who climb Everest, or other mountains
like it... Is, that the MORONS tend to leave
all of their trash behind. Thousands of
discarded oxygen tanks clutter Everest.

Bastards ought to be charged an expensive
clean up fee, just for the privilege of
the climb.

Agreed with the garbage issue for sure... a fine would be more than fair, and donations on top of that to clean it up.... I love climbing, but all over, all the mountains in the world, are pitons stuck in the rock, making the face weaker. That starts loose rock to crumble and fall, can start landslides that can kill a whole town below. Pitons are outlawed mostly now, but the damage has already been in place...

I use Petzl climbing tools that don't mess up the rock face... Removable wedges in such.

Also, Everest is out of the question. I like warm southern mountains. More animal dangers to be sure, but you're comfier.

If I need to be that high, I can find plenty of pilots on the base that need flight hours. you can just relax and look over all the mountains from twice as high. Including Everest....

I do realize that it's the journey as well as the goal and personal accomplishment. That is a positive thing, no doubt. I choose to do that in different accomplishments. I would like to have a first responders unit that travels to locations that need efficient help and strength in new and innovative ways.

@Rock & DarkOwl, very good points on pollution! Don't forget the numerous dead bodies.
Plus, each year more try to climb up, and they always used snow for drinking water. But these days that can also be polluted because of human trash AND having to relieve themselves up there. So the snow isn't necessarily pure anymore and can make you sick.
I didn't make that up, I happened to read that, hihi.

I've been higher but in aircraft, pressurization LOL I've been climbing at 7000 ft but nothing technical. It is a pretty view. I'll leave mountains to others.

A Sawyer filter is a must! It should be a must in everyone's car in today's times anyway. What with all the floods in all, and water goin bad all over in all parts of the world, it'll be a necessity soon.

I have no interest in climbing my Everest .. my aspirations and passions in life lie elsewhere