Alan Arnette is a mountaineer who writes about Everest and K2 climbs, expedition costs, route maps, and training.
HN commenters call it one of the best sources on what happens on Everest, and link its route map and K2 descent accounts.
Some of these articles describing the K2 'downclimb' seems crazier than the ascent; indescribably difficult, dangerous, skilled, exposed, etc.
https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/09/04/k2-descending-real-climb/
https://i1.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/K2-Ropes-in-2014-on-Black-Pyramid-1.jpg
https://i0.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/IMG_2562.jpg
Imagine your brain being basically dead from lack of oxygen, medical danger like HAPE.
It looks like it there are even (? fully ?) vertical fixed rope pitches and going up actual technical climbing one article says a 5.9 offwidth ?!?! In -50F windy winter conditions wearing giant bulky winter suits.
If you've ever been sport climbing can you image descending multiple miles on a rope, even if kind of crawling backwards using feet/hands?
Climbers forget to tie knots in the end ALL THE TIME. Brad Gobright was one of the best climbers who was known for free soloing here in the Front Range (e.g. no ropes at all, like Honnold up El Cap) recently died on a rope descent.
Imagine on multiple miles of roped descent many knots, transfers, while you can't think from no oxygen. It's an truly impressive almost inhuman feat.
The eight examples mentioned in the Wikipedia page are far from an exhaustive list. They don't include many examples from the original Frank White book, to start. (White also defines it quite broadly, to include the feeling you get in an airplane when watching tiny cars moving along the ground.)
Even if the hit rate is low, that doesn't necessarily deter thrill-seekers. 4,800 people have successfully climbed Mt. Everest (8,300 times[0]) at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars ($45k-70k[1], $11k for the royalty alone[2]), and the very real risk of death (375 deaths). The success rate is about half,[3] up from under 30% before 2006.[4]
[0] http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2017/12/17/everest-by-the-numbers-2018-edition/
[1] https://www.alpineascents.com/climbs/mount-everest/price-schedule/
[2] Down from $25k before 2014 https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140219-mount-everest-nepal-climbing-fees-adventure/
[3] https://www.quora.com/How-many-people-attempt-to-climb-Mt-Everest-annually
[4] https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/everest-by-the-numbers/index.html
IMO this climb doesn't really do much to prove of xenon's effectiveness (altitude researcher Dr. Peter Hackett says as much [0]).
The team used supplemental oxygen on the climb, with the starting altitude and flow rate not being reported [1]. This is speculative, but if they were using more oxygen than typical and starting at a lower altitude, that's a massive advantage.
Further, Andrew Ushakov traveled from NYC to the summit in just under 4 days this year without the use of xenon (but also with supplemental oxygen with unknown starting altitude and flow rate). He used a hypoxic tent to prepare as well, and depending on the accuracy of the reporting may have even spent less time doing that than the xenon team did [1].
[0] https://www.npr.org/2025/05/18/nx-s1-5398553/a-new-company-is-changing-how-people-summit-everest-by-making-climbers-inhale-xenon
[1] https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/05/21/everest-2025-fast-everest-summits-3-or-5-days/
I can understand a persons willingness to 'push the envelope' and stretch themselves to reach their goals, but I am always mystified by the seeming lack of understanding by those who try and tackle Everest when they are not at peak climbing ability. In almost every case, it is the local Sherpas who will have to then risk their own lives to undertake a rescue or recovery operation if you don't make it.
Plus, I would hate to think that you would become just a nameless waypoint or turning marker on the way to the summit, much as poor 'Green Boots' and others have become. (though I believe 'Green Boots' has been removed now?)
EDIT: It appears that 'Green Boots' is still on the mountain, and has not been removed as previously thought. [0]
[0] - http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2017/05/27/everest-2017-weekend-update-may-27/
Here's a good blog with a breakdown of costs to climb Everest and how they're evolving: http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2018/12/17/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest-2019-edition/
Sounds like 2019 is the year of China exerting full control over the Tibet-side approach:
"In my mind climbing in Tibet has just become more expensive and more controlled. While the intent of some of this is good (trash, centralized rescue) others are onerous in nature and can result in unexpected expenses. Climbing Everest from the North or Tibet side was historically seen as cheaper, wilder, freer and more independent than the Nepal side. Well, that ship has sailed. If you want a more independent 8,000-meter climb, Everest is no longer on the table. Take a look at Makalu or Dhaulagiri."
The headline is a bit linkbait-y. A total of about 233 people have died. The Khumbu Icefall at the bottom is one of the most dangerous stretches, since it moves, giant seracs can collapse, etc. Those who died there would probably have been recovered and given a decent burial, or be lost at the bottom of a crevasse. When someone dies and it's not feasible to bring them down, typically at some point someone would bring them off the main trail and give them a decent burial. Others fall into inaccessible locations. Still there are a few bodies that have become landmarks. A longer discussion I saw in response to that widely shared article - http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2012/12/06/bodies-on-everest/