Mount Everest represents the ultimate challenge for climbers and a symbol of nature’s power. It is a place of rich history, local culture, and extreme physical limits.
This quiz reviews the history of its first ascents, Sherpa traditions, and the dangers of high-altitude zones. Some questions look at famous milestones, while others test your regional geography.
Once you finish, check out our trivia on mountain landscapes. You can also explore natural wonders or read about travel curiosities.
Mount Everest is part of which major mountain range?
Himalayas
Himalayas
Andes
Andes
Rockies
Rockies
Alps
Alps
According to the most widely accepted official measurement, approximately how high is the summit of Mount Everest?
8,848 meters
8,848 meters
8,898 meters
8,898 meters
8,818 meters
8,818 meters
8,878 meters
8,878 meters
In which year did Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay make the first confirmed successful summit of Mount Everest?
1953
1953
1951
1951
1955
1955
1957
1957
Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to reach the summit of Everest, was from which country?
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
New Zealand
New Zealand
Australia
Australia
Nepal
Nepal
In which country is the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute located, where Tenzing Norgay served as the first director of field training?
Bhutan
Bhutan
India
India
China
China
Nepal
Nepal
Above what altitude is the region commonly referred to in mountaineering as the ‘Death Zone’?
7,500 meters
7,500 meters
8,500 meters
8,500 meters
7,000 meters
7,000 meters
8,000 meters
8,000 meters
What is the primary danger to human health within the ‘Death Zone’ on Mount Everest?
High humidity levels
High humidity levels
Lack of sufficient oxygen
Lack of sufficient oxygen
The presence of toxic volcanic gases
The presence of toxic volcanic gases
Extreme heat radiation
Extreme heat radiation
Which notoriously treacherous section of the route on the South side of Everest is known for its shifting, unstable ice blocks?
The Hornbein Couloir
The Hornbein Couloir
The Khumbu Icefall
The Khumbu Icefall
The Western Cwm
The Western Cwm
The South Col
The South Col
The Sherpa people are an ethnic group predominantly native to which region of Nepal?
Tibetan Plateau
Tibetan Plateau
Sikkim Valley
Sikkim Valley
Ladakh District
Ladakh District
Khumbu Valley
Khumbu Valley
What is the most common role for Sherpas during modern commercial climbing expeditions?
Trekking agency owners
Trekking agency owners
Glacier researchers
Glacier researchers
High-altitude mountain guides
High-altitude mountain guides
Monastery monks
Monastery monks
Before it was significantly altered by the 2015 earthquake, which near-vertical rock face was considered the final major hurdle before reaching Everest’s summit?
The South Summit
The South Summit
The North Col
The North Col
The Hillary Step
The Hillary Step
The Northeast Ridge
The Northeast Ridge
Why do most climbers use bottled oxygen while ascending above the high camps?
It lowers the heart rate to resting levels
It lowers the heart rate to resting levels
It speeds up physical movement through ice fields
It speeds up physical movement through ice fields
It prevents frostbite by generating thermal heat
It prevents frostbite by generating thermal heat
It allows for greater oxygen intake
It allows for greater oxygen intake
During which month does the pre-monsoon climbing window typically occur?
April, during the early spring
April, during the early spring
May, before the summer monsoon
May, before the summer monsoon
March, during the late winter
March, during the late winter
June, during the summer monsoon
June, during the summer monsoon
The Sherpa culture and their approach to the mountains are deeply influenced by which religion?
Islam
Islam
Sikhism
Sikhism
Buddhism
Buddhism
Hinduism
Hinduism
Which of the following is true regarding the South Base Camp on the Nepal side?
It is built on relatively flat and stable bedrock terrain
It is built on relatively flat and stable bedrock terrain
It features a permanent complex of wooden lodges
It features a permanent complex of wooden lodges
It is situated on a grassy meadow at 6,000 meters
It is situated on a grassy meadow at 6,000 meters
It can move due to the shifting Khumbu Glacier beneath it
It can move due to the shifting Khumbu Glacier beneath it
What is meant by the modern term ‘summit traffic jam’ encountered by Everest climbers?
It refers to the sound the wind makes at the summit
It refers to the sound the wind makes at the summit
It refers to the traffic jam of climbers near the summit queueing in the danger zone
It refers to the traffic jam of climbers near the summit queueing in the danger zone
It refers to the highest recorded speed of an ascent
It refers to the highest recorded speed of an ascent
It refers to the noise of falling avalanches in the Western Cwm
It refers to the noise of falling avalanches in the Western Cwm
What is the purpose of the ‘Puja’ ceremony performed by Sherpas at Base Camp?
To honor local mountain deities before beginning the climb
To honor local mountain deities before beginning the climb
To signal to other teams that the route is open
To signal to other teams that the route is open
To measure the atmospheric pressure at high altitude
To measure the atmospheric pressure at high altitude
To test the durability of the climbing gear
To test the durability of the climbing gear
Who was Mount Everest named after in its internationally recognized English name?
A British Surveyor General of India
A British Surveyor General of India
The King of Nepal
The King of Nepal
A local Nepalese deity
A local Nepalese deity
The first Sherpa to reach the summit
The first Sherpa to reach the summit
What is the official Nepali name for Mount Everest?
Annapurna
Annapurna
Lhotse
Lhotse
Sagarmatha
Sagarmatha
Kanchenjunga
Kanchenjunga
In recent mountaineering discussions, what does the term ‘the world’s highest junkyard’ refer to?
A nickname for the mountain of trash left by climbers
A nickname for the mountain of trash left by climbers
A specific type of tent used by Sherpas during winter expeditions
A specific type of tent used by Sherpas during winter expeditions
A specific type of high-altitude gear made from yak wool
A specific type of high-altitude gear made from yak wool
A traditional prayer flag offering left at the summit
A traditional prayer flag offering left at the summit
What is the primary physiological purpose of the ‘rotation’ system, where climbers move up and down between Base Camp and higher camps?
It allows for acclimatization to lower air pressure
It allows for acclimatization to lower air pressure
It serves as a location for tourists to view the summit clearly
It serves as a location for tourists to view the summit clearly
It provides a natural windbreak against high-velocity storms
It provides a natural windbreak against high-velocity storms
It is the only flat area reachable by heavy supplies for final staging before the trek back down
It is the only flat area reachable by heavy supplies for final staging before the trek back down
Who was Junko Tabei, a historical figure in the lore of Everest?
An early surveyor who first calculated the mountain’s height accurately in the 1850s
An early surveyor who first calculated the mountain’s height accurately in the 1850s
The first woman to reach the summit
The first woman to reach the summit
The first person to reach the summit without supplemental oxygen
The first person to reach the summit without supplemental oxygen
A Sherpa from Nepal who attempted to summit in the 1920s
A Sherpa from Nepal who attempted to summit in the 1920s
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
See more with our quizzes on new places, famous landmarks, or historic places.
