A good friend of mine has recently become very interested with all things Everest. Several nights after having a couple of beers, he has asked our group of friends if they think it was possible for someone to have summited Everest before Sir Edmond Hillary, or attempted to summit before George Mallory. One half of the group is adamant that such a feat was impossible before 1921 due to a lack of proper equipment and a cultural reverence for the mountain. The other half believe that it was certainly possible because of the length of human occupation in the region, the adaptation of the Tibetan people to higher altitudes, and the innate ambition of man. Does anyone have scientific evidence for either side of the debate or an educated opinion?
posted by thisiswater on Apr 23, 2012 - 6 answers

Trying to spend 3-4 days in the woods/hills of Southern California [more inside]
posted by sawyerrrr on Jun 5, 2011 - 18 answers

We're planning our Italian honeymoon and would love your advice! [more inside]
posted by Chris4d on Feb 10, 2011 - 11 answers

We want to 1) climb Kilimanjaro (Western Breach route) and 2) go on a safari afterwards. Looking for advice, personal stories, and information about planning for the trip and training for a high altitude hike. [more inside]
posted by kitkatcathy on Jun 16, 2009 - 15 answers

Any suggestions for a 3 day hike in Colorado? [more inside]
posted by craven_morhead on Aug 2, 2007 - 10 answers