Out of the Death Zone

Mount Everest rises from the Himalaya mountains like an icy arrow pointing to the sky. The Himalayas are a vast mountain range that stretch for some 1,500 miles through India, China, and several other countries.

People began attempting to summit Everest in the 1920s. Looking at historical photographs, it’s striking to compare the gear of these early climbers to the gear that Poorna and other climbers use today. Back in the 1920s, there were no high-tech shoes to help mountaineers trek across Everest’s treacherous glaciers and icy, rocky slopes. There was no lightweight performance clothing designed for sub-zero temperatures. Yet a few climbers managed to get close to the top, most famously the British mountaineer George Mallory. But it cost Mallory his life. He and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine died on Everest in 1924.

It was not until 1953 that two men reached the summit and made it back to tell the tale: Tenzing Norgay, from Nepal, and Sir Edmund Hillary, from New Zealand. Today, nearly 70 years later, their accomplishment is still considered one of the greatest feats of exploration in history.

Over the next several decades, few mountaineers dared follow in Norgay’s and Hillary’s footsteps. By the 1990s, however, a number of adventure companies had begun taking people to the top. For the first time, it became possible for less-experienced climbers to attempt Everest. It could cost more than $50,000 to be guided up the mountain. (Today, some companies charge upwards of $100,000.)

Soon, though, troubling reports began to circulate. Trash was piling up on Everest. There were so many climbers that traffic jams were forming near the top. Hillary himself spoke out, saying that Everest had become a “circus.”

Many feared that it was only a matter of time before catastrophe struck. And in 1996, it did. A sudden blizzard descended on climbers near the summit. Eight people died.

Over the years, some 300 people have died on Everest. Those who die on Everest usually remain where they fall—their bodies eerily preserved in the cold, dry air—because removing them is so difficult and dangerous.

Poorna knew she would see corpses along the way. But the sight still rattled her.

“It was a shocker,” she remembers.

Mount Everest rises from the Himalaya mountains like an arrow pointing to the sky. The Himalayas are a mountain range that stretches for some 1,500 miles through India, China, and several other countries.

People began attempting to summit Everest in the 1920s. Looking at historical photographs, it’s striking to compare the gear of these early climbers to the gear that Poorna and other climbers use today. In the 1920s, there were no high-tech shoes to help people trek across Everest’s treacherous glaciers and icy, rocky slopes. There was no lightweight performance clothing designed for subzero temperatures. Yet a few climbers managed to get close to the top. One was British mountaineer George Mallory. The attempt cost Mallory his life. He and his climbing partner, Andrew Irvine, died on Everest in 1924.

It was not until 1953 that two men reached the summit and made it back to tell the tale: Tenzing Norgay, from Nepal, and Sir Edmund Hillary, from New Zealand. Today, nearly 70 years later, their accomplishment is still considered one of the greatest feats of exploration in history.

Over the next few decades, not many people tried to make the climb. By the 1990s, however, a number of adventure companies had begun taking people to the top. For the first time, it became possible for less-experienced climbers to attempt Everest. It could cost more than $50,000 to be guided up the mountain. (Today, some companies charge more than $100,000.)

Soon, though, troubling reports began to circulate. Trash was piling up on Everest. There were so many climbers that traffic jams were forming near the top. Hillary himself spoke out, saying that Everest had become a “circus.”

Many feared that it was only a matter of time before catastrophe struck. And in 1996, it did. A sudden blizzard hit near the summit. Eight people died.

Over the years, some 300 people have died on Everest. Removing bodies from Everest is difficult and dangerous. So those who die on the mountain usually remain there, their bodies eerily preserved in the cold, dry air.

Poorna knew she would see corpses along the way. But the sight still rattled her.

“It was a shocker,” she remembers.

When Poorna was growing up, she never dreamed that she would one day attempt to climb the tallest mountain in the world. In fact, she had never even seen a mountain. Poorna was born in a farming village in Telangana, a state in India. The region is warm and dry—nothing like the snow-covered mountains of the Himalayas. At school, she proved to be a natural athlete, excelling in volleyball and in track and field.

One day, she heard about a rock-climbing program in a nearby city. Poorna didn’t know exactly what rock climbing was, but it seemed fun to her, and her parents agreed to let her go. They were eager for their daughter to see the world outside their village—and to have opportunities that they never had.

Along with about 100 other students, Poorna learned the basics of rock climbing, such as how to rappel (using a rope to come down a cliff). She loved everything about the program—and finished at the top of her class.

Little did Poorna know how impressed her rock-climbing instructors had been with her and the others. It was decided that a group of students would be sponsored to continue their training—with the eventual goal of attempting to climb Everest. There were no guarantees, though. Not every student would make the cut to join the Everest expedition. At each step of the way, the students would be evaluated for their physical, mental, and emotional strength. Only the most qualified would be chosen.

To Poorna, it all sounded like an incredible adventure.

Growing up, Poorna never dreamed that she would one day attempt to climb the tallest mountain in the world. In fact, she had never even seen a mountain.

She was born in a farming village in Telangana, a state in India. The region is warm and dry, nothing like the snow-covered mountains of the Himalayas. Poorna was a natural athlete. She excelled in volleyball and in track and field.

One day, she heard about a rock-climbing program in a nearby city. She didn’t know exactly what rock climbing was, but it sounded fun. Her parents agreed to let her go. They wanted her to see the world outside their village—and to have opportunities that they had never had.

Along with about 100 other students, Poorna learned the basics of rock climbing, such as how to rappel (using a rope to come down a cliff). She loved the program. She finished at the top of her class.

Poorna's rock-climbing teachers were impressed with her and the others. It was decided that a group of students would be sponsored to continue their training—with the eventual goal of attempting to climb Everest. There were no guarantees, though. Not every student would get to join the Everest expedition. At each step of the way, the students would be evaluated on their physical, mental, and emotional strength. Only the most qualified would be chosen.

To Poorna, it all sounded wonderful.

Over the next few months, Poorna learned how to ice-climb and survive in harsh, subfreezing conditions. When she saw snow for the first time, she said it felt like “heaven.” She also got to climb her first peak: a 17,000-foot-tall mountain in the Himalayas.

In the end, only two students were selected for the Everest expedition: Poorna and Anand Kumar, 17. Both would need three more months of training—daily workouts that included running, strengthening exercises, and yoga, as well as meditation to prepare their minds. If they were going to climb Everest, they would need endurance, skill, and grit.

First, though, Poorna would need her parents’ permission.

“My coach told my parents that it was dangerous and I might not return, but that it was a breathtaking adventure,” Poorna remembers. “My father said I was ready and gave his permission. My mother cried and said no, but I convinced her. I promised her I would come back.”

But would Poorna be able to keep that promise?

Over the next few months, Poorna learned how to ice-climb and survive in harsh, subfreezing conditions. When she saw snow for the first time, she said it felt like “heaven.” She also got to climb her first peak: a 17,000-foot-tall mountain in the Himalayas.

Only two students were chosen for the Everest expedition: Poorna and Anand Kumar, 17. Both would need three more months of training. Their daily workouts included running, strengthening exercises, and yoga. They also meditated to prepare their minds. To climb Everest, they would need endurance, skill, and grit.

First, though, Poorna would need her parents’ permission.

“My coach told my parents that it was dangerous and I might not return, but that it was a breathtaking adventure,” Poorna says. “My father said I was ready and gave his permission. My mother cried and said no, but I convinced her. I promised her I would come back.”

But would Poorna be able to keep that promise?

There are many ways to die on Mount Everest. An avalanche of snow, ice, and rock can barrel down the mountain and bury climbers. Hurricane-force winds can knock down climbers and freeze them to death. Then there is the height. Altitude illness can cause the brain to swell and the lungs to bleed. Exhaustion is a constant struggle, and it can be lethal. Climbers have been known to get so tired that they sit down—and never get up again.

Given the risks, there has been growing concern about young people on Everest. An increasing number of teenagers have been attempting to reach the summit, most famously Jordan Romero, who summited Everest at age 13 in 2010. Some critics have said that teenagers lack the judgment needed to make the climb and that the high altitude could harm developing brains and bodies.

But Poorna was confident that her training had prepared her for anything she might encounter. She also wouldn’t be alone. She would have a team of experts supporting her: her coach Babu Shekhar, a professional mountaineer who had already climbed Everest several times, and a group of highly skilled Sherpa guides.

The Sherpa are a people native to the region and are accustomed to living at high altitudes in the Himalayas. From the first expeditions, Sherpas have guided foreigners up the mountain.

There are many ways to die on Mount Everest. An avalanche of snow, ice, and rock can bury climbers. Hurricane-force winds can knock climbers down and freeze them to death. Then there is the height. Altitude illness can cause the brain to swell and the lungs to bleed. Exhaustion is a constant struggle, and it can be lethal. Climbers sometimes get so tired that they sit down—and never get up again.

Given the risks, there has been growing concern about young people on Everest. An increasing number of teens have been attempting to reach the summit, such as Jordan Romero, who summited Everest at age 13 in 2010. Some critics have said that teens lack the judgment needed to make the climb and that the high altitude could harm developing brains and bodies.

But Poorna felt sure that her training had prepared her for anything she might face. And she wouldn’t be alone. She would be with her coach Shekhar Babu, a professional mountaineer who had already climbed Everest several times. A group of highly skilled Sherpa guides would join them too.

The Sherpa are a people native to the region. They are accustomed to living at high altitudes in the Himalayas. From the first expeditions, Sherpas have guided foreigners up the mountain.

Because of the dangers of altitude illness, no one can climb to the top of Everest in one big push. Instead, the mountain must be climbed in stages. Camps are set up along the way. At each camp, climbers rest while they acclimatize—that is, while their bodies adjust to the altitude. An expedition up Everest usually takes about two months.

Poorna arrived at the first camp in early April. It was then that she received troubling news: An avalanche had just killed seven Sherpas on a different part of the mountain. She was sad and frightened, but Poorna put any thought of giving up out of her mind.

“I had to prove that girls could do anything,” she says.

Over the next month, Poorna and her team made their way from camp to camp. Their route would be from the north—the same route Mallory had attempted nearly 100 years earlier. Along the way, Poorna saw spectacular views. She remembers one night when she couldn’t sleep and she stepped outside. Far above any pollution or light from cities, the sky was lit with more stars than Poorna had ever seen. And it was magnificent.

By the end of May, the team was approaching the final leg of the expedition and preparing to make a push for the summit. The climbing had been grueling. Strong winds blasted them. Even talking was tiring. At one point, they had to cross over a crevasse—a deep cavern in the ice—using a ladder. Any slip could send them tumbling to their deaths.

By the time they reached the final camp, Poorna was exhausted.

Because of the dangers of altitude illness, no one can climb to the top of Everest in one big push. Instead, the mountain must be climbed in stages. Camps are set up along the way. At each camp, climbers rest while they acclimatize (while their bodies adjust to the altitude). An expedition up Everest usually takes about two months.

Poorna reached the first camp in early April. There she heard troubling news: An avalanche had just killed seven Sherpas on a different part of the mountain. She was sad and frightened, but she did not give up.

“I had to prove that girls could do anything,” she says.

Over the next month, Poorna and her team made their way from camp to camp. Their route would be from the north—the same route Mallory had attempted nearly 100 years earlier. Along the way, Poorna saw amazing things. One night, when she couldn’t sleep, she stepped outside her tent. Far above any pollution or light from cities, the sky was lit with more stars than she had ever seen.

By the end of May, the team was approaching the final leg of the expedition and preparing to make a push for the summit. The climbing had been grueling. Strong winds blasted them. Even talking was tiring. At one point, they had to cross over a crevasse—a deep cavern in the ice—using a ladder. Any slip could send them tumbling to their deaths.

By the time they reached the final camp, Poorna was exhausted.

Around 9 p.m. on May 24, Poorna and the team set out for the summit. It can take eight hours to reach the top, and they needed to be back down before the afternoon, when dangerous storms are more likely. They roped themselves together and stepped out into the freezing darkness. Like most climbers, they had oxygen canisters to help them breathe.

Looking up, Poorna could see how close she was to the top. But then the dizziness set in. She told one of the Sherpa guides that she wanted to stop and rest. He urged her to keep going, but she was starting to falter.

Finally, they found a place to sit and he checked her oxygen canister: It was empty. He gave her a fresh can and Poorna gulped down air.

“I could see my goal above me,” she says. “I could not turn back.”

For the next few hours, they pressed on, higher and higher into the freezing air. Wind whipped at their bodies. But Poorna kept going, thinking of her family and friends back home, who were rooting for her and counting on her to return.

Finally, she stepped onto the summit—a narrow ridge at the top of the world. As she gazed around her at the spectacular view, she saw the curvature of the Earth.

“It was a surreal feeling,” Poorna says. “The view was an ocean of ice-capped mountains.”

She unfurled the Indian flag and sang the Indian national anthem. After posing for a few photographs, it was time to leave—to begin the long journey back home.

Around 9 p.m. on May 24, Poorna and the team set out for the summit. It can take eight hours to reach the top, and they needed to be back down before the afternoon, when dangerous storms are more likely. They roped themselves together and stepped out into the darkness. Like most climbers, they had oxygen canisters to help them breathe.

Looking up, Poorna could see how close she was to the top. But then the dizziness set in. She told one of the Sherpa guides that she wanted to stop and rest. He urged her to keep going. But she was starting to falter.

They found a place to sit, and he checked her oxygen canister. It was empty. He gave her a fresh can, and she gulped down air.

“I could see my goal above me,” she says. “I could not turn back.”

For the next few hours, they pressed on. They went higher and higher. Wind whipped at their bodies. It was hard. But Poorna thought of her family and friends back home, who were rooting for her and counting on her to return.

At last, she stepped onto the summit. The view was spectacular. She could see the curvature of the Earth.

“It was a surreal feeling,” Poorna says. “The view was an ocean of ice-capped mountains.”

She unfurled the Indian flag and sang the Indian national anthem. She posed for photos. Then it was time to start the long journey back home.

News of Poorna’s triumph quickly spread around the world, and her life was forever changed. Reporters interviewed her on TV. A book was written about her and a movie was made. She gave a Ted Talk, focusing on what it takes to reach your goals.

This past May, Poorna graduated from college with a degree in political science. Since her Everest feat, she has climbed six more mountains and plans to climb a seventh soon.

People often ask her why she decided to climb Everest.

“I never decided to climb Everest,” she says. “A better way to put it is, the Sagarmatha/ Chomolungma blessed me to climb her.”

News of Poorna’s triumph spread around the world. Her life was forever changed. Reporters interviewed her on TV. A book was written about her, and a movie was made. She gave a TEDx Talk, focusing on what it takes to reach your goals.

This past May, Poorna graduated from college with a degree in political science. Since her Everest feat, she has climbed six more mountains. She plans to climb a seventh soon.

People often ask Poorna why she decided to climb Everest.

“I never decided to climb Everest,” she says. “A better way to put it is, the Sagarmatha/Chomolungma blessed me to climb her.”

This article was originally published in the November 2020 issue.

This article was originally published in the November 2020 issue.