People who attempt to climb Everest rarely do so alone. Many things can go wrong during a climb, and having a partner ensures that someone will be there to offer help during a crisis. Consequently, most mountaineers who want to climb Everest look for an expedition they can join.

An expedition is a group of people whose goal is to put at least one member on the peak. Prior to 1953 no expedition had managed to achieve this goal. Today, however, many expeditions put most of their members on the peak. This success depends largely on careful planning. Expedition organizers must make many decisions before embarking on their trip to Everest, and each of these decisions affects the type of experience they will have on the mountain.

When to Climb

One of the first decisions is when to climb...