Climbing Mount Everest is a bucket list adventure that continues to attract thrill-seekers despite its extreme risks. The mountain rises 29,032 feet above sea level, and its final 3,000-foot ascent, known as the “death zone,” begins at 26,247 feet. Here, oxygen levels are so low that the human body begins to deteriorate — muscles shrink, vital organs strain, and the mind becomes disoriented. Experts warn that climbers should not stay longer than 20 hours in this zone.

Australian climber Bianca Adler recently shared a viral 2025 TikTok video after spending four days in the death zone. Her face was covered in frostbite rashes as she struggled to breathe. She later revealed that she had developed high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), a life-threatening condition that fills the lungs with fluid. Despite the ordeal, she survived and took nearly a month to recover.

Filmmaker Elia Saikaly once described his experience in the death zone as “running on a treadmill while breathing through a straw.” He recalled hallucinations and the terrifying moment when his oxygen mask failed. “It’s all mental at this point,” he said after finally reaching the summit.

Even expert Sherpas face similar risks. BBC Travel’s high-altitude survival guide rescues in 2024 recovered multiple climbers’ bodies from the death zone, highlighting the danger even to the most experienced mountaineers. Scientists continue to study how altitude affects the human body, but one thing is certain — above 26,000 feet, the line between determination and disaster is razor thin.

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