Only 221 people have successfully climbed Mount Everest without using supplemental oxygen.
Climbing Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen is an extremely difficult feat, attempted by a small fraction of those who summit the mountain. The extreme altitude significantly reduces the amount of oxygen available, making it a very risky climb. According to the data, while a significant number of deaths on Everest were of those not using oxygen, many of those deaths were among Sherpas during route preparation.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Successful Summits Without Oxygen: 221 people.
- Deaths without Oxygen: 178 deaths were of people not using supplemental oxygen.
- Route Preparation Deaths: 105 of those not using oxygen deaths were Sherpas doing route preparation.
The data shows that while many fatalities involve climbers not using supplemental oxygen, it is crucial to consider that a large portion of those are Sherpas involved in the high-risk task of preparing routes. This highlights the disproportionate risks faced by those involved in support and preparation work on Everest.
Therefore, the number of climbers who have successfully summited Everest without supplemental oxygen is 221, making it a rare and extraordinary accomplishment.
