Climbing Mount Everest is not something just anyone can do.
Those who attempt to achieve this spend weeks preparing and adjusting to the altitude while knowing that the risk of death is always part of the deal. Most expeditions take a staggering 6 to 10 weeks from start to finish.
Something most people don’t know, however, is that the price tag is just as daunting as the climb itself.
Guided trips can range anywhere from $35,000 with a local outfitter to more than $90,000 with Western operators. Some climbers spend upward of $150,000 when factoring in gear, Sherpa support, and base camp amenities.
And even with that level of investment, Mount Everest remains one of the most dangerous places in the world, with hundreds of climbers who never made it back down.
Despite the risk, about 800 people attempt the summit each year. Many now document their journeys online, giving viewers a chance to live vicariously through them.
Woman Films Herself After Leaving Everest’s ‘Death Zone’
TikTok creator Bianca (@biancaaadler) is one of those people. In a clip that has now been viewed more than 25 million times, she sits inside a tent at base camp, visibly battered and struggling to speak.
“I just got back from camp two,” she says in a whisper, her voice raspy and her face marked with bruises. “I feel horrible.”
Bianca explains that her throat and lungs were in pain after being at more than 8,000 meters.
“I’m so out of breath, even though yesterday I was at 8,000 meters,” she says, stopping repeatedly to cough and catch her breath.
“After spending almost 4 days in the death zone, feeling the worst I have ever felt,” Bianca added in the caption.
What Climbers Mean By ‘Death Zone’
At extreme altitudes, the human body begins to shut down. Above 8,000 meters, where Everest’s fourth camp sits, oxygen levels are too low to sustain life for long.
This is what mountaineers call the “death zone.” Muscles weaken, and cells begin to die. Simple tasks such as walking feel impossible. At this level, climbers constantly deal with frostbite, fluid buildup in the lungs, and disorientation.
Many of Everest’s fatalities have happened along this stretch, between camp four and the summit. In fact, right now, there are around 200 bodies still in this very area, which is sometimes referred to as the “Rainbow Valley.”
Commenters Are Not Sympathetic
Reactions to her post were divided. Some mocked the decision to climb Everest in the first place.
“Thank God I’m lazy,” one person wrote.
Another joked, “yk you can do it on Roblox right.”
@biancaaadler after spending almost 4 days in the death zone, feeling the worst I have ever felt #fyp #viral #everest #nature #climbing
Others were harsher. “Sorry babe this one is kinda on you,” one commenter said.
Some commenters, however, defended her for sharing such a raw part of the experience.
“Climbing Everest is not for the weak and she tried it. Did you? No,” one TikTok user argued. “This is raw footage of her experience. Let her post her journey.”
“Me walking up the stairs with groceries,” one person joked.
BroBible has reached out to Bianca via email for more details about her climb.