Mount Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth, rising 29,032 feet (8,849 meters) above sea level. Located in the Himalayas on the border between Nepal and Tibet, Everest towers so high that its peak reaches into the jet stream, where winds can blast at over 200 miles per hour.

Local people have called it Chomolungma (meaning “Goddess Mother of the World” in Tibetan) and Sagarmatha (meaning “Forehead of the Sky” in Nepali) for centuries.

Climbing Everest represents one of the most extreme challenges humans can attempt. The “death zone” above 26,000 feet has so little oxygen that climbers must use oxygen tanks to survive. Bitter cold, avalanches, and sudden storms make the climb incredibly dangerous. In 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first people confirmed to reach the summit. Since then, thousands have tried, though only a fraction succeed, and some have lost their lives in the attempt.

People often use “Mount Everest” as a metaphor for any enormous challenge. When someone says “That project is my Mount Everest,” they mean it's the biggest, hardest thing they've ever tried to accomplish. Whether climbing the actual mountain or tackling a personal challenge, reaching your own Everest requires preparation, determination, and courage.