Mount Everest Capital Peak

This hasn’t been an easy year for most, but it’s times like this that make the heartwarming stories even more important to read. While this isn’t something happening in New York, it’s certainly something that any adventurous person will want to take note of – the Mount Everest Capital Peak is higher than you might have thought. Yes, indeed, if you’ve been to the Mount Everest Capital location then you know what it took to get there. But you may not realize that it actually took two more feet of climbing than you thought.

Recent reporting by both China and Nepal puts the Everest Capital peak at exactly 8,848.96 meters, or 29,031.7 feet for those of us in New York. For the last 65 years, the consensus was that it was actually two feet shorter than this.

The real news here is twofold. First of all, does this mean that the Mount Everest Capital peak has grown – or that it was mismeasured in the past? According to the New York Times article about the discovery, the China-Nepal people believe that the mountain has grown. That is definitely reason for pause.

Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the China-Nepal relationship has warmed a great deal in recent years and the measuring of the mountain is the main indication of this warmth. Last year, Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, pledged that the two countries would measure the mountain together when it came time to do so. And this is exactly what they’ve done.

Indeed, it appears that the Mount Everest Capital peak point is actually two feet taller than it used to be. Scientists say that the mountain height can shift based on time and tectonics. After the 2015 earthquake, for instance, they believed that Mount Everest had shrunk. Now, as the Indian plate slips under the Eurasian plate, the Himalayas are being lifted. And this accounts for the extra two feet in height.

For now, both China and Nepal are agreeing on the height measurement. The name of the mountain, however, is still up for great debate. During a recent briefing China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, discussed the measurements of “Qomolangma” while Nepal’s foreign minister spoke about “Sagarmatha.” There is still much to iron out.

But for now, should you manage to get away from COVID and enjoy some adventures, you’ll have two more feet to explore.