Mount Everest Summit Statistics (as of September 2021)

Cumulative Summit Data

As of September 2021 (knowledge cutoff):

• Total successful summits: 6,074
• Unique individuals who have summited: 4,833
• Multiple summiteers: Many climbers (especially Sherpas) have reached the top multiple times

Route Breakdown

• South Side (Nepal): ~70% of ascents; standard Southeast Ridge route
• North Side (Tibet/China): ~30%; North Ridge route; stricter permit limits at times

Trends & Notes

• Annual summits peaked at 800+ in 2019 (pre-pandemic)
• 2020 season cancelled (both sides) due to COVID-19
• 2021: Limited permits; ~400 summits (Nepal side only)
• Death toll: ~300+ since 1922; fatality rate ~1–2% of attempts
• First ascent: Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay, May 29, 1953

Data Sources

Himalayan Database (Elizabeth Hawley/Richard Salisbury), Nepal Department of Tourism, China Tibet Mountaineering Association. Numbers increase each season.