How rare is… · Climbing
How many people have climbed Everest?
Since the first ascent in 1953, more than 12,000 summits of Mount Everest have been recorded. A second, larger club climbs its height at home: more than 30,000 Everestings, 8,848 m of climbing in one go on a single hill.
- 12,000+Everest summits since 1953
- 30,000+Everestings logged (by August 2024)
- 8,849 mto climb for GritCore's Summiteer
How many people have summited Mount Everest?
The Himalayan Database, the standard record of Himalayan expeditions, counts more than 12,000 summits since Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953. That counts ascents, not people: many guides have summited dozens of times, so the number of different people is considerably lower. Even counting every ascent as a different person, that is under 0.0002% of humanity.
What is Everesting?
Everesting is climbing the height of Everest, 8,848 metres, by repeating one hill in a single activity, most often on a bike and sometimes on foot. The official Hall of Fame passed 30,000 entries in August 2024, from athletes in 116 countries.
Which is rarer?
Both are extremely rare. Tens of thousands of Everestings against a world of 8.1 billion is well under 0.001% of people, the same order of rarity as the mountain itself, though far more accessible: no permit, no oxygen, and a hill near home.
Climb it in GritCore
GritCore's Climb Everest (Elevation) challenge asks for 8,849 m of climbing in one activity, using the mountain's 2020 surveyed height. It is verified from the ride or run your device recorded and earns the gold Summiteer badge.
Common questions
How many people have climbed Mount Everest?
More than 12,000 summits have been recorded since 1953, according to the Himalayan Database. Because many climbers summit more than once, the number of different people is lower.
How many people have done an Everesting?
The official Everesting Hall of Fame passed 30,000 entries in August 2024, from 116 countries.
How high is an Everesting?
8,848 metres of climbing in a single activity, repeating one hill.
Sources
- Mount Everest records, citing the Himalayan Database 2025
- The Himalayan Database
- Everesting, 30,000 entries in the Hall of Fame (August 2024)
- Everesting, official rules
World population taken as about 8.1 billion. Checked 30.09.2026.
So how rare are you, actually?
GritCore is free on iPhone and Android.