Everest expeditions reach all-time highs

A recent expedition to Mount Everest, let by Guy Rasconceile of France, has measured an all-time high on an expedition concluded Tuesday. The summit of Everest rises approximately 1/4 inch each year due to the motion of the Earth's tectonic plates. Rasconceile's GPS measurement recorded a result that was nearly two feet higher than the previous confirmed height from 1999, of 29,035 feet (8,850 meters).

In related Everest news, the number of expeditions made each year continues to climb. A record 47 separate teams have applied for permission to reach the summit this year, raising concerns about scheduling.

One team, denied permission but still preparing for a scheduled November 2005 attempt on the peak, has stated that one of its goals is "having a toke" at the summit, which if accomplished in the thin air of the peak, would constitute another record. The group has raised over 150,000 USD for its expedition, most of which has gone toward equipment.

The peak was named after Sir George Everest, British Surveyor General of India from 1830-1843, who mapped the Indian subcontinent. In Tibet it is known as Chomolungma, and in Nepal its name is Sagarmatha.