Future scenarios for Mount Everest

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In this blog I highlighted some absurdities around high altitude and the Mount Everest especially. Looking on other developments on earth I found some more questions.

Scenarios for the Future of the Highest

This works shows some possible scenarios, which would help to answer many questions around Mount Everest. I have assessed the feasibility of each of the options as far as possible. All are possible and costs are controllable. Whether they are likely to happen or not is a question of discussion and opinion.

Safe transport to high Altitude

The safe transport will be of increasing importance to reduce the number of fatalities with increasing tourism. It can be provided by installing electric supplies high up the mountains – electricity can provide normal air pressure, heating, water, light, internet access – and constantly monitor the climbing paths.

Safe transport to high Altitide, 2013, 3 * 60 * 80 cm, Charcoal and Chalk on Paper (one image not shown for the reason of pending patents)

Standard high altitude containers can be used to transport goods by autonomous spider robots to great height. The utmost transport facility will be the installation of railway systems to develop remote areas and of elevators to the top of the mountains.

Experience of High Altitude

Also, the experience high altitude in a safer manner is an area of development. Heated and pressurized carbon fiber tents can be combined to high tech houses.

A pressurized hotel on top of Mount Everest will allow everybody who can afford it a spectacular view. Building a skyscraper there will increase its height to above 9.000 meters.

Experience of high Altitude, 2013, 3 * 60 * 80 cm, Charcoal and Chalk on Paper (two images not shown for the reason of pending patents)

In-town high altitude simulators will provide easy access to high altitude climate conditions including low air pressure, cold temperature and wind.

Politics and High Altitude

High altitude will be an area of politics, as long its access remains difficult. Multiple solutions are possible. The least likely though is to block the access to high mountains so nobody can go there any more. It is far more likely that more visitors will be attracted and disputes about frontiers will not be a central theme.

Since 420 million inhabitants in the northern areas of India alone are living as close as two hour flights, and they will have increasing wealth, there should be no lack of visitors.

Further recreation areas

Not only Everest will develop, but all regions with high mountains, or better said, attractive tourist destinations, will prosper. As wealth increases more and more people will be likely to travel.

North India alone is home to around 340 million inhabitants living less than 2 hours be flight away from Everest.

Without picture: New Indian Recreation Areas, 2011, 4 * 41.5 * 29.5 cm, Coal, Chalk and Ink on Paper

If required transportation mechanisms are provided, these people will come for weekend trips, full vacations and even winter games are possible here.

This painting is part of the set Landmarks of Everest – routes on the mountain shown as paintings. Click here for more!