Battling freezing temperatures, winds powerful enough to sweep climbers off their feet, and one of the world’s toughest terrains, Chinmayee Trishulamurthy and Santosh Devarajappa scaled Mount Everest at a height of 29,031 feet on May 12, 2026.

The mountaineers, who have climbed several peaks in Karnataka, including Kumaraparvata and Skandagiri Hills, took mountain climbing courses in the Himalayas. Their training regimen included running, weight training, and yoga.

Midnight climb

The duo chose the southeast (South Col) route from Nepal for their expedition. Every day, they began the ascent between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m. Due to the harsh weather conditions on the mountains during the day, they preferred to climb at night, and stopped between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. to rest.

The most dangerous part of their summit was at the Khumbu Glacier, an ice glacier they described ‘as tall as a building’. But for Ms. Trishulamurthy, who was mesmerised by the glowing colours of the ice in the sunlight, it was also the favourite part.

Needless to say, there were darker moments too.

“One of our friends was injured as ice fell on him. Luckily, he was rescued, but that really made me question my journey ahead,” Ms. Trishulamurthy recollected.

‘Keep emotions in check’

For Mr. Devarajappa, it was his guide’s advise to keep going with a neutral mind and emotions in check that came to his rescue in such tough situations.

Highlighting the role of Sherpas during the summit, he recollected how, when his oxygen level dropped to zero at an altitude of 8,800 m, his Sherpa carried him to the nearest oxygen centre, saving his life.

“Moving in the storms of the mountains helps you build strong mental resilience. Being in the Himalayas, surrounded by Mother Nature, brings you a sense of solitude,” said Ms. Trishulamurthy.

Training crucial

Mr. Devarajappa encouraged more people to take up mountaineering, while both climbers advised aspiring Everest summiteers to undergo proper mountaineering training and climb peaks above 6,000 metres before attempting the Everest.

Though their summit was completed in 46 days, the preparation for it began years ago, pointed out Ms. Trishulamurthy and Mr. Devarajappa.

They cautioned young climbers against choosing the Everest as their first major summit, stressing that inexperience can endanger not only themselves, but everyone involved in the expedition.