A closer look

Scaling the world's tallest peak is no longer about rugged exploration; it is an aggressive pay-to-play status symbol. Before you even buy expensive gear or hire an underpaid local Sherpa to carry your luggage, the Nepalese government slaps you with a mandatory $11,000 permit fee just for the right to step on the mountain. Add in logistics and expeditions, and people routinely drop $60,000 for the privilege of standing in a crowded line in the 'death zone'.