Mountains
Life in the mountains can be very extreme. There are a number of mountain ranges all over the world, but the Himalayan mountains in Asia are the highest on Earth. Some of the obstacles to living in the mountains are:
- The altitude can be very high. When elevation is far above sea level, there is less Oxygen to breathe. This can cause altitude sickness, which in turn can cause nausea, loss of appetite, weakness, headaches, fever, nosebleeds and drowsiness.
- The conditions can be very cold or have very high UV indices, resulting in sun damage.
- The terrain can be very treacherous, resulting in accidents and injury.
- There is little vegetation high in the mountains, so it can be very hard to find food.
Many people choose to explore the mountains to challenge themselves. Some of the activities that people do are rock climbing, zip lining, base jumping, hang gliding, hiking and mountaineering. The most extreme mountaineering accomplishment for humans is the summit of Mt. Everest. Even with the best equipment, the warmest clothes, the strongest bodies and extra oxygen tanks, many people have died attempting to climb Everest and other mountains.