Mount Everest is TikTok’s new Roman Empire and we’re too invested in its creepy side

8,849 metres up, lingering somewhere above the clouds, you'll find the snow-capped summit of Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, and a view that no camera can do justice.

It's a far-fetched dream for many to even attempt the climb - you have to be incredibly physically fit, the expedition can cost up to $100,000, and it'll take almost two months to complete.

Even then, you've only a 60-70 per cent chance of success (around 700 people per year complete it), and over the years, the base camps have become graveyards for those who tried, and never made it back down.

It's thought that at least 340 people have died trying to climb Everest, with 200 bodies left on the Nepal mountain, because when you're that high up, it's simply too risky and expensive to bring you back down.

Much of our knowledge of Everest to date has been through documentaries and news reports, but with social media now Gen Z's go-to destination for education, we're finally able to get up close and personal with both climbers and Sherpas sharing just what it takes to scale the mountain - and frankly, TikTok is obsessed.

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Dark tourism isn't a new thing - locations associated with the cynical spark our curiosity, and when we can explore from the comfort of our own sofas, it makes us all the more tempted to seek out the macabre details.

We've seen it with the North Sea and Chernobyl, and now Everest is just the latest in a long-line of otherworldly, yet very real destinations piquing our interest.

Just two years ago, Finding Michael became a hugely-watched Disney+ documentary, and followed reality TV's Spencer Matthews as he set off on an expedition to recover the body of his own brother, who had died while climbing down from summiting Everest.

Videos posted to the app detailing the mystery surrounding the 'death zone' where others like Michael vanished, and the identities of those left up on the mountain now rarely fail to rack up millions of views.

The death zone, which is located above 8,000 metres and close to the end of the climb, has a third of the oxygen available at sea level, and is thought to slowly cause your body to shut down cell by cell with every passing minute.

One of the most notable cases was that of a climber named 'Green Boots', who has gone on to become one of the mountain's most widely-researched victims.

The Indian climber, who has since been identified as Tsewang Paljor, set off on the expedition in 1996, and his body still remains on Everest today, frozen completely intact, after meeting a deadly blizzard on the way down.

You can see why people are so intrigued by something so far-removed from their own lives, that's still oh-so-real.

And now #EverestTok has taken off on social media, and users are flocking to the app to share their own theories and interests surrounding the legendary mountain.

At the time of writing, there are over 271,000 posts with the #Everest.

"I spent 3 hours scrolling last night and a further 2 so far today", one person admitted.

"I thought it was just me down this rabbit hole", another added in the comments of a video that has over 250,000 likes.

"I'm weirdly fascinated by everest for someone who doesn't even like to climb stairs", someone else chimed in.

What's more, those who are taking it on for themselves are giving us real-time looks into just what it takes - from frostbite, to frozen eyelashes.

Gone are the days of polished productions led by film crews, and instead, we're invited into a world of raw realism.

Michal Wensierski was one of those who made it to the top in May 2024, and documented each day of the trek on TikTok, answering questions from followers on the nitty gritty of such a bucket list excursion, and inspiring thousands.

However, as fascinated as we are by this rarely-touched corner of the world, it's worth remembering that even Everest has its ethical issues.

Treks are completed with the help of 'superhuman' Sherpas, Nepalese people who carry supplies, and who are often severely underpaid for putting their lives on the line for mountaineers' enjoyment. It's thought they make just $5,000 per season on Everest.

It's also thought that each climber who attempts Everest is responsible for bringing around 8kg of trash onto the mountain, which is quickly piling up and adding to environmental problems.

Is our obsession with Everest just another fleeting trend? Or could it be undoing the rose-tinted filter over one of the world's harshest realities?

Why not read...

Everest could no longer be world's tallest mountain, leaving scientists baffled

Horrified hikers arrive at Mount Everest base camp - to find it covered in trash

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