Mandy Moore recently embarked on a journey to trek Mount Everest, with the actress successfully reaching Mount Everest’s Base Camp on Sunday, with the camp sitting at 17,600 feet above sea level.
Moore’s achievement comes amid a deadly year for climbers, with Nepalese officials confirming on Monday that an American climber was the 11th person to die this climbing season while attempting to climb Everest’s summit.
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Meera Acharya, the Director of Nepal’s Tourism Department, told CNN that Christopher John Kulish, 62, died after reaching the top of Everest on the Nepalese side of the mountain that morning.
The mountain is also experiencing dangerous overcrowding, resulting in long lines to reach the summit that led to lack of oxygen, with the large number of hikers due to poor weather, inexperienced climbers and an increase in permits issued, the New York Times reports.
Several people on Twitter were concerned about Moore’s decision to climb the mountain during the recent overcrowding and high death toll.
Anyone else concerned that Mandy Moore is wanting to climb Mount Everest when it has such bad Congestion? Full queues currently, doesn’t bode well as several fatalities the past couple weeks.
— Whitney of WorthyStyle (@worthystyle) May 24, 2019
Mandy Moore posting about enjoying her trip to Mt. Everest despite 11 people dying on the mountain this season…….what energy pic.twitter.com/HCcejbFk1N
— ben kesslen (@benkesslen) May 28, 2019
I’ve been following Mandy Moore’s insta stories & her journey to Mt Everest but with every story I click I’m like Mandy pls be careful! I have spent too many hours of my life reading about all the frozen dead bodies on that mountain, you can’t become a cool dead body Mandy!
— Cynthia G (@nirne) May 23, 2019
The This Is Us star celebrated her achievement on Instagram with a photo of herself, Eddie Bauer alpine guide Melissa Arnot and friends Ashley Streicher and Chase Weideman happily jumping for joy on the mountain.
“There is so much magic in these mountains. They represent adventure in the grandest form and in a language all their own,” Moore captioned the photo.
“Traversing this terrain has its challenges,” she continued. “Breathing at altitude, for instance, is not easy. Besides hydration and staying nourished, breathing is THE vital key in the fight against altitude sickness. It’s also a major takeaway that I will be employing back to the real world whether I’m in the midst of a tough workout or a weird day. Mind blown.”
The 35-year-old also paid tribute to those who had passed away hiking the mountain.
“Spoiler alert: we made it!!! It’s impossible to be lucky enough to arrive at the foot of these mammoth peaks and not be attuned to the palpable energy of all of those who came before and lost their lives in these mountains,” she wrote. “The wave of emotion: respect, reverence, appreciation….that washed over us as we took in the prayer flags and yellow domed tents of basecamp AND sat on the rocks regarding the chortens that dot the hillside of the Tukla Pass the day before, profoundly.”
Moore later clarified that she and her group only trekked to Everest Base Camp rather than climbing the full mountain.
“Not to take away from our journey but I felt compelled to explain the difference between our trekking trip to Everest Base Camp vs the experienced and professional mountaineers and alpinists who are CLIMBING Everest,” she wrote in a separate post. “If all goes well, we will have completed what is only 1/6 of the entire trip for someone who actually climbs (8 weeks total). We stand in awe of the fortitude and training and superhuman strength it takes to attempt a feat like Everest and are deeply honored just to be here and feel the Khumbu vibes.”
Photo Credit: Getty / Rodin Eckenroth
