(ANSI: New York) -- As the world mourns the recent death of Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, the New Zealand-born adventurer who first reached the peak of Mount Everest in 1953, a growing number of climbers are planning to conquer the tallest mountain on Earth.

Although thousands have already climbed the Nepalese mountain, the trek remains dangerous and potentially deadly. A comprehensive standard from ASTM International, a member of the American National Standards Institute and accredited standards developer, ASTM F1773-97(2004)—“Standard terminology relating to climbing and mountaineering equipment and practices” provides good guidance for planning a successful expedition to the highest summits.

Climbers must overcome the challenge of physical activity in a hostile environment and need to acclimatize to altitude and cold temperature. An experienced sherpa can suggest a schedule that allows enough time for preventing illnesses, but a standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization, INCITS/ISO 6709-1983—”Standard representation of latitude, longitude and altitude for geographic point locations” provides a scientific tool for climbers to plan the progression of their ascent.

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