I attempted Everest in 2002. Prior to that, I’ve been up Denali, Vinson, Aconcagua, Elbrus, and Kilimanjaro. We did not summit Everest on two separate attempts due to weather.
Aside from the adventure and the accomplishment, climbing above 20,000 feet is not a fun experience. Along with the fatigue, my attempts and ascents on Everest, Aconcagua, and Denali were accompanied by entire weeks of skull-splitting headaches. This is not a sport for tourists.
There’s far too many unfit amateurs that inhabit this sport — many with way more money than sense…
I got a bad headache at about 9000 ft staying at a Holiday Inn in Frisco Colorado.