Everest climbing-guide services — often provided by people of the Sherpa ethnic group — can cost $10,000 per expedition. At this price, the guide takes responsibility for climbers’ lives as well as their own. They lead mountaineers to the top of the world, carrying heavy loads and providing emergency services. This is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. Of the 332 people who died climbing Everest between 1921 and spring 2023, over a third were mountain guides.