My stock answer is to point out that I’m a climber, and that Everest isn’t a climb, but a walk. This usually gets the person at the other end a bit confused and flustered as they check their notes. “Yes” I usually continue “If you have to step over a dead body half way up then it’s classed as walk. On real climbs the bodies fall to the bottom”.
The "only" difficulties with the Everes ascent are with cold and oxygen deprivation, which are solved by technical means and sherpas hard labor. Unlike plenty of climbs in the Alps or the Rockies the only prerequisite for Everest is (very) good physical condition, time and money.
From http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/blog/view/everest_sucking_on...
The "only" difficulties with the Everes ascent are with cold and oxygen deprivation, which are solved by technical means and sherpas hard labor. Unlike plenty of climbs in the Alps or the Rockies the only prerequisite for Everest is (very) good physical condition, time and money.