Late last year, a 45-pound Nepalese mutt named Mera climbed Baruntse, a 23,389-foot peak located near Mt. Everest. In the process, she likely reached the highest elevation a canine has ever climbed to.
Mera declined to comment for this piece, preferring instead that her accomplishment speak for itself. And to be clear, no one forced Mera to climb this mountain. In fact, Mera’s feat made the climbers very anxious.
Along the way, Mera braved two nights exposed to the cold, chewed through a rope intended to keep her from climbing, and sped up passes more than three times faster than her human companions. Amazing.