The group that summited Friday included magazine writer Jenkins as well as The North Face athletes Hilaree O'Neill, Kris Erickson, Sam Elias, and Emily Harrington.

Using supplemental oxygen—a near necessity in such thin air—the five climbers reached the top of the mountain via the relatively well-traveled Southeast Ridge route at approximately 8 a.m., local time, Friday.

"It was awesome," team member O'Neill said afterward. "There is a 360-degree view of the Himalaya, and you could see over into Tibet, all of Nepal and the mountains. It was amazing just being able to stand up there, and experiencing that made the whole thing worth it."

The summit attempt was only the most visible part of a wider expedition designed to answer