[jamiedumont]

I’ll confess to being ignorant on the science. For instance I know that many of the local guides don’t use oxygen, but attributing that capability to time at altitude (“training” for lack of a better word) or genetics (on the back of generations of “training”?).

Either way, I like the thought experiment! :D

[tim333]

The "local guides" work kind of splits into two parts. The vast majority of the work the Sherpas and Tibetans do is logistics, lugging tents, ropes, food and the like up to the various camps, and no one uses oxygen for that. Oxygen is pretty expensive, like $400 for a cylinder that lasts a few hours. The last bit guiding up to the summit, the guides are often westerners but even when they are locals they usually use oxygen for the summit. I had a go climbing and when you turn off the oxygen you don't collapse or anything but you can climb like 3x faster with it on, and you get a gradual body deterioration with it off, at the high altitudes - I got to 7900m.

[scheme271]

The sherpas probably have a bit of genetic advantage having lived in the mountains for generations. And they probably also have some acclimatization and training benefits from spending all season at altitude and working really hard there. But I think past a certain altitude, it simply doesn't help enough. Your body just starts tearing itself apart and shutting down due to a lack of sufficient oxygen.

Genetics and training might help for a while but it won't help for long.