Stories like this sometimes provide a laugh and often leave one scratching their head and wondering, did we really need a study to confirm what many of us know from experience. Not experience climbing Mount Everest mind you, just climbing the steps like we did twenty years ago.

New research reveals 60-year-olds lag behind 40-year-olds in reaching Mount Everest’s summit. And for those who make it, the 60-and-overs are more likely to die on the descent.

“On Everest, youth and vigor trump age and experience,” the study authors say.

It is reassuring to know that men and women are created equal in their quest to defeat this mountain, and to those who have, you have my admiration.

While the analysis revealed no gender differences, age differences were stark. Overall, the climbers had a 31 percent chance of reaching Everest’s summit. The success rate dropped to 13 percent for climbers in their 60s. The 60-and-overs also had a 5 percent chance of dying on the mountain—more than three times the overall death rate for the climbers.

The scientists suggest climbers older than 40 have reduced physical capabilities compared with their younger counterparts and might also have a higher degree of caution that causes them to stop short of Everest’s pinnacle.

Think I’ll stick to those power walks around the block..