So, you are an adrenaline junkie with a penchant for peril
and you've set your sights on Mount Everest which is the grand-daddy of all
peaks. It has been your dream since a while now and seems so easy. Just 8 kms upwards and you are there. But before you don your North Face jacket and channel your inner Sir
Edmund Hillary, let's take a moment to explore the less glamorous side of this
majestic mountain. That part of the mountain that makes people uneasy. Mount Everest or Sagarmatha to the locals, is a bucket-list
obsession for so many adventurers. However, the Everest hides a catalogue of unnerving incidents. The mountain’s ‘Death Zone’ (above 8000 metres)
claims lives with brutal efficiency and retrieving bodies is so perilous that
most remain where they fell. The highest point on land is life-threatening. Mount Everest isn’t just the roof of the world but
it is also the world’s highest cemetery. You can't be playing the fool here or there is no coming back.
Mount Everest is Earth's highest peak on land. There is no other point on the Earth that is as close to space as this. It has long been the ultimate challenge for mountaineers worldwide. From decades, many have scaled the Everest and some came close to. However, lurking beneath it’s majestic façade lies a macabre reality. This mountain is intimidating and lethal. Over 200 climbers' bodies are permanently abandoned on it’s slopes which is a stark display of the mountain's unforgiving nature. One slip, one wrong move, one youthful lunacy were enough to end their adventure. An open-air morgue of frozen climbers preserved in time. There they remain to this day...irretrievable and undisturbed. This is the chilling truth behind mountaineering’s darkest reality. It is a one-way trip upwards for the gullible on Mount Everest. The retrieval of these bodies is often deemed impossible due to ethical dilemmas, extreme conditions and technical challenges. So many human bodies litter various locations on Mount Everest.
But how did this happen? What leads to such tragedies? And why is the mountain literally littered with skeletons in high-tech gear? Is there some dark power waiting on the mountain? Buckle up…this isn’t just a mountaineering mystery. This is the reality of several misadventures. It is a saga of human hubris mixed with climate chaos and cultural clashes. Mount Everest can go wrong real fast and without remorse.
Table of contents
A mountain of memories (and mummies)
Mount Everest isn't just the tallest mountain but it is also the world's highest open-air museum of mountaineering mishaps. Bodies litter the mountain in places where it is impossible to get to them. With over 200 climbers having met their untimely end on it’s icy slopes, the mountain is a veritable ‘who's who’ of adventurers who bit off more than they could chew. The statistics are also climbing up just as the climbers.
Thanks to the subzero temperatures, many of these bodies are perfectly preserved which serve as both grim reminders and navigational landmarks for future climbers. The biting cold slows down decomposition that it might many decades for some to become bones. Take, for instance, the infamous ‘Green Boots’ which is a moniker given to a climber whose neon green footwear has been a macabre mile marker for decades. He barely showed signs of decomposition because of the strategic spot he fell at.
Everest hosts the worst party in the universe where oxygen is a luxury
Welcome to Everest’s Death Zone — a place so gnarly that even Bear Grylls would tap out. It is high above the Earth and super cold. The cruising height of commercial flights is where it ends into.
Altitude – 8848 metres or 8.8 kilometres upward into the sky. It is almost close to the edges of where space is somewhat supposed to begin.
Oxygen – 33% of sea level. No living being except some insects can breathe up there without assistance.
Maximum survival length – 48 hours. It's always cold up there, so you will die soon from exposure to the elements.
Why corpses stay ‘fresh’ – At -60° C, decomposition is impossible. The mechanics of decay operate different in frigid environment. Corpses mummify while the skin turns into something akin to leathery substance and the facial expressions get frozen mid-gasp as the individual is passing away. Microbes? They are dead too. Microbes are mostly water and they'd join the climbers since water freezes from 4° C onwards.
The brain’s betrayal – Hypoxia tricks climbers
into feeling euphoric and starts stripping logic. This is a dangerous condition that can affect the brain. Many end up shedding their clothing (paradoxical
undressing) or hallucinate before collapsing. Lack of oxygen can worsen the climber's fate.
Above 8000 meters (26,247 feet), Mount Everest's ‘death zone’ is a perilous region where oxygen levels plummet to a third of those at sea level, temperatures dive to -60°C, winds howl at 161+ kmph and barometric pressure causes weight to feel 10 times heavier. What perfect conditions wait for you to make a mistake! This lethal combination induces disorientation, fatigue and severe stress on vital organs that keeps limiting human survival to mere hours. Unless you are proactively well-prepared, these conditions can overtake you. Human bodies begin to shut down, cells die and brains swell. There are no hospitals up there obviously and you can't do anything then. Even seasoned climbers compare it to ‘running a marathon on a treadmill… while breathing through a straw’. Believe me, the zone is hostile to all life.
Ascending above 8000 meters (that's 26,247 feet), the oxygen levels are so low that your body starts to die off…cell by cell. Without having backup after backup, you are doomed there. In this rarefied air, even the most mundane tasks become Herculean challenges. Of course, you need Oxygen to burn inside you to release energy for the muscles to function but you aren't getting much here. Oxygen levels are insufficient to sustain human life for extended periods. The human body has to struggle from having never faced such a condition back on land. Climbers face severe risks including altitude sickness, frostbite and hypoxia. All of them are lethal if left unaddressed. Climbers’ brains turn to mashed potatoes (literally — cerebral edema is a real risk). Once the brain is done for, the rest of the body is worthless.
Consequently, many climbers who perish in this zone remain there indefinitely and their bodies are preserved by the freezing temperatures. It is a suicide mission to even attempt body retrievals. The 2023 climbing season tragically recorded 18 deaths marking it as one of the deadliest years in Everest's history. People underestimate the mountain and end up with a mountain of regret.
Frozen guardians of the Everest
Forget TikTok stars, Everest’s cadavers are the OG viral sensations. Though dead, they have managed to just good as live influencers. Some bodies have become morbid legends. They are famous and well-known. The mountain’s corpses have backstories, nicknames and fan theories. These attract climbers to find them for a glimpse.
Green boots – The mountain’s answer to a GPS pin. As long as he lay where he was, he had tales to tell. His dead body had become such a landmark that climbers used to high-five him for luck. They believed that his spirit would make conditions feasible for them to complete their climb. The cave-dwelling Indian climber (believed to be likely Tsewang Paljor) has been used as a route marker for 20+ years. It was easy to locate him because of his bright gear. He died there in the year 1996. The poor climber couldn't make it to the summit as he intended to do. His neon green boots used to protrude from the snow which marked a cave on the Northeast Ridge route. Climbers had to go that way. The snow keeps changing which would also alter the landscape but Green Boots remained exposed for view. Rumour says that his body mysteriously vanished from site in the year 2014. Did someone move him? Was he buried by some rogue snow? Some say activists buried him. Some say he got stolen. The actual reason is still unknown and only speculations are flying around.
David Sharp – In the year 2006, 40 climbers passed the dying Brit which ignited global fury. But why? ‘Summit fever’ was blamed. The poor climber must have passed away in intense sadness if he knew that 40 people simply walked by and let him die.
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| David Sharp |
Francys Arsentiev – Dubbed ‘Sleeping Beauty’, she lay for years with her face up perfectly preserved until a team buried her in the year 2007. The extreme conditions of the mountain was just too much for the poor lady. Sleeping beauty was the first American woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen in the year 1998 but succumbed to the elements during her descent. Perhaps she made a grave estimate of the conditions on the mountain. She died in the year 1998 and lay faceup for 9 years until climbers covered her with an American flag. She wasn't alone because her husband also had tagged along with her for the climb. Her husband’s body was found nearby in the next year of 1999. They got separated while passing away which makes it incredibly sad. Her lifeless form remained in view for nearly a decade before being respectfully concealed. For a decade, she never decayed and it appeared that she was sleeping peacefully.
The Lhotse couple – A 2002 expedition found two frozen climbers locked in an embrace. In their final moments, they tried to keep each other warm. Their identities remain unknown.
The Instagrammer who literally died for the ‘Gram' – In
the year 2023, a YouTuber livestreamed his ascent gasped…
“Worth it for the views!”
…before collapsing. He unfortunately fell victim to the elements too. His last video? 10M likes. It is comforting to know that he passed away doing what he loved anyway.
Over 200 such climbers have met their end on Everest with so many bodies abandoned on the mountain due to the perilous conditions that make retrieval nearly impossible. It is dangerous for both machine and man to gain access to the corpses. Notably, the area known as ‘Rainbow Valley’ is so named because of the multicoloured jackets and mountaineering gears of the deceased that create a chilling mosaic against the icy backdrop. They are strewn recklessly all over the place as people took their exit from life. Americans…think your HOA is strict? Everest’s ‘no body removal’ policy makes zoning laws look chill. If you know what I mean.
Why retrieval missions are (almost) impossible and the gruesome economics of it?
Recovering bodies from Everest is a herculean task fraught
with danger and ethical considerations. It comes with great expense too. The cost of such missions can soar
between $30,000 to $70,000 ATLEAST and necessitates teams of 6 to 10 Sherpas
who risk their lives in the treacherous death zone. But even then, it is not about the money. The physical challenges are
bewildering. It is not like, spot and collect. A body weighing 80 kilograms can feel like 150 kilograms when
frozen and encrusted with ice that makes transportation arduous. Moisture adds weight and besides one man or few men cannot be carrying corpses for 8 kms because it is a long distance.
Moreover, the act of retrieval poses moral dilemmas. The retrievers themselves could be added into the stats of those who perished. Is it justifiable to endanger the lives of rescuers to recover the deceased? To let those who passed away be where they are seems to be the best solution. Some families find solace in knowing their loved ones rest eternally on the mountain they cherished while others yearn for closure through traditional rites. That can bring about problems. This dichotomy often results in bodies remaining undisturbed while silently narrating tales of ambition and tragedy. They serve as warnings for those wish to conquer a dangerous monster.
Risk v/s reward – In the year 1984, a team spent 12 hours trying to recover a body but only to abandon it after a member nearly died. There are places where finding a solid foundation is not going to happen. There is no soil but only ice which might be brittle or can simply crack from weight. The threat of an avalanche is 100% there all the time.
Helicopter limits – Even specialised choppers (like the EuroCopter AS350) struggle in thin air. With the thick atmosphere disappearing as we go upwards, our aircrafts cannot perform. In the year 2023, a recovery mission was scrapped after a pilot warned with ‘You’d need a UFO’. This is not a joke. It is a life-threatening activity to be flying that high up in slim air.
Odds of retrievers dying during attempt – 1 in 100. It is still not a guaranteed probabilities.
Sherpa sacrifice – Local guides risk their lives for recovery missions. They are the only ones who know better about how the mountain behaves. In the year 2023, a team spent 18 hours hauling a body from the ‘Balcony’ (8400 metres) but earned only £800 each. That is a really low fee for a life-threatening work.
“It’s blood money!”
…one confessed anonymously to The Kathmandu Post. Like I said earlier, this is a suicide mission with no safe assurances. The local guides earn $500 to $1000 per retrieval which is less than a Hollywood extra. Things are extremely challenging this way and that way.
“It’s like DoorDashing corpses!”
...joked another Sherpa (who later clarified that dark humour is a coping mechanism). All of this tells us how dangerous is Mount Everest.
Controversial cash – Nepal’s 2024 ‘EcoFee’ mandates that climbers pay £4000 for eliminating bodies and waste on the Everest. These charges were applicable so that the government could clean up the mountain. But critics call it a ‘tourist tax’ with no real cleanup plan. Other than beefing up the national treasury, there was no real intent was the counter against Nepal.
Price tag – $140,000 (or 2.8 million avocado toasts). Because it involves a lot of planning and technical equipments plus the labour. Retrieving a body from Everest costs more than a Tesla Model X and has roughly the same chance of crashing. It is not easy, so it is expensive.
Logistical nightmare – Any kind of aircraft here
are as useless as a screen door on a submarine. The air is too thin for aircrafts to function normally. A chopper pilot quit
mid-mission while muttering…
“I’d rather Uber Eats in Times Square”.
Families v/s Sherpas v/s Environmentalists – Ethical nightmares!
“Should we leave them be or give the families some closure?” The question sparks fiery debate. Multiple arguments are ready to be served if you ever bring it up. Should we let corpses rest or yeet them into a biohazard bag for closure? What do the loved ones actually want and how to settle disputes on the topic even among themselves! People have varied opinions on the matter. These conflicting disagreements will decide the fate of those lost on the Everest.
Sherpa beliefs – Many Sherpas view the mountain
as a sacred ground and believe that disturbing the bodies angers deities. They believe that the mountain has accepted it's victims and now they belong to it. For
the Sherpas, Everest is Chomolungma (Mother Goddess of the World). What the mother has taken must never be snatched away from her. Disturbing
bodies risks divine wrath, according to them. A lot of their beliefs are vested in faith.
“It’s like tearing souls from heaven!”
…says Lama Tashi Sherpa.
Controversy alert – In the year 2014, an Indian climber’s body was moved for a cleanup which lit outrage. The outcrying public felt that the works had breached sentiments of the dead.
“It’s like graverobbing!”
…said Ang Dorjee Sherpa.
Closure for the families – In the year 2019, a Canadian team retrieved Shriya Shah-Klorfine’s body after 7 years. Body retrievals from the mountain, in most cases, bring great relief for their families. Shriya's family were utterly grateful for getting them her remains. It touched the family. Her husband wept…
“She deserved a funeral; not a glacier”.
American grief – In the same year 2019, a Texan paid $250k to retrieve his wife’s body. In the typical Texan spirit, he spoke about the retrieval and his wife.
“Ma’am deserved a proper BBQ!”
…he insisted.
EcoWorries – Melting ice (thanks, climate change!) is exposing corpses and their decades-old waste. There might be many people who perished in the frigid mountain slopes from centuries. Scientists fear that decomposing flesh could pollute downstream water. It is a valid reason for concern as people living below could be affected from the water pollution. You don't have to necessarily drink the water to get some infection. Mere contact of such polluted water could have ramification on the nasal cavity, orifices, skin and the overall health. Thawing of ice on the Everest is happening and will soon be an actual health hazard for the region.
When Silicon Valley meets the Death Zone – Tech to the rescue?
AI, body-snatching robots, drones, GPS and thermal imaging
have all been trialed but Everest laughs in the face of tech. The victims fall into treacherous places in the mountain which complicates every kind of follow up. The best thing that tech can offer on the Everest is the sight of the fallen. It is impossible to haul ambulances, bulldozer, cars, heavy equipments, rescue cargo or trucks up there. Tech bros keep
trying to ‘disrupt’ Everest. Spoiler – The mountain DGAF.
Drone disasters – In the year 2022, Nepal tested
drones to map as many bodies as possible. Drones seemed viable to choppers because of the thin air up in the mountains. The test saw a £20,000 drones crash into the Khumbu
Icefall. The freezing conditions are strong enough to hamper the drone's performance and overtake it's heating. One more crashed into the Hillary Step and another froze solid midair
which then nosedived into a crevasse. So, you see? Even the best and costliest drones which are master performers down below fails to beat the cold. Investors called it ‘a bold pivot’.
“It’s like flying in syrup!”
…groaned engineer Lhakpa Sherpa. He couldn't digest the piloting difficulties and loss of drones.
Body bags and pulleys – A 2024 Kickstarter proposed pulleys to lower bodies. The only unknown is if they would hold up in the powerful wind gusts that plague the Everest. Wind can really bend, break and twist metal out of shape. It would be a wasteful effort and investment. New lightweight stretchers help but as veteran guide Adrian Ballinger quips…
“You’re still dragging dead weight through a hurricane”.
Critics soon labelled it as ‘ghoulish and unworkable’. They don't seem to be wrong in this case.
Thermal imaging fails – Rescue teams tried heat sensors but corpses blend into ice (-60°C vs. -60°C = no difference). As it is, dead bodies do not emit heat after many days of death and it is pointless to seek heat from frozen ones.
AI overlords – An app promising ‘safe routes’
once directed climbers into an avalanche zone. The mountain needs to be mapped fully before creating apps like this. Fivestar review…
“Almost met God. Would recommend!”
Satirical solution – Elon Musk suggested a ‘corpse zipline’ powered by Dogecoin. To be honest, it makes no sense to anyone. Sherpas rolled their eyes so hard that it triggered a minor avalanche. It is improper to joke about those who met their end.
Underpaid heroes who keep Everest from imploding – The Sherpas
33% or a third of the Everest’s dead are Sherpas. Sherpas are the major players or travellers on the mountain. They carry gear, fix ropes and risk retrievals yet earn 10x less than Western guides. Because of these incredible people, safe mountaineering is possible on Mount Everest today. Sherpas do 90% of the work and get 10% of the credit just like the Walmart greeters of the apocalypse. Why is this unfair practice still happening in the 21st century is really incredulous! Thanks to DNA advantages, Sherpas use oxygen more efficiently than the rest of all other human beings. Their lungs are more efficiently engineered for living in the region.
“We’re the ones carrying your toilets…and your corpses!”
…said guide Kami Rita in a 2023 interview. Their strength is uniquely remarkable.
In a 2024 year strike, the Sherpas halted expeditions for a week for demanding better pay and insurance. No one were listening to them either on the expeditions. Everyone became an Everest-expert because Sherpas were doing all the hard work. Fed up with risky retrievals and Kardashian-esque pay, Sherpas walked off the job. Hence, they were on strike.
“We’re not pack mules! We are not your Uber drivers to heaven”.
…said leader Kami Rita. It is a shameful thing to disrespect the Sherpas on their own turf.
Many instances of cultural clash also happen. There is always that rift between residents and visitors. Western climbers often ignore Sherpa warnings about routes and weather. Some of them can really be arrogant and ignorant. Then they run into unnecessary problems during the expeditions and lie helpless. It is then the Sherpas and no one else who can resolve other's problems up in the mountains.
“They think money buys Everest”.
…spat guide Lhakpa Sherpa in a Guardian interview. The Sherpas are always dragged into totally unnecessary antics and Karen-behaviour of the outsiders. It is crucial to let them guide you till your expedition is over. Once your thrill is quenched, you must be grateful to the people who gave you that experience. Mainly, pay them what they deserve...politeness and good money...for risking their lives for your fun or record.
Traffic jams at the top of the world
Believe it or not, Mount Everest has a peak season and no, it's not when the pumpkin spice lattes come out. It is the season when it seems that everyone wants to go up the mountain suddenly. Each year, hundreds of climbers attempt to reach the summit during a narrow window of favourable weather. It is dangerous for all other seasons. This regularly is leading to bottlenecks that would make a Los Angeles freeway blush. With huge number of customers who want to scale the Everest, the region becomes busy and congested. These traffic jams aren't just inconvenient but they are deadly too. There is no overtaking here because you wouldn't know what to do. Everyone has to follow protocols of the Sherpa. Climbers are forced to wait in the Death Zone which depletes their limited oxygen supplies and increases the risks of altitude sickness, frostbite and well...death. The quickly that climbers can get going, the safer it is for those who are trailing.
The uninvited grave robber – Climate change
Melting glaciers are revealing long lost bodies and creating ethical headaches. Rise in the global temperatures are affecting every spot on Earth. Biohazard fears grow that thawing corpses could contaminate water sources. They were fine locked away in ice that wouldn't melt. But melting ice exposes the organic matter to the elements and the breaking dead matter could flow along with the melt water wherever it is headed. Global warming is reshaping Everest and it’s grisly secrets. Soon, biological dangers are about to pop up. There were no chance of getting out of the ice until the world's heat started increasing. Global warming isn’t just melting glaciers but it’s exposing corpses too. Many kinds of known and unknown risks are coming if it persists.
Bodies popping up – Melting glaciers have revealed 5 previously hidden corpses since the year 2020 including a 1974 Soviet climber clutching a diary. Now, his remains will start crippling and travelling downstream. In the year 2024, melting ice near Camp III revealed a 1970s climber still clutching a Walkman. Playlist included ‘Stayin’ Alive’ (irony – deceased). Ancient corpses who were frozen away in the ice for decades haven't decomposed, so they will disintegrate slowly from exposure and their remains will be carried down the slopes by rain and water.
Creepy tourism boom – Guides report clients asking to ‘see the thawing bodies’. By now, you have already read about the popular bodies that were visible. Climbers are asking mountaineering companies to help them see fallen climbers. The demand is so much that they have started making it a scheme in their expedition services. One company offered a ‘Climate Change Expedition’ package in the year 2023 but it flopped. Really crazy how people can become!
Khumbu Glacier collapse – In the year 2024, a serac fall near Camp 1 exposed a 1980s Japanese team. They were part of the glacier since 4 decades and hadn't decomposed upto the incident.
“They looked like wax figures!”
…said a horrified trekker. They looked so alive that it scared the climbers.
EcoHorror – Scientists fear thawing corpses could leak a lot of contamination into rivers. It is unavoidable since global warming is also unavoidable. So, Himalayan water might soon come with a side of 1984. The water flowing down from the mountain might already be polluted by now.
As if avalanches, crevasses and those altitude sicknesses weren't enough, climbers now have to contend with the effects of climate change. Bringing their own water will add to the weight that they have to carry during the ascent. Rising temperatures are causing glaciers to melt revealing bodies that have been entombed in ice for years. People are only going to love such revelations for the kicks of it but don't realize that there are compounding effects. It's like the mountain is airing it’s dirty laundry. Thanks to warmth, the mountain will clear off all it's filth but it is going to gobble even more victims down below. Some things are better left buried. A corpse frozen on the Everest needs to be that way for eternity.
Everest's growing waste problem – Environmental toll
Beyond the human cost, Everest faces significant environmental challenges everyday. Just because it is a difficult terrain and inaccessible doesn't mean that it is safe from humans who get there. The mountain has been dubbed the world's highest garbage dump with discarded equipment, oxygen bottles and even human waste littering much of it’s slopes. Where are you going to discard all the things that you don't need? It is a mountain with atleast a 100-km wide base! Climbers want to shed weight and cunningly discard what they no longer need around the mountain's pathways. This pollution not only mars the natural beauty but also poses health risks to local communities and wildlife. All the discarded items decay too and affect the environment with their gross stench and infectious potential.
Expert opinions
Renowned mountaineer Kenton Cool who achieved his 18th
summit of Everest in the year 2024, acknowledges the mountain's growing
commercialization and the ensuing challenges. The man has been outspoken on the environmental damages happening on the Everest. He advocates for responsible
climbing practices and emphasizing the need to balance human ambition with
environmental or ethical considerations. What he says is really important for everyone to understand. It is not that there are janitors to keep the mountain clean for the next person. Author Jon Krakauer (Into Thin Air)
wrote…
“Everest exposes the best and worst of humanity. Heroism and selfishness coexist’.
Climber Nirmal Purja says that
“Everest laughs at technology. You want a body back? Carry it. Or accept it’s part of the mountain now”.
Recent update (2024) and the commercialization controversy
In recent years, efforts have been made to address this somber issue. To prevent the threats of thawing permafrost on the Everest, plans were put into action in body retrievals. In the year 2024, a dedicated team of Nepali military personnel and Sherpas embarked on a mission to retrieve bodies from the death zone. It was going to be tenacious but had to be tried in order to combat the fall out from global warming. Over a 54-day operation, they successfully recovered 4 bodies and 11 tonnes of rubbish. Although not significant, it was a very commendable work. It showed the environmental and ethical complexities of Everest expeditions. You get the idea of the immense difficulty involved in retrieving dead bodies from the Everest, right? 54 days and 4 bodies only.
However, these missions are not without any controversy. Even though body retrievals are a noble act in arresting pollution from the thawing of ice, there are still naysayers. The discovery of Andrew Irvine's body in the year 2024 reignited debates about the sanctity of final resting places versus the pursuit of historical knowledge. They attach unwanted sentiments into the issue and blow it out of proportions. He was a British climber who vanished a hundred years ago in the year 1924 alongside George Mallory. The controversy about them became a menace.
While some advocate for leaving such sites undisturbed, others argue for retrieval to provide closure and potentially uncover historical artifacts like Irvine's elusive camera. Factually speaking, body retrievals would provide ample insights. It might shed light on whether they summited Everest before their demise. Their story would give inputs of dangerous areas on the mountains and what conditions are possible.
Nepal’s government now charges climbers a £4,000 as ‘cleanup deposit’ but critics argue it is just a drop in the glacier. They say that per head, it is insuffient price to do all the work.
A creepy update from the year 2023 – A 1970s
Japanese climber emerged from the ice near Camp 1. He was well-preserved in the ice even after 50 years.
“He looked like he had died yesterday!”
…said a stunned trekker. Once frozen in ice that won't melt, there is little change in a corpse since nothing can make it through or out of the ice.
The allure of summiting Everest has led to increased commercialization with guiding companies offering packages to climbers of varying experience levels. More and more businesses are setting up offering mountaineers various resources to make their expedition worth it. While this has made the mountain more accessible, it has also resulted in overcrowding and heightened risks. There is just unprecedented footfall than ever before. Renowned British climber Kenton Cool who achieved his 18th summit in the year 2024, acknowledges these challenges and emphasizes the need for responsible climbing practices. These people bring in a lot of stuff and leave a lot of garbage; making it extra difficult for both authorities and the next batch of climbers.
The ironic lure of Everest
Despite these grim realities, Everest's allure remains undiminished. People aren't quitting just yet. Each year, climbers from around the globe flock to it’s base and remain undeterred by the risks. Man's spirit is undaunting and won't be quenched until fulfilling his desires. The 2023 climbing season was particularly deadly with a record 18 fatalities. That year was the most lethal in the history of the mountain. It clearly demonstrates the mountain's perilous and unpredictable nature. One has to be really prepared for an expedition to the Everest because there might be no coming back due to ignorance.
This paradoxical attraction has led to environmental degradation and increased accidents. The Everest is fading in it's beauty. The once pristine slopes are now marred by human waste and litter. Human intrusion is doing much harm to the entire mountain. Such trends are prompting calls for more stringent regulations and sustainable climbing practices. If you are climbing the mountain, you need to return safe as well as sane. Yet, the mountain's mystique continues to captivate and often blinding aspirants to it’s inherent dangers. The Everest is truly an enchanting mountain.
The high cost of high adventure
If the prospect of becoming a permanent part of Everest's landscape doesn't deter you, perhaps the price tag will. Expedition was never cheap to the Everest. And, it promises to stay that way too. Nepal recently announced a 36% increase in climbing permit fees that is bringing the cost to a cool $15,000. Inflation will talk terms now. And that's just for the permit. Then, there are other bomb expenses after receiving you permit. When you factor in gear, guides and other expenses, you're looking at a small fortune for the chance to risk life and limb. They will go to trash if you perished but you can be comforted in the feeling that you died doing what you wanted.
Viral insanity – Influencers, TikTokers and these death zone selfies
Social media’s obsession with Everest has turned tragedy into content. Other's misfortune has become content by 2025. Some find it infuriating and senseless while others love it unconditionally. "I couldn't personally see that dead climber, so thanks to XYZ influencer, I can see it and I'm amazed!" Social media workers always have the ideas for viral trends. They can't stop from milking anything for views. It seems that they can turn anything into a content on their platforms. Even the dangerous Mount Everest do not seem to faze these content makers. The last few years have given many boons to platforms and the exploitation is endless. They prey on the victims of Everest to spread information as well as gain followers.
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The ‘Green Boots Challenge’ – A 2023 trend dared climbers to take grinning photos beside the corpse. You had to go there, be next to him and post a selfie or velfie with the body. Backlash forced TikTok to ban the hashtag. It was really disrespectful.
GoPro graverobbing – A YouTuber faced legal heat
in the year 2024 after pocketing a frozen climber’s camera ‘for views’. Stealing from the dead is not cool and the public rage prompted legal action. The footage? Hours of static.
Psychologists’ view – Psychology has explanations for this kind of reckless insensitive behaviour. It gives the brain a kick of achieving the forbidden. Psychologists can now tell why these influencers do what they do to some extent. Shame goes out the window in such actions and they don't care even if legal ramifications are set in place.
“It’s morbid curiosity meets narcissism”.
…says Dr. Emily Harris. She also revealed what these offenders assume...
“Viewers think ‘That won’t be me’—until it is”.
Rainbow valley – Everest's dark humour
In a morbid twist, a section of Everest near the summit is dubbed ‘Rainbow Valley’. It is a colourful abyss-like trench and the colours are not natural. This deceptively cheerful name refers to the multicoloured gears and jackets of fallen climbers scattered across the area. Being a valley, it is a perfect repository of whatever that falls into it. It is a chilling irony that amidst the breathtaking beauty of Everest lies a spectrum of human tragedy that is frozen in time. The valley is a scary mirror to what you are about to face.
Efforts unto sustainable climbing
In response to these issues, several initiatives aim to promote sustainable tourism on Everest. It is about time to drive good sense into the population. Organizations like the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee and Sagarmatha Next are working to manage waste and simultaneously educate climbers on environmental responsibility. Sensible expedition is good for everyone and the mountain. Innovative solutions such as converting trash into art and implementing waste-to-energy technologies are being explored to preserve the mountain for future generations. What's happened has happened and it is time to be responsible on the Everest. It is not like there is a replacement.
Lesser-known facts
Avalanche of rubbish – Everest's popularity has led to an accumulation of over 50 tonnes of waste which has earned it the nickname ‘The world's highest garbage dump’. Soon, there might be avalanches of rubbish along with the snow.
Silent witnesses – Some bodies on Everest remain remarkably preserved due to the cold dry conditions. Decomposition is cut off for decades and decades. Their attire and expressions offer eerie glimpses into the past. The bodies are a diary from times immemorial.
Bodies don’t decompose here – Microbes can’t survive and so climbers’ remains stay eerily intact for decades. No microbial activity means there is nothing to eat the flesh and so no breakdown.
Frozen bodies are heavy – They weigh atleast 150kg+ that some recovery teams use steam-shovels to chip them free. Yes, really. It isn't easy to dislodge a heavy item that has become one with ice.
Ghosts of Everest – A 2020 podcast dramatized these stories from Everest and accidentally inspired a wave of ‘dark tourism’ selfies. People were doing the unimaginable at the sites of the fallen. The less said, the better.
Shocking fact – A 2023 year’s study found microplastics in Everest’s snow. Microplastics are dangerous for health and they can travel anywhere they want. It is theorized to be likely from all the gear and rotting tents near the bodies. The winds on Everest travel at 100+ kmph especially at nights and it would be the best way for mother nature to scatter microplastics.
Sherpas have a genetic adaptation for high altitude – They produce 30% more nitric oxide which boost oxygen efficiency. Over thousands of years of living in the region, evolution has made them survivalists. Even their lungs are different from the rest of us due to this. They can go on long hours of expedition and never seem tired while the rest of us would be famished by then.
Frozen bodies are so heavy that retrieval teams once tried using a hot air balloon. The air is so thin and hot air don't offer much help. It didn’t work and went down real fast. The weight of the passengers interfere in the execution of body retrievals.
Yak 2.0 – Sherpas have made this term for reckless climbers. Those people are annoying and have no respect for guides. A yak 2.0 does nothing useful except wander. Yaks, at least, carry their own gear but not these yaks.
Dark tourism – YouTube documentaries and Instagrammers trek past corpses for clicks. They want to tap on their misfortune for an ever-thirsty audience who always want something daring and new all the time. One viral 2023 video zoomed in on ‘Green Boots’ with the offensive caption ‘Everest’s most famous nap’. These disrespectful influencers engage in misadventures with their adventures.
Ethical Everest Tours – Companies now offer such kind of tourism package. They are taking initiative in making climbers be respectful and offer tribute to the victims of Everest. Translation is ‘To gawk at corpses but feel guilty about it’. Such kind of initiatives are good and necessary.
The bottom line – Everest is a nightmare
Mount Everest stands as a monumental symbol of human aspiration and the relentless pursuit of achievement. The structure keeps challenging all humans all the time. Yet, intertwined with tales of triumph are stories of loss with over 200 climbers' bodies eternally resting on it’s icy slopes. They are never making it back from the mountain's slopes. Everest’s frozen graveyard is a haunting reminder of human ambition’s limits. It is good to be ambitious and it might not actuate. As climbers chase glory, the mountain whispers – Not so fast! It seems like the Everest has a quota for each person on how much they can push.
Body quotas? It has got everything from influencer drama to
overpriced tickets and a 1% chance of survival. You would be a fool to underestimate this treacherous monster. Activists push for a retrieval
mandate but Nepal fears that the operations and visuals might become
responsible in scaring off tourists. A dwindling reputation is going to hurt tourism for Nepal.
3D-printed graves? Good idea, I guess. A German firm proposed tagging bodies with GPS for virtual memorials. Seems to be a nice tribute. Families called it ‘tacky’. Well, favour and oppose fly back and forth over the proposal.
The ultimate fix – Some say close Everest forever. We have already gathered enough information and media of the mountain since decades. So, shutting down expeditions is justifiable they say.
“Let it mourn!”
…argues filmmaker Jennifer Peedom (a Sherpa herself). She hinted at letting the mountain heal.
Will tech ever conquer Everest’s corpse problem? Can any engineering or mechanical framework help us retrieve bodies? Or will the
Death Zone forever guard it’s grisly trophies? Intrigued? Shocked? Share and
spread awareness — or debate the ethics in the comments. Will Everest’s bodies
ever rest in peace or not? Are they in a way screaming for retrieval? Or will climate change keep spitting them out like cursed
popsicles?
By acknowledging the mountain's dark secrets and committing
to sustainable practices, we can honour it’s majesty while ensuring it’s
preservation for years to come. And if you’ve got £70k spare…maybe rethink that
summit bid. Share this if you’ve ever thought that climbing Everest sounded
fun. Spoiler alert – It’s not. Stay home. Binge Netflix. Live.
#everest #mounteverest #mteverest #nepal #moutain #climb #rainbowvalley #deathzone #sherpa
References – Al Jazeera Investigations, BBC, BBC Future, The
Guardian, Everest Chronicle, interviews with Sherpa guides, Jon Krakauer’s ‘Into
Thin Air’ (2023), Nepal Ministry of Tourism reports, The Himalayan
Database, 2024 Sherpa Union Reports, Interviews with Everest Guides, NatGeo’s ‘Oops,
We Died’ series, interviews with Sherpas (who deserve raises) and 27 hours
of regrettable TikTok research.
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