By Alan ArnetteClimbing News, Everest, Everest 2024 Coverage, Everest News7 min read

Everest 2024: Last Summits of the Season and Another Death

The 2024 Everest season ended well for the Alpenglow group, but sadly, there was another death on the Nepal side. 2024 was a challenging year that may change the trajectory of climbing Everest, especially on the Nepal side. The Icefall Doctors are removing all the ladders in the Western Cwm and Khumbu Icefall, thus officially closing the season on that side. I’ll do my annual season summary in a few days.

In windy conditions, on May 30, Alpenglow Expeditions took all of their clients who arrived at base camp to the summit: six clients with five guides and twelve Sherpas or 1:2.8. They reached the summit in about 22 days from leaving home. Only a few teams were climbing on the Tibet side this year, and Alpenglow was the last team to top out. Adrian Ballinger posted:

After 5 years of waiting, we’re finally back to standing on the roof of the world. Our entire 23-person 2024 Everest North Side Rapid Ascent Expedition team summited Mount Everest on May 28th and May 29th. We reached the summit of Everest a mere 22 days after our expedition started.  We wouldn’t have been able to do this without the support of our entire sherpa and high altitude worker teams, base camp and office staff, and guides. Thank you all. The team is now back in ABC and we’ve cleaned the entire upper mountain of our tents, trash, and waste. We couldn’t be more pleased with our season and our return to Everest North Side!

CLIENTS

  1. Myra Beaudoin Bertrand 🇺🇸
  2. Graham Cooper🇺🇸
  3. Bruce Chapman 🇬🇧
  4. Matthew Greving 🇺🇸
  5. John Carney🇺🇸
  6. Christopher Salomon🇺🇸

GUIDES

  1. Adrian Ballinger 🇬🇧 🇺🇸
  2. Carla Perez 🇪🇨
  3. Chad Peele🇺🇸
  4. Sid Pattison🇺🇸
  5. David Morton🇺🇸

SHERPAS

  1. Chhewang Lendu Sherpa🇳🇵
  2. Dorji Sonam Sherpa🇳🇵
  3. Gandarva Rai🇳🇵
  4. Kancha Nuru Sherpa🇳🇵
  5. Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa🇳🇵
  6. Ngawang Tenjing Sherpa🇳🇵
  7. Ngima Tenjing Sherpa🇳🇵
  8. Palden Namgye Sherpa🇳🇵
  9. Pasang “Pso” Sona Sherpa🇳🇵
  10. Pema Chhepal Sherpa🇳🇵
  11. Phura Tenzing Sherpa🇳🇵
  12. Tenzing Tashi Sherpa 🇳🇵

Some of the team sizes this year were beyond belief. I’ll cover more in the season summary, but on the Nepal side, 8K Expeditions had 74 summits: 27 clients with 47 Sherpas or 1:1.74.

Eight Everest Death

On May 28, Indian Banshi Lal, 46, died in a Kathmandu hospital after being evacuated from Everest with AMS, but the precise cause of death was not disclosed. He was climbing with 8K Expeditions. This is the fifth death for the Nepali operator this season.

Other 8000ers

Polish climbers Bartek Ziemski and Oswald Pereira went against the odds and the crowd mentality to summit Kangchenjunga. There was one initial attempt back in early May. I’m receiving some reports of discontent with the teamwork around fixing the ropes on Kang this year. Mountain drama never ends. 14 Peaks notes that Eduard Kubatov from Kyrgyz Republic and Dawa Chhiring summited Makalu on May 30.

Pot Pourri

In other news that’s not really newsworthy, that gaudy sign at Everest Basecamp has been removed. Word had it: it was placed on the moving glacier and fell over. How did that happen?

As expected, Elite Exped denied he falsely represented that Everest fixed ropes were cut and produced a retort video. There has not been a public reaction to the investigation by the Department of Tourism on the case.

Death and Missing Totals

Everest–Eight Deaths

  1. May 28 – Indian Banshi Lal, 46, died in a Kathmandu hospital after being evacuated from Everest with AMS. He was climbing with 8K Expeditions.
  2. May 23 – Nepali (not a Sherpa) Binod Babu Bastakoti, 37, died near the south Col after summiting and climbing with Yeti Adventure/Pioneer Adventure.
  3. May 22 – British Daniel Paul Paterson, 40, is missing and presumed dead near Hillary Step after summiting and climbing with 8K Expeditions.
  4. May 22 – Pastenji Sherpa, 23, is missing and presumed dead near Hillary Step after summiting with Paterson and climbing with 8K Expeditions.
  5. May 22 – Kenyan Cheruiyot Kirui, 40, died above the Hillary Step, climbing without Os with Seven Summits Treks.
  6. May 22 – Nawang Sherpa, 44, is missing and presumed dead above the Hillary Step, supporting Kirui and climbing with Seven Summits Treks.
  7. May 13 – Mongolian Usukhjargal Tsedendamba, 53,  died on the SE Ridge after summiting, climbing with 8K Expeditions.
  8. May 13 – Mongolian Prevsuren Lkhagvajav, 31, died on the SE Ridge after summiting, climbing with 8K Expeditions.

Lhotse–One Death

  1. May 21 – Romanian Gabriel Tabara, 48, was found dead inside his tent at C3 attempting Lhotse. Climbing with Makalu Adventure.

Nepal Permit Update

The Ministry of Tourism collected USD$5.1 million in royalties, with Everest accounting for USD$4.5 million. This is the 2024 tally for the 8000ers the MoT posted through May 22.:

8000erTeamsMale ClientsFemale ClientsTotal
Annapurna I3141125
Cho Oyu1101
Dhaulagiri322830
Everest4534576421
Kanchenjunga5211435
Lhotse1612828156
Makalu7432164
Manaslu1202
TOTALS80574158732

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

Here’s the video podcast version of this weekend’s update:

You can listen to #everest2024 podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Breaker, YouTube, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Anchor, and more. Just search for “alan arnette” on your favorite podcast platform.

Previous Everest 2024 Season Coverage Posts

 Everyday Everest

A 16-part podcast series during the Everest 2024 climbing season.

Based on my Fictional 2020 Virtual Everest series, I posted a twenty-minute updated episode a few times a week throughout this season. Everyday Everest follows a fictional team of nine climbers and their personal Sherpas from leaving home to trekking to base camp, acclimatizing, and finally, on their summit push. The story’s protagonist, Harper, sets the tone for the story when she tells her husband, Marc, “Honey, I’m going to climb Everest.”

You can listen to Everyday Everest on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Breaker, YouTube, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Anchor, and more. Just search for “alan arnette” on your favorite podcast platform.

Previous Everyday Everest Episodes

Why this coverage?

I like to use these weekend updates to remind my readers that I’m just one guy who loves climbing. With 38 serious climbing expeditions, including four Everest trips under my belt and a summit in 2011, I use my site to share those experiences, demystify Everest each year and bring awareness to Alzheimer’s Disease. My mom, Ida Arnette, died from this disease in 2009, as have four of my aunts. It was a heartbreaking experience that I hope no other family will go through; thus, I asked for donations to non-profits, which 100% goes to them and nothing ever to me.
donate to Alzheimers

Ida Arnette 1926-2009

Preparing for Everest is more than Training

There are five Summit Coach  clients on Everest in 2024

summit coach

If you dream of climbing mountains but are unsure how to start or reach your next level, from a Colorado 14er to Rainier, Everest, or even K2, we can help. Summit Coach is a consulting service that helps aspiring climbers worldwide achieve their goals through a personalized set of consulting services based on Alan Arnette’s 30 years of high-altitude mountain experience and 30 years as a business executive. Please see our prices and services on the Summit Coach website.

Everest Season Special through May 31, 2024: 10% discount on all plans.    Mention Everest 2024

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6 thoughts on “Everest 2024: Last Summits of the Season and Another Death”

  3. Alan,

    Greatly appreciate all you do. Our team was frequently monitoring your blog and you are a tremendous resource. Regarding Bastakoti, I think you should remove Pioneer’s name. I know he wasn’t part of our team (I climbed w/ Pioneer), and my understanding is that Pioneer only got involved at the very end in an attempted rescue.

  4. Great coverage again this year alan. Always enjoy reading your posts. Ive been readinfg them
    For god knows how many years. look forward to season summary and coverage from pakistan over the next couple of months great work and thanks for doing it.

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