Everest 2025: Weekend Update April 27–On the Move!
Drone crash, Icefall collapse, ropes to Camp 3, and climbers tag Camp 2. 374 Everest permits thus far, but only 48 on the Tibet side. It’s been a busy week on Everest. #everest2025
Year: 2025
Everest 2025:Remembering The Day Nepal Shook–10 Years Later
April 25 is always a difficult day in Nepal. This year, 2025, marks the tenth anniversary of the deadly 7.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Nepal, taking 9,000 lives, including 19 at Everest Base Camp. I’m sure there will be many services, memorials, and simple, quiet moments to honor those who died and keep their memories alive.
In current news, a multi-ladder crossing collapsed in the lower Khumbu Icefall, which is not unusual. The Icefall Docs have already fixed the crossing. However, some climbers will have a day off from going to C1 to acclimate. Most are still in EBC anyway. A few teams have begun their trail to the Chinese Base Camp on the Tibet side. So, no big update today on what’s happening on Everest, other than everything seems to be progressing according to traditional schedule, with teams on both sides on their acclimatization rotations. I’ll get back to the regular updates for the Weekend update.
I wrote this narrative a few years ago about my experience that day. I was going between Camp 1 and Camp 2 when the quake hit. It’s a moment in my life that I will never forget. Now for this memory. #everest2025
Everest 2025: When Will They Summit?
The Khumbu is busy. Base Camp is filling up. Climbers are posting selfies and are already acclimatizing at Camp 1. Everest 2025 is underway, but when will they summit? #everest2025
Everest 2025: Weekend Update April 20–BaseCamp Sprawl
The 2025 season is well underway, and more teams arrive at Everest Base Camp each day. The Icefall Doctors have the fixed line to Camp 2, where 8K Expeditions will take over and fix the route to the summit. I expect them by early May. It’s a tough job, to be sure. Also, a short narrative on the puja ceremony.
This may go down as the season of stunts, pleasing those who have called Everest a circus for years. Game on!
#everest2025
Everest 2025: April 18, A Day to Remember
On April 18, 2014, at 6:35 am, an ice serac released a small section onto the Khumbu Icefall. 16 Sherpas were killed in a moment as tons of ice fell, leaving the mountain workers with few options and nowhere to hide. Historically, on April 18, there was no climbing to honor the fallen, but memories fade, and today, eleven years later, in 2025, there is climbing on Mt. Everest. Only a few guides, mostly Western, acknowledge the day on their sites. #everest2025
Annapurna 2025: Podcast with John Black on Sherpa Deaths
As I previously reported, two Sherpas lost their lives when struck by an avalanche on the 8000er, Annapurna, on April 7, 2025. Ngima Tashi and Rima Rinje were swept into a deep crevasse between Camps 2 and 3. Four days later, Sherpas located their bodies using RECCO reflective technology after several helicopter searches proved unsuccessful. Retrieval was not attempted due to the bodies being inside a deep crevasse and the ongoing avalanche danger. In the Podcast are multiple still images from his climb, plus a video of the actual avalanche taken by John. #annapurna2025 #everest2025
Everest 2025: Weekend Update April 13–Icefall In, Summits and Deaths
It was a tough week in the Himalayas. We saw summits on two 800ers, two Sherpas died, and the Icefall Doctors finally got the route to Camp 1 through the Khumbu Icefall. Also, it feels like the early predictions of a record and crowded Nepal side are coming true, with more permits issued at this time than last year. #everest2025
Annapurna 2025: Summit and Missing Sherpas
Multiple teams, including 8K, Imagine, Pioneer, and Seven Summits Treks, reported summits on April 6 and 7, perhaps over 45. However, as of 8:ooPM, April 7 local time, two Sherpas are missing between Camps 2 and 3 due to an avalanche. This area was the most concerning for everyone, as South Africans Warren Eva and John Black posted an excellent video update from base camp. Warren summited while John turned back.
#annapurna2025. #everest2025
Everest 2025: Weekend Update April 6–1st 8000er Summits
Despite ominous weather and route conditions, various media reports have at least four climbers summiting Annapurna on Sunday, April 6, 2025. Early reports of disturbing conditions on Annapurna seem to be mirrored on Everest. The Kumbu is buzzing with activity, and the Icefall Doctors are struggling again this year to get the route through the Icefall. In other words, busy as usual in the mid-2020s. #everest2025
Annapurna 2025: Risky Decisions – April 7 Update: Summits and Missing Sherpas
According to long-time Sherpa climbers, Annanupurna is experiencing some of the worst conditions ever. After an abnormally dry winter, the lower mountain, usually snow-covered, is bone dry, and the upper mountain is hard-packed, blue ice. Climbers are not using their mountaineering boots or crampons to reach Camp 1.
Also, large, wide, and deep open crevasses pose problems. Then, in a twist, heavy snowfall is predicted in a few days, forcing teams to either rush or delay their summit plans. The fixed ropes are only to Camp 3, and it’s been deemed that the traditional Camp 4, from which all summit pushes began, should not be put up. This will make for an extraordinary long summit push.
It will be interesting to see how the dry winter impacted Everest and Lhotse this year. I expect a similar dry climbing scenario.
#annapurna2025. #everest2025