{"id":48970,"date":"2026-01-26T08:14:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T15:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=48970"},"modified":"2026-01-26T10:40:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T17:40:32","slug":"everest-by-the-numbers-2026-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/26\/everest-by-the-numbers-2026-edition\/","title":{"rendered":"Everest by the Numbers: 2026 Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Welcome to my ongoing <strong>Everest 2026<\/strong> coverage! <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/everest\/everest-2026-coverage\/\">2026<\/a> <strong data-start=\"528\" data-end=\"584\">marks my 23rd year covering all things Everest<\/strong>. If you\u2019re a long-time reader, welcome back. If you\u2019re new here, thanks for joining me. <strong><em data-start=\"672\" data-end=\"710\">Everest by the Numbers: 2026 Edition<\/em> <\/strong>is an exhaustive review of data and statistics related to Everest mountaineering.<\/p>\r\n<p>I rely heavily on data from the <strong><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.himalayandatabase.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Himalayan Database<\/a> <\/strong>(HDB) for summit and death statistics. The HDB\u2014free to download\u2014documents climbs on Nepalese and Tibetan peaks (excluding Pakistan), dating back to 1905.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1000\" data-end=\"1531\">I use their terms for climbers and guides. For example, \u201c<strong>hired<\/strong>\u201d refers to support staff, including Sherpas and other ethnic groups such as Tamang, Magar, and Rai; on the north side, Chinese and Tibetan workers fill similar roles. \u201c<strong>Member<\/strong>\u201d typically refers to a climber who pays for guided support. I use \u201cmembers,\u201d \u201cforeigners,\u201d and \u201cWesterners\u201d interchangeably, though some climbers\u2014such as those from South Korea\u2014do not consider themselves Western. I define an <strong>attempt<\/strong> as a climber leaving base camp with the intention to summit.<\/p>\r\n<p>This post is a complementary post to the following articles as we near the start of the season in April.<\/p>\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\r\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/13\/everest-2026-welcome-to-everest-2026-coverage\/\">Welcome to Everest 2026 Coverage &#8211; An overview of what to expect during the Spring 2026 climbing season<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/26\/everest-by-the-numbers-2026-edition\/\">Everest by the Numbers: 2026 Edition &#8211; A deep dive into Everest statistics as compiled by the Himalayan Database<\/a><\/li>\r\n\t<li>Comparing the Routes of Everest: 2026 Edition &#8211; A detailed look at Everest&#8217;s routes, commercial, standard, and non-standard<\/li>\r\n\t<li>How Much Does it Cost to Climb Everest: 2026 Edition &#8211; My annual analysis of Everest climbing costs, from solo and unsupported to fully guided<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You can <a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/email-notification\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sign up<\/a> for (or cancel) email notifications in the lower-right sidebar, or simply check the site regularly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: left;\"><strong>Why This Coverage?<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_28447\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28447\" style=\"width: 225px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28447 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Ida-225x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28447\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ida Arnette<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p data-start=\"2313\" data-end=\"2462\">I have one reason for this coverage: <strong>Alzheimer\u2019s<\/strong>. I lost my mother, Ida, and four aunts to the disease. Like many families, mine was changed forever.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2464\" data-end=\"2822\">Everest is where I focus my work, but Alzheimer\u2019s is why I do it. If this coverage has value to you, I hope you\u2019ll consider supporting Alzheimer\u2019s research or care through the organizations listed\u2014or any organization you choose. I receive no financial benefit from donations. Thank you for reading, and for considering a donation. Click the button to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/alzheimer\/donate.php\">donate<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/alzheimer\/donate.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-22234 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/donate100alzheimersround.gif\" alt=\"donate to Alzheimers\" width=\"150\" height=\"45\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<p data-start=\"4884\" data-end=\"5151\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h2>Overall Numbers (Through December 2025)<\/h2>\r\n<p>Looking at the overall numbers, there have been <strong data-start=\"2921\" data-end=\"2950\">13,737 summits of Everest<\/strong>, representing a <strong data-start=\"2967\" data-end=\"2994\">43% summit success rate<\/strong>, (summits divided by attempts above base camp) through December 2025, on all routes, by <strong data-start=\"3093\" data-end=\"3120\">6,656 members (clients)<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"3125\" data-end=\"3159\">7,081 hired climbers (Sherpas)<\/strong>. Of those who have summited, <strong data-start=\"3189\" data-end=\"3215\">7,563 different people<\/strong> have reached the top. As for deaths on all routes, <strong data-start=\"3267\" data-end=\"3291\">339 people have died<\/strong>. Nepal remains the more popular\u2014and more deadly\u2014side. Hired support climbers now dominate with the most summits.<\/p>\r\n<p>Repeat ascents account for a significant share of that total, including <strong data-start=\"3478\" data-end=\"3495\">1,179 members<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"3500\" data-end=\"3517\">1,284 Sherpas<\/strong>, together responsible for <strong data-start=\"3544\" data-end=\"3561\">7,083 summits<\/strong>. Women members have recorded <strong data-start=\"3591\" data-end=\"3608\">1,047 summits<\/strong>, a figure that continues to grow steadily.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Summits and Deaths from 1922 to 2025<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<table class=\" aligncenter\" style=\"height: 515px; width: 62.618447%;\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\"><strong>NEPAL<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\"><strong>TIBET<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\"><strong>TOTAL<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\">Members<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\">4,547<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\">2,109<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\">6,656<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">48%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\">Hired<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\">5,340<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\">1,741<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\">7,081<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">52%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"background-color: #d4d4d4;\">\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 198px; height: 24px;\"><strong>TOTAL Summits<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 86px; height: 24px;\"><strong>9,887<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 79px; height: 24px;\"><strong>3,850<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\"><strong>13,737<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"background-color: #d4d4d4; height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 198px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 86px; height: 24px;\">69%<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 79px; height: 24px;\">31%<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"border-color: #d9d4d4; width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\">Member Deaths<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\">122<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\">86<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\">208<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">61%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\">Hired Deaths<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\">107<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\">24<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\">130<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">39%<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"background-color: #d4d4d4; height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\"><strong>TOTAL Deaths<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\"><strong>229<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\"><strong>110<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\"><strong>339<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\">\u00a068%<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\">\u00a032%<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\r\n<td style=\"width: 198px; height: 24px;\">Death Rate<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 86px; height: 24px;\">1.07<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 79px; height: 24px;\">1.05<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 75.578125px; height: 24px;\">1.06<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 62.421875px; height: 24px;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p data-start=\"1115\" data-end=\"1461\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/everest\/everest-2026-coverage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Follow the 2026 Everest Coverage!<\/a><\/h2>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/email-notification\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to subscribe to notifications for new blog posts.<\/a><\/div>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h3>Tibet or Nepal Side?<\/h3>\r\n<p data-start=\"4255\" data-end=\"4671\">The <strong>Nepal (South) Side<\/strong> remains the most popular route and has recorded the highest absolute number of fatalities: <strong data-start=\"4369\" data-end=\"4401\">9,887 summits and 229 deaths<\/strong>, a fatality rate of approximately <strong data-start=\"4436\" data-end=\"4444\">2.3%<\/strong> (or <strong data-start=\"4449\" data-end=\"4480\">1.07 deaths per 100 summits<\/strong>, depending on methodology). The <strong>Tibet (North) Side<\/strong> has seen <strong data-start=\"4541\" data-end=\"4573\">3,850 summits and 110 deaths<\/strong>, a slightly higher fatality percentage of <strong data-start=\"4616\" data-end=\"4624\">2.8%<\/strong>, but a comparable normalized rate of <strong data-start=\"4662\" data-end=\"4670\">1.05<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"4673\" data-end=\"5180\">Use of supplemental oxygen remains one of the strongest predictors of survival. On the Nepal side, <strong data-start=\"4772\" data-end=\"4803\">116 climbers who died (51%)<\/strong> were not using supplemental oxygen. On the Tibet side, <strong data-start=\"4859\" data-end=\"4882\">41 fatalities (37%)<\/strong> occurred among climbers without oxygen. Combined, <strong data-start=\"4933\" data-end=\"4980\">180 of Everest\u2019s 339 total fatalities (53%)<\/strong> involved climbers ascending without supplemental oxygen. Tibet-side climbers tend to be more experienced on average, which likely contributes to the lower proportion of non-oxygen-related fatalities.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"5182\" data-end=\"5415\">Importantly, these death rates include all members and hired support, encompassing incidents at base camp and during route preparation\u2014not only summit attempts. The last time Everest recorded no summits from either side was <strong data-start=\"5406\" data-end=\"5414\">1974<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_48919\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48919\" style=\"width: 736px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=48919\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-48919\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-48919\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM-640x366.jpg\" alt=\"Everest Deaths and Summits from 1953 to 2025\" width=\"736\" height=\"421\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM-640x366.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM-300x172.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM-1000x572.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM-230x132.jpg 230w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM-350x200.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM-480x275.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.06.11-PM.jpg 1052w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-48919\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Everest Deaths and Summits from 1953 to 2025. Source Himalayan Database<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p data-start=\"223\" data-end=\"536\">Before 2008, Tibet had been steadily gaining popularity. In the <strong data-start=\"287\" data-end=\"311\">2000 climbing season<\/strong>, Nepal accounted for <strong data-start=\"333\" data-end=\"365\">62% of total Everest traffic<\/strong>, while Tibet represented <strong data-start=\"391\" data-end=\"398\">38%<\/strong>. By <strong data-start=\"403\" data-end=\"411\">2007<\/strong>, the gap had narrowed further, with Nepal at <strong data-start=\"457\" data-end=\"464\">59%<\/strong> and Tibet at <strong data-start=\"478\" data-end=\"485\">41%<\/strong>, suggesting a gradual shift toward the North Side.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"538\" data-end=\"956\">That momentum ended abruptly in <strong data-start=\"570\" data-end=\"578\">2008<\/strong>, when China effectively closed Everest to foreign climbers to facilitate the Olympic torch relay to the summit. The closure prompted many operators to avoid the financial and logistical risk of future restrictions and relocate permanently to the Nepal side. China\u2019s subsequent closure of Everest to foreigners from <strong data-start=\"894\" data-end=\"915\">2020 through 2023<\/strong>, citing COVID-19, reinforced that shift.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1349\" data-end=\"1818\">Tibet\u2019s return has been uneven. Recovery has been constrained by China\u2019s variable tourism policies and lingering pandemic effects, and the North Side may never fully regain its pre-2008 share. China generally caps Everest permits at around <strong>300 climbers per season,<\/strong>\u00a0while Nepal imposes no formal limit. By <strong data-start=\"1645\" data-end=\"1653\">2019<\/strong>, the last full season on the Tibet side before the pandemic, Nepal had firmly reasserted its dominance, accounting for <strong data-start=\"1773\" data-end=\"1817\">approximately 75% of all Everest traffic<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_48920\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48920\" style=\"width: 764px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=48920\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-48920\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-48920\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM-640x392.jpg\" alt=\"Everest Summits from 1953 to 2025. Source Himalayan Database\" width=\"764\" height=\"468\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM-640x392.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM-300x184.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM-1000x613.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM-230x141.jpg 230w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM-350x215.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM-480x294.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.08.34-PM.jpg 1514w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-48920\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Everest Summits from 1953 to 2025. Source Himalayan Database<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<h3 data-start=\"189\" data-end=\"235\">Deaths Ticking Back Up Along with Climbers<\/h3>\r\n<p data-start=\"237\" data-end=\"543\">Since 2000, Everest has seen an unprecedented surge in climbers. From <strong>2000 through 2025, 15,781 people<\/strong>\u20146,787 members and 8,994 hired support climbers\u2014climbed above Nepal\u2019s Base Camp, nearly three times the total from the previous 80 years. Between 1921 and 1999, only 5,584 people climbed above base camp.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"545\" data-end=\"887\">Over Everest\u2019s full history (1921\u20132025), <strong>339 people have died o<\/strong>n the mountain: <strong>207 members and 132 hired workers<\/strong>, primarily Sherpas. Since the first expeditions in 1922, Everest has averaged about <strong>five deaths per year<\/strong>. As participation has grown, the average has increased modestly, rising to roughly <strong>seven deaths per year from 2010 to 2025<\/strong>. Note that deaths include climbers on the mountain as well as fatalities at base camp<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"889\" data-end=\"1293\">Looking at the most recent decade provides additional context. From <strong>2015 to 2025, 77 people died<\/strong> on Everest, yet the normalized death rate during this period declined to approximately 0.69. Notably, member fatalities (48) exceeded hired-worker deaths (29), reflecting improved safety systems for hired support climbers, higher support ratios, and more effective risk management\u2014even as overall traffic continued to increase.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1295\" data-end=\"1671\">A small number of catastrophic events disproportionately shape the fatality record. The 2014 Khumbu Icefall serac collapse and the <strong>2015 earthquake<\/strong> accounted for 31 Sherpa deaths, while 2023 recorded a modern high of 18 fatalities. All of these deaths occurred on the Nepal (South) Side and were driven by natural disasters rather than technical failures specific to any route.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1673\" data-end=\"2095\">Stepping back further, the long-term trend is clear. Between <strong>1920 and 1999, Everest recorded 170 deaths<\/strong>\u2014100 members and 70 hired workers\u2014producing a normalized death rate of approximately 1.81. During this period, climbers pioneered new routes with limited forecasting, rudimentary equipment, and minimal fixed infrastructure. Sherpas were largely employed as load carriers rather than as integral members of summit teams.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2097\" data-end=\"2477\">The expansion of <strong>commercial guiding<\/strong> in the early 2000s marked a turning point. <strong>Death rates fell sharply\u2014from roughly 1.8 to about 0.8<\/strong>\u2014as most climbers shifted to the standardized Southeast and Northeast Ridge routes under experienced operators. That trend has continued under newer Western guiding companies and major Nepali operators, even as Everest has entered its busiest era.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2199\" data-end=\"2549\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_48922\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48922\" style=\"width: 701px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=48922\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-48922\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-48922\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-640x465.jpg\" alt=\"Everest Death Rates Source Himalayan Database\" width=\"701\" height=\"509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-640x465.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-1000x727.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-550x400.jpg 550w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-230x167.jpg 230w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-350x254.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM-480x349.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.21.21-PM.jpg 1112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 701px) 100vw, 701px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-48922\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Everest Death Rates Source Himalayan Database<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It&#8217;s still critical to carefully research and select your guide, as I cover in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2024\/06\/05\/everest-2024-season-summary-everest-at-a-rubicon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Everest 2024: Season Summary \u2013 Everest at a Rubicon<\/a>. In <strong data-start=\"4292\" data-end=\"4309\">2023 and 2024<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"4311\" data-end=\"4346\">23 of the 26 Everest fatalities<\/strong> occurred on expeditions operating <strong>at or below the median price<\/strong>, reinforcing a strong correlation between cost, logistics, and safety. While Nepal\u2019s safety reputation suffered after the high-fatality seasons of <strong data-start=\"4542\" data-end=\"4566\">2014, 2015, and 2023<\/strong>, the Tibetan side has also experienced deadly years, including <strong data-start=\"4630\" data-end=\"4652\">six deaths in 2004<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"4657\" data-end=\"4674\">eight in 2006<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"4707\" data-end=\"5044\">Everest has recorded seasons without fatalities \u2014 including <strong data-start=\"4767\" data-end=\"4784\">Nepal in 2010<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"4789\" data-end=\"4806\">Tibet in 2016<\/strong> \u2014 but the last year with <strong data-start=\"4832\" data-end=\"4860\">no deaths on either side<\/strong> was <strong data-start=\"4865\" data-end=\"4873\">1981<\/strong>. It is also important to note that the <strong data-start=\"4913\" data-end=\"5015\">Himalayan Database calculates death and summit rates based on fatalities occurring above base camp<\/strong>, not solely among summiters.<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h3><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Standard-98% vs. Non-Standard Routes-2%<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p data-start=\"361\" data-end=\"747\">One of Everest\u2019s lesser-known statistics highlights just how dominant the standard routes have become. As of <strong data-start=\"470\" data-end=\"487\">December 2025<\/strong>, of the <strong data-start=\"496\" data-end=\"520\">13,737 total summits<\/strong>, only <strong data-start=\"527\" data-end=\"578\">187 ascents (141 members and 46 hired climbers)<\/strong> reached the summit via <strong data-start=\"602\" data-end=\"625\">non-standard routes<\/strong> \u2014 meaning routes other than the <a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/everest\/everestsouthroutes.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Southeast<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0Ridge or\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/everest\/everestnorthroutes.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Northeast<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Ridge<\/span>. That represents <strong data-start=\"718\" data-end=\"746\">just 1.4% of all summits<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"749\" data-end=\"1128\">These non-standard climbs accounted for <strong data-start=\"789\" data-end=\"802\">70 deaths<\/strong> (44 members and 26 hired), representing <strong data-start=\"843\" data-end=\"876\">21% of all Everest fatalities<\/strong>, despite comprising only 2% of total ascents. In contrast, <strong data-start=\"1533\" data-end=\"1562\">78% of all Everest deaths<\/strong> occurred on the standard routes, and the <strong data-start=\"1603\" data-end=\"1661\">Southeast Ridge alone accounts for 57% of total deaths.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"749\" data-end=\"1128\">This disproportionate risk helps explain why nearly all commercial operators concentrate on the standard routes, where hazards are better understood, infrastructure is fixed, and rescue access is possible.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1130\" data-end=\"1317\">Countries with the most non-standard route summits include <strong data-start=\"1189\" data-end=\"1203\">Nepal (67)<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1205\" data-end=\"1231\">the United States (27)<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1233\" data-end=\"1247\">Japan (26)<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1249\" data-end=\"1269\">South Korea (23)<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1271\" data-end=\"1295\">the former USSR (23)<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"1301\" data-end=\"1316\">Russia (16)<\/strong>. Here is the death summary through 2025:<\/p>\r\n<table style=\"width: 83.052313%; height: 944px;\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Reason<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Northeast Ridge<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Southeast Ridge<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Other Routes South<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Other Routes North<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Total<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Avalanche<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">9<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">41<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">13<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">14<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">79<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Fall<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">18<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">34<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">18<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">8<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">78<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">AMS<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">12<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">31<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">5<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">48<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Exposure\/Frostbite<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">11<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">10<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">2<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">3<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">26<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Illness (non-AMS)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">5<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">20<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">1<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">1<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">27<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Exhaustion<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">12<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">19<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">1<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">32<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Icefall Collapse<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">17<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">2<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">19<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Crevasse<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">10<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">10<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Disappearance<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">4<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">6<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">3<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">13<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">other\/unknown<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">3<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">2<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">1<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">1<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">7<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">Falling Rock\/Ice<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">5<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"middle\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">5<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Total<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">74<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">195<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">34<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">36<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">339<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Death Rate for those above BC<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0.89<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">0.98<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">2.28<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">1.83<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"width: 22.291022%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>% of Total<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 13.299354%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">21%<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 11.956361%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">57%<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 15.111308%;\" valign=\"top\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">11%<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 17.173888%;\">\r\n<p align=\"center\">12%<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"width: 9.841832%;\" valign=\"top\">\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p data-start=\"3061\" data-end=\"3089\">\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<h3 data-start=\"3096\" data-end=\"3120\">The End of New Routes?<\/h3>\r\n<p data-start=\"3122\" data-end=\"3277\">The last successful new route on Everest was completed in <strong data-start=\"3180\" data-end=\"3188\">2009<\/strong>, when a Korean team climbed the <strong data-start=\"3221\" data-end=\"3239\">Southwest Face<\/strong>. Since then, attempts have been rare.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"3279\" data-end=\"3769\">In <strong data-start=\"3282\" data-end=\"3290\">2019<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"3292\" data-end=\"3309\">Cory Richards<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"3314\" data-end=\"3337\">Esteban \u201cTopo\u201d Mena<\/strong> made a bold attempt on a <strong data-start=\"3363\" data-end=\"3397\">6,551-foot direct couloir line<\/strong> on Everest\u2019s Northeast Face from the Tibet side. Starting above Advanced Base Camp (21,325 ft), the line joined a high ridge before continuing up steep terrain toward the summit. After 40 hours on the wall, including an open bivouac, the pair turned back at roughly 7,600 meters, citing deteriorating conditions, accumulated fatigue, and tactical limitations.<\/p>\r\n<h3 data-start=\"3916\" data-end=\"3946\">Oxygen, Summits, and Deaths<\/h3>\r\n<p data-start=\"3948\" data-end=\"4132\">Summiting Everest <strong data-start=\"3966\" data-end=\"3997\">without supplemental oxygen<\/strong> remains exceptionally rare. Since 1953, only <strong data-start=\"4043\" data-end=\"4059\">232 climbers<\/strong> \u2014 about <strong data-start=\"4068\" data-end=\"4093\">1.7% of all summiters<\/strong> \u2014 have reached the top without oxygen.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"4134\" data-end=\"4553\">Of Everest\u2019s <strong data-start=\"4147\" data-end=\"4171\">339 total fatalities<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"4173\" data-end=\"4234\">180 occurred among climbers not using supplemental oxygen<\/strong>, but this figure is misleading without context. <strong data-start=\"4283\" data-end=\"4315\">At least 128 of those deaths<\/strong> happened during <strong data-start=\"4332\" data-end=\"4353\">route preparation<\/strong>, primarily among Sherpas working lower on the mountain, where oxygen is not used. Major examples include the <strong data-start=\"4462\" data-end=\"4487\">2014 Icefall disaster<\/strong> and the <strong data-start=\"4496\" data-end=\"4515\">2015 earthquake<\/strong>, both of which occurred below Camp 1.<\/p>\r\n<table data-path-to-node=\"9\">\r\n<thead>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><strong>Category<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Total Attempted<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Total Summited<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Success Rate<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Deaths<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<td><strong>Death Rate<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,1,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">With oxygen<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,1,1,0\">~7,246<\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,1,2,0\">~5,769<\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,1,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,1,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">80%<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,1,4,0\">75<\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,1,5,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,1,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1.03%<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,2,0,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,2,0,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Without oxygen<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,2,1,0\">~2,369<\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,2,2,0\">99<\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,2,3,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,2,3,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">4%<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,2,4,0\">28<\/span><\/td>\r\n<td><span data-path-to-node=\"9,2,5,0\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9,2,5,0\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">1.18%<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<p data-start=\"4851\" data-end=\"4902\">For members (excluding Sherpas), the data is stark:<\/p>\r\n<ul data-start=\"4903\" data-end=\"5050\">\r\n\t<li data-start=\"4903\" data-end=\"4970\">\r\n<p data-start=\"4905\" data-end=\"4970\">Climbers using oxygen were <strong data-start=\"4932\" data-end=\"4970\">twenty times more likely to summit<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n\t<li data-start=\"4971\" data-end=\"5050\">\r\n<p data-start=\"4973\" data-end=\"5050\">Fatality risk without oxygen was <strong data-start=\"5006\" data-end=\"5025\">slightly higher<\/strong>, though not dramatically so.<\/p>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h3>Sherpa Support and Summits<\/h3>\r\n<p data-start=\"249\" data-end=\"430\">Over the past <strong data-start=\"263\" data-end=\"275\">15 years<\/strong>, Everest has experienced <strong data-start=\"301\" data-end=\"366\">explosive growth in the number of Sherpas reaching the summit<\/strong>, reflecting a fundamental shift in how the mountain is climbed.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"432\" data-end=\"800\">During the early decades of Everest exploration, support ratios were modest. A typical expedition might have <strong data-start=\"541\" data-end=\"602\">one hired support climber supporting three or four professional climbers,<\/strong>\u00a0roughly <strong data-start=\"613\" data-end=\"626\">1:4 (25%)<\/strong>. By the <strong data-start=\"635\" data-end=\"660\">1990s and early 2000s<\/strong>, as commercial expeditions expanded, operators increased support to <strong data-start=\"729\" data-end=\"770\">two or three Sherpas for five clients<\/strong>, approximately <strong data-start=\"786\" data-end=\"799\">3:5 (60%)<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"802\" data-end=\"1262\">Today, the norm on the Nepal side is dramatically different. <strong data-start=\"863\" data-end=\"904\">Two Sherpas per member (2:1, or 200%)<\/strong> is increasingly common. This escalation is driven by several reinforcing factors: a higher proportion of inexperienced clients, heavier personal loads shifted to Sherpas, increased reliance on <strong data-start=\"1098\" data-end=\"1145\">high-flow supplemental oxygen (up to 8 lpm)<\/strong>, and premium operators explicitly marketing <strong data-start=\"1190\" data-end=\"1235\">1:1 or even 2:1 \u201cpersonal Sherpa\u201d support<\/strong> all the way to the summit.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1297\" data-end=\"1581\">When large-scale commercialization began on the <strong data-start=\"1345\" data-end=\"1367\">South Side in 1992<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1369\" data-end=\"1383\">22 Sherpas<\/strong> and <strong data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1402\">65 members<\/strong> summited, yielding a ratio of <strong data-start=\"1433\" data-end=\"1460\">0.34 Sherpas per member<\/strong>. By <strong data-start=\"1465\" data-end=\"1473\">2010<\/strong>, that ratio had flipped: <strong data-start=\"1499\" data-end=\"1514\">196 Sherpas<\/strong> summited alongside <strong data-start=\"1534\" data-end=\"1549\">175 members<\/strong>, producing a ratio of <strong data-start=\"1572\" data-end=\"1580\">1.12<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1583\" data-end=\"1849\">The growth on the <strong data-start=\"1601\" data-end=\"1617\">Tibetan side<\/strong> has been similarly striking. In <strong data-start=\"1650\" data-end=\"1658\">2000<\/strong>, the ratio stood at <strong data-start=\"1679\" data-end=\"1714\">17 Sherpas to 38 members (0.45)<\/strong>. By <strong data-start=\"1719\" data-end=\"1727\">2019<\/strong> \u2014 the last full season before COVID closures \u2014 the ratio had more than doubled to <strong data-start=\"1810\" data-end=\"1848\">106 Sherpas for 110 members (1.04)<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2072\" data-end=\"2273\">In practical terms, <strong data-start=\"2092\" data-end=\"2154\">more Sherpas are now summiting Everest than paying clients<\/strong>. Cumulatively, hired support climbers have recorded approximately <strong data-start=\"2221\" data-end=\"2238\">7,081 summits<\/strong>, compared to <strong data-start=\"2252\" data-end=\"2272\">6,655 by members<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_48923\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48923\" style=\"width: 603px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=48923\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-48923\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-48923\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM-540x480.jpg\" alt=\"Everest Support Rates . Source Himalayan Database\" width=\"603\" height=\"536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM-540x480.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM-253x225.jpg 253w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM-1000x889.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM-230x204.jpg 230w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM-350x311.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM-480x427.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-12.40.07-PM.jpg 1028w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 603px) 100vw, 603px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-48923\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Everest Support Rates. Source Himalayan Database<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p data-start=\"2848\" data-end=\"3197\">As the accompanying chart shows, the <strong data-start=\"2885\" data-end=\"2937\">support ratio is rising faster on the Nepal side<\/strong> than on the Tibet side. The notable dip on the Tibetan curve in <strong data-start=\"2993\" data-end=\"3001\">2008<\/strong> corresponds to China\u2019s closure of Everest for the Beijing Olympics, while the flatline from <strong data-start=\"3094\" data-end=\"3110\">2019 to 2023<\/strong> reflects pandemic-era restrictions that eliminated foreign climbers on the North Side.<\/p>\r\n<h3>Everest &#8211; An Insatiable Allure<\/h3>\r\n\r\n<figure id=\"attachment_14878\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14878\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/DSC_3999.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14878 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/DSC_3999-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Everest from Pumori\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/DSC_3999-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/DSC_3999-640x425.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/DSC_3999-500x332.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/DSC_3999.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14878\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse from Pumori<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p data-start=\"272\" data-end=\"787\">As the data above show, the number of Everest summits has climbed steadily since <strong data-start=\"353\" data-end=\"361\">1992<\/strong>, when <strong data-start=\"368\" data-end=\"419\">Rob Hall and Gary Ball of Adventure Consultants<\/strong> guided four paying clients to the top, marking the beginning of large-scale commercialization. While <strong data-start=\"526\" data-end=\"577\">David Breashears\u2019 1985 ascent guiding Dick Bass<\/strong> is often cited as the industry\u2019s starting point, widespread commercial guiding followed quickly, led by pioneers such as <strong data-start=\"699\" data-end=\"714\">Kari Kobler<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"716\" data-end=\"765\">Todd Burleson of Alpine Ascents International<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"771\" data-end=\"786\">K2 Partners<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"789\" data-end=\"1155\">Despite sharp price increases, Everest continues to attract climbers in ever-growing numbers. Over the past decade, <strong data-start=\"905\" data-end=\"953\">Western-guided expeditions on the Nepal side<\/strong> have raised average prices from approximately <strong data-start=\"1000\" data-end=\"1022\">$59,000 to $80,000.<\/strong>\u00a0<strong data-start=\"1030\" data-end=\"1050\">Nepali operators<\/strong> have also increased their prices from <strong>$30,000<\/strong> in 2015 to around <strong data-start=\"1082\" data-end=\"1093\">$45,000 today; <\/strong>however, unlike the foreign operators, they often discount heavily \u2014 in some cases <strong data-start=\"1140\" data-end=\"1153\">up to 25%<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1157\" data-end=\"1668\">On the <strong data-start=\"1164\" data-end=\"1180\">Tibetan side<\/strong>, prices have risen dramatically, with prices now commonly reaching <strong data-start=\"1247\" data-end=\"1258\">$95,000<\/strong>. This surge is driven primarily by Western operators marketing <strong data-start=\"1322\" data-end=\"1363\">\u201crapid,\u201d \u201cflash,\u201d or \u201cspeed\u201d programs<\/strong>, which require substantially higher Sherpa support, logistics, and oxygen loads than traditional schedules. In contrast, <strong data-start=\"1485\" data-end=\"1535\">Chinese and Nepali operators on the North Side<\/strong> continue to offer expeditions for <strong data-start=\"1570\" data-end=\"1587\">under $50,000<\/strong>, appealing to more experienced climbers willing to accept leaner support models.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"1675\" data-end=\"2201\">Interest in climbing Everest rose steadily even after disasters like the <strong data-start=\"1733\" data-end=\"1750\">1996 disaster<\/strong>, when <strong data-start=\"1757\" data-end=\"1777\">15 climbers died<\/strong>, the <strong data-start=\"2027\" data-end=\"2049\">2014 Sherpa strike<\/strong>, which shut down the Nepal side after a deadly ice serac collapse, the <strong data-start=\"2125\" data-end=\"2144\">2015 earthquake<\/strong>, which ended all climbing on both sides of the mountain, and more recently, when <strong data-start=\"2218\" data-end=\"2230\">COVID-19<\/strong> closed Everest to foreign climbers on the <strong data-start=\"2273\" data-end=\"2312\">Tibetan side from 2020 through 2023<\/strong>, and <strong>Nepal closed only in 2020. <\/strong>Yet history shows a consistent pattern: <strong data-start=\"2437\" data-end=\"2540\">each of these \u201cbad years\u201d was followed by a rebound season with near-record or record summit totals<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n<p data-start=\"2543\" data-end=\"2794\">Everest appears immune to deterrence. In fact, tragedy, restriction, and rising costs seem only to amplify its appeal. The mountain exerts a paradoxical pull \u2014 <strong data-start=\"2703\" data-end=\"2756\">bad news doesn\u2019t repel climbers; it draws them in<\/strong>, much like bugs to a bright light.<\/p>\r\n<p>Here&#8217;s to a safe season for everyone on the Big Hill.<\/p>\r\n<p>Climb On!<br \/>\r\nAlan<br \/>\r\nMemories are Everything<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/everest\/everest-2026-coverage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Follow the 2026 Everest Coverage!<\/a><\/h2>\r\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/email-notification\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to subscribe to notifications for new blog posts.<\/a><\/div>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">The Podcast on alanarnette.com<\/h2>\r\n<p>You can listen to #everest2026 <strong>podcasts<\/strong>\u00a0on <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/2uu2RcE9WiFKzSGl50oFKY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spotify<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/the-podcast-on-alanarnette-com\/id1567287947\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breaker.audio\/the-podcast-on-alanarnette-dot-com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Breaker<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/pca.st\/otq8ztfv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pocket Casts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/alan-arnette1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Anchor<\/a>, and more. Just search for &#8220;alan arnette&#8221; on your favorite podcast platform.<\/p>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\">Preparing for Everest is more than Training<\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitcoach.org\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-24764 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/cropped-silverheels_2008_020.jpg\" alt=\"summit coach\" width=\"200\" height=\"79\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 120px;\">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.\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitcoach.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Summit Coach<\/a><\/strong> is a consulting service that helps aspiring climbers worldwide achieve their goals through a personalized approach based on Alan Arnette\u2019s 30 years of high-altitude mountaineering experience and 30 years as a business executive. Please see our prices and services on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitcoach.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Summit Coach website<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Everest Pictures and Video<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14px;\">\u00a9 All content and images owned and copyrighted by Alan Arnette unless noted. Unauthorized use and reproduction are strictly prohibited without specific permission.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-48970 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/everest-and-lhotse-from-pumori\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Everest-and-Lhotse-from-Pumori-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Climbing in the Khumbu Icefall\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24978\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24978'>\n\t\t\t\tEverest (left) and Lhotse (back center) plus Nuptse (right) with Khumbu Ice Fall (lower center) and Western Cwm (middle)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/everest-base-camp-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Everest-Base-Camp-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Everest Base Camp\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24979\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24979'>\n\t\t\t\tEverest Base Camp\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/khumbu-icefall-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Khumbu-Icefall-1-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Khumbu Icefall\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24990\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24990'>\n\t\t\t\tKhumbu Icefall\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/climbers-in-the-khumbu-icefall-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Climbers-in-the-Khumbu-Icefall-1-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Climbers in the Khumbu Icefall\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24989\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24989'>\n\t\t\t\tClimbers in the Khumbu Icefall\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/climbing-in-the-khumbu-icefall\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Climbing-in-the-Khumbu-Icefall-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Climbing in the Khumbu Icefall\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24977\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24977'>\n\t\t\t\tClimbing in the Khumbu Icefall\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/khumbu-icefall-top\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Khumbu-Icefall-top-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Khumbu Icefall top\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24983\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24983'>\n\t\t\t\tKhumbu Icefall top\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/img_1359\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/IMG_1359-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Camp 1\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24981\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24981'>\n\t\t\t\tCamp 1\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/camp-1-in-western-cwm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp-1-in-Western-Cwm-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Camp 1 in Western Cwm\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24972\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24972'>\n\t\t\t\tCamp 1 in Western Cwm\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/camp2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp2-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Camp 2\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24974\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp2-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp2-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp2-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24974'>\n\t\t\t\tCamp 2\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/img_1391-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/IMG_1391-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Camp 2\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24982\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24982'>\n\t\t\t\tCamp 2\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/camp3\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp3-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Camp 3\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24975\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp3-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp3-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24975'>\n\t\t\t\tCamp 3\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/lhotse-face-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Lhotse-Face-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Lhotse Face\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Lhotse-Face-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Lhotse-Face-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Lhotse-Face-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24985'>\n\t\t\t\tLhotse Face\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/camp-3-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp-3-1-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Camp 3\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp-3-1-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp-3-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Camp-3-1-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24988'>\n\t\t\t\tCamp 3\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/south-col\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/South-Col-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"South Col\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/South-Col-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/South-Col-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/South-Col-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24986'>\n\t\t\t\tSouth Col with Pyramid Face that leads to Balcony and the SE Ridge to the South Summit and then the Summit\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/southcol\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/SouthCol-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"SouthCol\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/SouthCol-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/SouthCol-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/SouthCol-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24987'>\n\t\t\t\tSouthCol\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/22\/everest-2012-above-the-death-zone\/lhotseview\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/05\/lhotseview-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Everest Southeast Ridge in 2011 as seen from Lhotse\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-10369\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-10369'>\n\t\t\t\tEverest Southeast Ridge in 2011 as seen from Lhotse\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2010\/11\/13\/taking-photos-of-the-7-summits\/p1010945\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/P1010945-225x169.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Climbing the Hillary Step\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-3529\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-3529'>\n\t\t\t\t2011 Hillary Step by Brad Jackson\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/18\/how-much-does-it-cost-to-climb-mount-everest\/alan-on-the-summit-of-everest-may-21-2011-500am-3\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Everest-Summit-225x169.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Alan on the summit of Everest May 21, 2011 5:00AM\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-24980\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Everest-Summit-225x169.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Everest-Summit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Everest-Summit-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-24980'>\n\t\t\t\tAlan on the summit of Everest May 21, 2011 5:00AM\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GybCbOYizzI\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n<p>A tour of Everest Base Camp by Alan Arnette<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em>Alan Arnette became the oldest American to summit K2 in 2014. He has also made six expeditions to Everest or Lhotse, including<\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em>\u00a0a summit of <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/everest\/everest2011.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Everest<\/a><\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em> in 2011. He climbs to raise money and awareness of <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/alzheimer\/memoriesareeverything.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alzheimer&#8217;s<\/a><\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\"><em> disease.<\/em><\/span><\/p><!-- \/wp:post-content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to my ongoing Everest 2026 coverage! 2026 marks my 23rd year covering all things Everest. If you\u2019re a long-time reader, welcome back. If you\u2019re new here, thanks for joining me.\u00a0Everest by the Numbers: 2026 Edition is an exhaustive review of data and statistics around Everest mountaineering. #everest2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":48926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[7,147,828,81,216],"tags":[432,448,829,439,595],"class_list":["post-48970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climbing-news","category-everest","category-everest-2026-coverage","category-everest-news","category-everest-popular-posts","tag-climbing-news","tag-everest","tag-everest-2026-coverage","tag-everest-news","tag-everest-popular-posts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-03-at-1.50.17-PM.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48970"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48970\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}