{"id":49284,"date":"2026-05-03T14:03:47","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T20:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=49284"},"modified":"2026-05-03T14:17:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T20:17:08","slug":"everest-2026-may-3-weekend-update-climbing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/03\/everest-2026-may-3-weekend-update-climbing\/","title":{"rendered":"Everest 2026: May 3 Weekend Update – Climbing!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The route is in to Camp 2, thus allowing Sherpa rope fixers to begin fixing it to the summit, starting with Camp 3. Sherpas have established Camp 2, also known as Advanced Base Camp, with tents and other supplies. They will begin stocking it with an oxygen bottle soon. Teams have started their acclimatization rotations to Camps 1 and 2. The ropes are expected to reach the summit around May 14th<\/sup>. Everest permits are nearing 2024’s record of 479, generating nearly $7 million in permit revenue alone.<\/p>\n

Big Picture<\/h2>\n

Teams are beginning to move into the Icefall, while Sherpas are establishing high camps, and the rope fixers are making progress up the Lhotse Face.<\/p>\n

Adventure Consultants<\/a> poked their nose halfway up the ‘fall:<\/p>\n

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This morning, we left camp at 4 am and had our introduction to the icefall. Call it a dress rehearsal, getting ready in the dark, trying to eat breakfast in the middle of the night. Setting foot into the labyrinth of ice pinnacles, joining the fixed lines, skirting the edge of the rock outcrop, scoured smooth by the glacier over time, when the ice was deeper. We climbed about a quarter of the way up the icefall, happy with our efforts and turned and descended the ropes with much less effort than on the ascent. Tomorrow we will rest and prepare for the approaching rotation on the mountain.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Risks<\/h2>\n

Sherpas are taking 5-6 hours to reach Camp 1. The route is said to be in good condition and easier than last year, with one crevasse requiring five ladders to cross.<\/p>\n

The SPCC, which manages the Icefall Doctors, put out this warning:<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Icefall Doctors explored an alternative path through the center of the section, but no safer option could be found. Given the circumstances<\/p>\n

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The past few weeks have been one of the most challenging periods for our SPCC Icefall Doctors \u2014 traversing the Khumbu Icefall day after day to find a safe route for the 2026 spring climbing season. On 28 April, our Icefall Doctors, with support from mountain guides across various expedition operators, successfully opened the route through the Khumbu Icefall. As communicated in our notice to all expedition operators at Base Camp on 28 April 2026, the route beyond the rockfall point (Section 4) carries significant risk due to a large serac. A<\/strong>ll climbers and guides must exercise extreme caution in this section. A BIG shoutout to our Icefall Doctors, who pushed through an extraordinarily difficult season and gave everything to make this route possible. Thank you to all mountain guides and expedition operators for your support during this time.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\"SPCC<\/a>
SPCC 2026 Serac Warning<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/blockquote>\n

I’ve received a lot of questions about why not to blow up the serac in question, like ski resorts do to trigger avalanches to make ski slopes safer. Well, several reasons not to blow up Mt. Everest:<\/p>\n

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  1. It\u2019s in a Nepalese national park, so it would be similar to blowing up part of Half Dome in Yosemite\u2014it\u2019s not a ski resort.<\/li>\n
  2. The size of these seracs is like houses or buildings\u2014huge. So very different than causing a man-made avalanche.<\/li>\n
  3. Probably wouldn\u2019t work, and if it did, the debris field would be massive, probably creating more problems.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    But I get the notion, like the suggestion to fly a drone into it. All interesting ideas, but I think, let nature take its course and climbers take their risks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    Crevasse Danger<\/h3>\n

    As if rockfall and seracs are not enough danger, Summit Climb reports a Sherpa fell into a crevasse near Camp 1. He was not clipped or roped to another person:<\/p>\n

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    Today, the Sherpas were working in a somewhat foggy\/snowy Camp 1 when one of them fell into an unmarked crevasse. There was no fixed rope yet on this new section of trail, so the Sherpa was unroped and could have fallen a long way, but luckily, his rucksack lodged in the crevasse and kept him from falling too far. With quick thinking, our Sherpas threw the downed Sherpa another rope with a loop in it, which he could clip to his harness, and then they rapidly hauled him out relatively unscathed. Lesson: take nothing for granted and constantly use probe poles to check the path, especially in new sections<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Alternative Acclimatization Methods<\/h2>\n

    With the delay in the Icefall and the increased risk, many Western guides are having their clients acclimatize on high trekking peaks by sleeping at their high camps or even on the summits, if it becomes the new normal, thus requiring only one fast trip through the Icefall. The first trip can take the average Everest climber six to ten hours. Once acclimatized to Camp 2 or 3 level, the time is cut by anywhere from 25% to 50%. possible. Let’s look at “replacement” pekas for the same elevation benefits:<\/p>\n