{"id":49545,"date":"2026-05-31T17:35:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T23:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=49545"},"modified":"2026-05-31T17:43:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T23:43:37","slug":"everest-2026-may-31-weekend-update-record-season-over-1-more-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/31\/everest-2026-may-31-weekend-update-record-season-over-1-more-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Everest 2026: May 31 Weekend Update – Record Season Over & 1 More Death?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 2026 Everest spring season has come to a close, marked by delays, strong winds, changing drone and helicopter rules, and challenging climbing \u2013 yet despite the dramatic mainstream press headlines, it was actually a fairly normal season. As usual, \u00a0there were reports of frostbite and helicopter evacuations, but many of these incidents went unreported to avoid negative publicity. There are reports today that a Sherpa “was left to die at C3.” Oh, and record permits and record summits, including 274 on one day! I’ll post my season summary and wrap-up in a few days.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Big Picture<\/h2>\r\n

This past week has had an “auspicious” day: the 73rd anniversary of Tenzing and Hillary’s Everest summit in 1953, along with Nepal’s annual Everest Day on May 29th, which included a few notable achievements and what I consider a mistake in client management.<\/p>\r\n

First, The Tourism Times<\/a> is reporting today, May 31, 2026, that “Dawa Sherpa \u2013 from Okhaldhunga – went missing on the evening of May 29, when his Polish client abandoned his summit bid after suffering from frostbite on the South Col. According to information from base camp, Dawa and the Polish climber decided to descend immediately. The Polish climber was ahead of Dawa and was following other climbers towards Camp II. Dawa was left alone near Camp III while other climbers descended to Camp II.” They were climbing with the Nepali guide company, Himalayan Traverse.<\/p>\r\n

The big news was that Tyler Andrews set a speed record. There were two climbers attempting Fastest Known Time, FKT, records: Ecuadorian Karl Egloff, 44, and American Tyler Andrews, 35. Both intended to run without using supplemental oxygen.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Last year, both record-seeking Everest runners turned back, primarily due to the windy conditions. Ecuadorian Karl Egloff, 44, stopped near Camp 3, while Tyler Andrews, 35, reached Camp 4 before stopping. They both returned in 2026 with mixed results. Karl’s goal was to climb without oxygen from Base Camp to the summit and back down. At the same time, Tyler took a trial run with oxygen, which raised questions about whether his second attempt was valid. The Himalayan Database ruled it was, even though they said Ryan Mitchell’s use of Os to treat his HAPE invalidated his no-Os attempt, which became a moot point since he left … however …<\/p>\r\n

Tyler went on to break the record set by Lakpa Gelu Sherpa, who had set 10 hours and 56 minutes in 2003, shaving\u00a0an hour and one minute off the mark. Andrews said he made the climb in 9 hours and 55 minutes, reaching the summit at about 5 a.m. Nepal time. He wanted to go sans Os, but with the blustery conditions, he did the smart move and used supplemental oxygen.<\/p>\r\n

Swiss-Ecuadorian Karl Egloff, 45, aimed to ascend and descend without Os but turned back at an altitude of 7903 meters\u00a0after 13:41 when his climbing partner, Nicolas Miranda, developed health problems.<\/p>\r\n