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I summited Everest on May 21, 2011 and have climbed it three other times (all from Nepal) – 2002, 2003 and 2008, each time reaching just below the Balcony around 27,500′ (8,400 meters) before health, weather, or my own judgment caused me to turn back. I attempted Lhotse twice – 2015 and 2016. When not climbing, I cover the Everest season from my home in Colorado as I did for the 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, a virtual 2020 season, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and soon the 2027 season.
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About Mt. Everest
Mt. Everest is the most famous mountain in the world. Drawing climbers for over a century, it is known by the traditional Tibetan name Chomolungma and the political name, Sagarmatha in Nepal. The name “Everest” was bestowed by the United Kingdom’s Royal Geographic Society in 1865 based on the recommendation of Major General Sir Andrew Waugh, Surveyor General of India. Sir George Everest was Waugh’s predecessor in the post of Surveyor-General of the Great Trigonometric Survey from 1802 to 1852. See this post for more on the name.
The first summit of Mt. Everest was by Tibetan/Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary with a British expedition in 1953. They took the South Col route, which is used by the majority of modern expeditions. At that time, the route had only been attempted twice by Swiss teams in the spring and autumn of 1952. They reached 27,887 feet / 8,500 m well above the South Col. Of note, Norgay was with the Swiss, thus giving him the experience he used on the British expedition. The Swiss returned in 1956 to make the second summit of Everest.
The north side was first attempted by a British team in 1922. They reached 27,300′ / 8,321 m before turning back. The 1924 British expedition with George Mallory and Andrew Irvine was notable for the mystery of whether they summited or not. Mallory’s body was found in 1999 and Irvine’s foot inside his boot on the Tibet side low on the Central Rongbuk Glacier in September 2024, but neither discovery shed any light on the summit question.
It was a Chinese team that made the first summit from Tibet on May 25, 1960 by Nawang Gombu (Tibetan) and Chinese Chu Yin-Hau and Wang Fu-zhou, who is said to have climbed the Second Step in his sock feet.
Today, hundreds of climbers from around the world try to stand on top of the world each year.
Explore Mount Everest
Pictures from the climbs are organized in six albums by the trek in, base camp, Khumbu Icefall, Lhotse Face, South Col and Above, plus a Best of Everest album.
My Climbs
Khumbu Trek | Everest 2002 | Everest 2003 | Everest 2008 | Everest 2011 Summit
Season Coverage
2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2009 | 2010 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 (virtual) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026
Extras & Maps
Everest for Kids | South Col Route Map | North Ridge Route Map | Communications | Everest Base Camp | Guides
FAQs
Everest Season by Season Since 2002
My own climbs and coverage of every spring season since 2002.
In 2002 I attempted Everest using the Southeast Ridge route. This was my most difficult climb thus far due to the length of the trip, logistics and health. I reached 27,200′ (8,250m), a personal record, before turning back just below the Balcony due to a lung infection. It was a fabulous trip that I never anticipated making when I started climbing seven years earlier.
There were 155 summits in 2002 with 2 deaths.
I returned to Everest in 2003, to attempt the South side again. While it was incredible to be back only ten months after my 2002 climb, it was a big disappointment with altitude sickness and weather problems. I knew about halfway through I would not summit so I reset my goal to go as high as I could – safely – and reached 27,200′ (8,250m), the exact same spot as 2002.
There were 267 summits in 2003 with 4 deaths.
Over 337 climbers reached the summit on all routes, 99 on May 16 and 17 alone! 169 summiteers were clients, 169 guides and Sherpas. There were 7 deaths. By far, Sherpas have summited Everest more than any other category of climber. The most sought out Sherpas have summited 5 or more times and know the routes, conditions and how to deal with Westerners.
Quite a season! The summits on May 21 were the latest first summit day in 45 years of climbing Mt. Everest. Norgay and Hillary did it on May 29, the earliest was April 4 in 1984. But it was still a good year for summits with 307 climbers standing on the top of the world. Sadly there were 6 deaths.
The season started quickly with teams arriving early and getting their acclimatization trips in by early May. They were assuming a “normal” season with first summits around May 15. But the Jet just sat there. It didn’t move and when it did, it came back so quickly that the 3-day window never materialized. So the climbers sat in base camps. Some went down valley to enjoy the rich air and sleep on real beds, some went on sightseeing trips to nearby monasteries and others just sat there. But they entertained themselves with chess games, concerts, hockey games and swap meets. These climbers are creative if nothing else!
The season started with controversy as the political unrest in Kathmandu delayed many expeditions and created uncertainty that gear and climbers would arrive on time. However it all got sorted as seasoned leaders guided their teams through the bureaucracy, small arms fire and chaos that comes with a country in turmoil.
But by early April base camp on both sides were established and teams got settled in. However there was a huge surprise for this season! The weather was spectacular and teams on the north took advantage of it by aggressively fixing the ropes to the summit (and beyond!).
It was a record year for summits with 479 reaching the top from both sides but there were also 11 deaths, the most since 1996.
The season started early – late March – with the arrival of the huge IMG team closely followed by the Xtreme Everest Medical expedition into Nepal. Over on the north it seemed that Hollywood had moved to Tibet for April and May.
Dispatch after dispatch spoke of their “film crew” and some climbers were worried about their bad hair days. But one climber stood out – David Tait. The British climber was on a mission to raise money for his charity by attempting the never before accomplished double traverse. He began posting his thoughts, fears and observations in a rarely seen candid manner.
It was another record year for summits with 632 reaching the top from both sides but there were also 7 deaths.
I returned to Everest in 2008, to attempt the South side again as part of The Road Back to Mt. Everest. I had trained hard with four previous high altitude climbs in the prior 8 months. I felt great the majority of the climb but felt it was too dangerous for me to continue and turned back at the Balcony or 27,500′ (8,300m) which was 1,535′ short of the highest point on earth. This was my highest altitude ever reached.
I have written an extensive document on the experiences during this climb as impacted by the Chinese Olympic torch summit and closure of the north and heavy restrictions on the south side. It is a PDF document named Everest 2008: Mountain of Politics.
426 people summited in 2008 with only 1 death.
Overall this was one of the safest seasons in the past few years in spite of some difficult weather that created a long delay in early May. There were over 400 summits and sadly 5 deaths on Everest and one on Lhotse.
Similar to 2008, the Chinese Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) changed the rules and gave vague guidance to teams during the critical planning period resulting in almost all of the major north side operators making the switch to Nepal. That fueled speculation of overcrowding, bottlenecks and record summits and record deaths. And in the end it was just speculation.
462 summits and 5 deaths.
By recent standards, Everest 2010 was a safe and successful year. There were about 537 summits (347 from the south) with 3 reported deaths, all on the north, and several injuries and rescues. The total Everest summits broke the 5,000 level since 1953.
This year’s story line for climbers and their families was the weather, however it was all Jordan Romero and Apa Sherpa for the rest of the world.
For the first time in several years, the north operated in an almost normal manner. Teams dealt with a few border restrictions early but arrived at base camp and immediately began their acclimatization rotations.
On the South, the ropes were in early and the weather seemed drastically different from the North, at least in April.
I summited Everest on May 21, 2011 from the Nepal side with International Mountain Guides and Kami Sherpa. This was part of The 7 Summits Climb for Alzheimer’s: Memories are Everything® campaign.
It was very humbling standing on the summit after all my attempts but more gratifying was the reaction to my Alzheimer’s awareness and fund raising efforts. Thank you everyone who participated.
I approached this climb quite differently from previous attempts including preparation, training, guide service and more.
The Himalayan Database states there were 537 combined summits from both sides, 58% summit to climbers at base camp. 375 summited from Nepal and 162 from Tibet. 4 deaths. Read the live updates from Everest 2011.
Perhaps the most dramatic year since 1996. A lack of snow combined with high winds created dangerous rock fall on the Lhotse Face causing many injuries primarily to Sherpas before the route was moved to a safer passage to Camp 3.
However, these dangers plus the deaths of three Sherpas early in April from multiple causes, caused the Sherpas from Himex to lose confidence. Russell Brice, arguably the most famous of the Everest commercial operators, cancelled his entire Himalayan spring season (Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse) taking over 100 people off the mountain. It was an unprecedented decision.
The other teams continued fighting difficult weather on both sides of Everest and with only four days of suitable weather for summit pushes endured the famous crowds at the normal bottlenecks of the Second Step and the Hillary Step. Totally unrelated to the crowds, weather or rock fall, 6 more climbers died primarily from poor decision making or altitude related illnesses generating sensational headlines around the world and calls for regulation on Everest.
There were 558 summits in the Spring of 2012, 441 on the south and 147 on the north. 10 confirmed deaths.
Everest 2013 was a good year for most climbers but a difficult one for the professionals. Overall it could be termed a normal year with little drama with one large exception.
There were 670 summits in the Spring of 2013, 541 on the south and 124 on the north. 8 confirmed deaths.
For many climbers, they accomplished a lifelong dream and returned safely home to a family who have started to breathe again. With an unparalleled lifetime experience, for some their lives were changed forever.
The Everest 2014 season was full of tragedy with 19 deaths, shameful exploitation and thin coverage of the real story by the general media. In my season summary, I look at what happened, the reasons for effectively closing Everest from Nepal, the roles played by all parties and some ideas on a credible path forward.
The summary is not a sound bite, it is long, complicated and will take time to digest. Just like anything with Everest it will evoke emotions and reactions. My hope is for badly needed changes on Everest. A mountain I value and whose climbers I admire – past, present and future.
There were 124 summits from the North and 4 from the South which were disputed as the climbers took helicopters to and from Camp 2. There were 17 deaths from an avalanche off the West Shoulder of Everest onto the Khumbu Icefall.
Another tragic season but this time due to an earthquake, not climbing events. 19 people were killed at Everest Base Camp then the Chinese closed the North fearing aftershocks. Nepal continued to promote climbing but no team wanted to risk going back through the Icefall.
For the first time since 1974, there were no Spring summits on Everest from any route, any camp by any means.
Everest 2016 was a success by many measures. Climbers achieved lifelong dreams and a country got a break. It was a “normal” season with 648 summits in the Spring of 2016, 446 on the south and 202 on the north. 5 confirmed deaths plus one on Lhotse.
However in stark contrast to the previous four years on Everest, 2016 lacked large scale tragedy or extreme drama.
This is one of the more difficult seasons I have covered to sum up in one word so let me use several: wind, tragedy, misinformation, spin and summits.
Overall it was a good year, a normal year with many summits on both sides plus the average death toll. I think we saw how the pressure to be first with news can backfire with incorrect stories but we also saw the power of dreams.
Similar to 2016, there were no natural disasters or issues with people getting along, other than a few individuals acting very irresponsibly and selfishly.
While weather forecasting proved to be challenging across the entire two month season, it was not an inhibitor to teams reaching the summit.
Finally the fear of overcrowding, dangers of the Khumbu Icefall or China closing Everest forever, proved unfounded.
Bottom line – it was a good year on Everest and for both Nepal and China, and for hundreds who quenched a long thirst to stand on the summit of Mt. Everest.
In 2017 there were 648 summits, 237 from Tibet and 411 from Nepal and 11 didn’t use supplemental oxygen. There were 6 deaths, 3 didn’t use Os and only 1 died on the descent.
Early in May, there was talk of early summits but then the jet stream moved on top of Everest and stopped all activity for a week. When a large high-pressure system parked on the summit, the door was opened and stayed that way for 11 straight days.
The first summits were on May 14 by the rope fixing team on the Nepal side followed the next day by 70-year-old Chinese double-amputee Xia Boya with his Sherpa guides. Every day thereafter had summits from both sides. Overall it was about as good of a season as could be expected on the world’s highest peak.
The temperatures were a bit warmer than usual and the winds were calmer in spite of the occasional “difficult” summit day. With the long weather window, teams spread out thus reducing the usual crowding we’ve seen before. In 2012 there were less than five suitable summit days forcing hundreds to attempt the peak on the same day.
2018 was a record year for Everest summits. The previous record year was 2013 with 670 total summits by all routes. The Himalayan Database has updates for 2018. There were 802 summits and only 1 who did not use supplemental oxygen and 68 females. The Nepal side saw a total of 562 summits made up of 266 foreigners (aka members) and 296 High Altitude Workers (aka Sherpas). For the members who got above base camp, 76% went on to summit. On the Tibet (aka Chinese) side there were 110 summits for workers and 130 by foreigners for a total of 240 summits. 66% of the members above base camp summited. There were a total of 5 deaths in spring 2018, 4 on the Nepal side and 1 on the Tibet side. 1 was climbing without supplemental oxygen and was on the south side.
There were approximately 877 summits on Everest in the Spring of 2019 plus 11 deaths. All-time number of people who summited Everest is now 10,155, including multiple summits in one season by one person, and 306 for total deaths. Still, Everest is one of the safest 8000ers.
2019 was all about the weather. The notorious jet stream was “wobbly” in the words of Chris Tomer of Tomer Weather Solutions. It colluded with Cyclone Fani to delay the ropes reaching the summit.
On the Nepal side, the ropes finally made the top due to some incredible efforts by a team of Sherpas. Beginning on May 22, hundreds summited early each morning for several days and once again death was in the air. On May 23, a shocking photo of a line of climbers on the Hillary Step went viral showing everything bad about Everest. The root cause of the lines were slow climbers with guides who failed to properly manage their clients.
How 2019 unfolded was predictable. In 2018, Everest hosted a record 802 people on her summit from both sides. The death toll was five, about the same each year for the past 10 or so. They died from what people usually die from on 8000-meter mountains: altitude sickness, exhaustion, health issues, and the occasional fall. All tragic, but all somewhat expected. But in 2019 with 11 deaths, over half were what I term “avoidable.”
I’ve been writing about two major trends that have been rising and reached a crescendo in 2019: inexperienced climbers and unqualified guides. These two factors along with a “wobbly” jet stream and record 381 foreigner permits issued by Nepal conspired to create a deadly combination of independent factors during the peak of a truncated weather window in late May.
Six months after the spring season, the biggest question is what, if anything, will Nepal do about the crowds, the experience of the climbers and the qualifications of the guides. While there are solutions I’m not optimistic anything will change. For more details, please see my complete summary.
Both China and Nepal closed Everest due to the COVID-19 virus in 2020. However, China allowed a national team and a survey team to climb to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first Northside summit by a Chinese/Tibetan team.
There were 51 summits this spring, all Northside: 8 Tibetan rope fixers, 8 Chinese survey team and 14 Chinese nationals supported by 21 Tibetans. Congrats to all. These were the latest summits in decades due to deep snow. New altitude measurement expected in a few months.
I did a “Virtual” season coverage where I created a fictional team of climbers. All but one summited 🙂 Also, we raised money through eight guide companies around the world on behalf of the Climbing Sherpas who lost significant income by not working this spring.
The spring 2021 season on Everest was perhaps the most complicated in history. With COVID out of control in India and then Nepal, it didn’t take long for it to reach Everest Base Camp, in spite of the government’s adamant denials and cover ups. Also participating in this scandal were some guides who feared punishment for spreading “bad news”, a tarnished reputation for not taking care, or simple greed to ensure future business – we’ll never know.
China closed Tibet to all foreigners but allowed one national team to climb, but they cancelled a few weeks in citing fear of getting COVID from the Nepal side climbers on the summit – laughable.
The Nepal government issued a record 408 permits to foreigners but only an estimated 195 members summited, 47%, compared to 76% in 2019. An estimated 150 people were evacuated from Everest Base Camp with COVID symptoms. An astounding 339 Sherpas summited, continuing the trend of Sherpas dwarfing foreigners for Everest summits. Two members and three Sherpas died this spring, on the low end of the usual death count on Everest. We need to wait for the Himalayan Database to tally the final numbers.
I expect 2022 to be a record year on Everest with price increases across the board. There was little learned from the 2021 season.
2022 brought even more stable weather windows than during the great Everest 2018. During May, a stalled high-pressure system made for horrendous temperatures in Northern India while paradoxically creating nearly ideal climbing conditions across much, but not all, of the Himalayas.
In 2022 there were 683 summits, including only 12 from Tibet as it was closed but 671 from Nepal and all but 5 used supplemental oxygen. Unlike previous seasons, this spring saw more experienced climbers resulting in fewer deaths, rescues, and an overall low-drama environment. Despite this good news, there were periods of brutal weather and climbing conditions, and yes, there were rescues, close calls, and, sadly, 3 deaths.
This season, we saw the continued trend of a very high member-to-support ratio. A milestone was reached with more Sherpas summiting than foreigners in total since Everest climbing began in the 1920s. All in all, it was a year like we saw a decade ago. But, unfortunately, it was not without deaths, three deaths on Everest and three more on the other 8000ers.
In the good news department, for the first time in many years, the Nepal Ministry of Tourism seemed content to stay out of the way and the headlines. But, this spring, significant changes appeared in the world of mountaineering. These changes will disrupt decades of climbing norms on the 8000-meter peaks.
The 2023 Everest spring season ended with some records to take pride in and others to be avoided. If there were one word to summarize the season, it would be chaotic or perhaps deadly. This spring was the deadliest season in history on Everest. It was also brutally cold.
There were around 665 summits on the Nepal side and 12 from Tibet which was still closed to foreigners. There were a record 18 deaths – 5 Sherpas and 12 clients. In my estimation, five were preventable.
Nepal issued a record 478 climbing permits to foreigners. Add in one and a half Sherpas supporting each foreigner; over 1,200 people pursued the summit this spring. Fears were rampant of a 2019 repeat with long lines and deaths. The lines never developed, thanks in part to colder weather that sent a higher number of climbers home in mid-season, many with a persistent virus. However, the deaths developed, but not because of the record permits or climate change. These are red herrings to abdicate responsibility.
About 667 reached the summit, about 50% of the total permits with support. Once again, more Sherpas, 378, summited than clients, 277, according to the Himalayan Database.
What stole the headlines were the seemingly daily reports of rescues, frostbite, missing climbers, and deaths. The root cause of the chaos is still elusive. Some blame the record permit numbers, inexperienced clients, and low-cost operators. However, Nepal government officials cite climate change.
Everest 2024 might be remembered for summits, politics, deaths, ignored rules, near misses and disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct. It’s difficult to put all this in a headline, but I believe the Everest guiding industry is at a Rubicon – a point of no return.
Not to be lost in this mix is the joy and satisfaction felt by hundreds of summiteers. They worked and trained diligently to celebrate standing on the top of the world for only a few minutes. It’s funny how you can work so long for a goal, and the moment is over in a blink, but the memory lasts a lifetime — well done to all who summited, to those who showed up.
Once again, the Sherpas proved they dominated the mountain with impressive altitude performance. The Himalayan Database shows that between 1950 and 2024, 6,593 Sherpas have summited Everest compared to 6,285 members, and that gap is growing each year. However, more foreigners have died than Sherpas, 203 compared to 129.
We may have heard the last chirps from Everest’s “canary in the coal mine.” Between the difficulty of getting the fixed ropes through the Icefall and the collapse of a cornice at the Hillary Step, climbing the reliable Southeast Ridge route could be at risk. The cause is most probably a warming environment.
Nepal’s winter was warmer and drier than any in the earlier decade. Temperatures climbed higher than the winter average, while precipitation was lower than average. Mountains, notably the Himalayas, are geologically unstable. These warm, dry conditions may have affected the Khumbu Icefall, creating challenges for the Icefall Doctors.
As for summits, the Himalayan Database reported in December 2024, based on numbers reported by the Nepal government that from the Nepal side, 319 clients, supported by 468 Sherpas, summited, totaling 787 summits. This level of support came in at a 1:1.5 client-to-support ratio. Nepal issued 421 foreign permits, which makes for a 75% success rate compared to 58% for members in Nepal from 2000 to 2023, per the Himalayan Database. On the Tibet side, there were 74 summits.
All eight of the 2024 deaths were clients with Nepali operators. In 2023, fifteen of the eighteen deaths were with Nepal operators. In just two years, twenty-three people who have died were associated with Nepali mountain guide companies, 88% of the total for the two years, disproportionately higher than their market share.
The trend of large teams receiving substantial support from Sherpas continues unabated. Seven Summits Treks reported a record 103 clients, while 8K claimed 50 clients.
The overall summit count for both sides of Everest in 2025 was around 851, including support climbers such as Sherpas, Tibetans, and Guides, according to the Himalayan Database update in December 2025.
The summiteers included 731 from Nepal and 120 from Tibet, representing the third busiest season on record after the 877 summits achieved in 2019. Countries with the most summiteers included India, 61, the United States at 60 and China with 7.
On the Nepal side, 303 members were supported by 428 Sherpas, a strong 1.4:1 Sherpa to member ratio, reflecting the support required from increasingly inexperienced clients. The Tibet route saw smaller, steadier teams: 68 members and 52 Sherpas, or a support ratio of roughly 0.76:1, consistent with its more experienced approach.
Across both routes, 766 men (56% success) and 85 women (76% success) reached the top, extending a positive trend in women’s participation and completion rates. All but four summiteers used supplemental oxygen.
The 49% client summit rate (303 out of 428) represents a lower-than-average rate compared to recent years, primarily due to challenging and windy weather conditions. Conversely, the Tibetan side experienced smaller teams, some who were patient and waited for good conditions and avoided frostbite that others experienced. There were around 120 summits, with approximately an 86% summit rate.
Tragically, five fatalities occurred on the Nepalese side, down from the eight deaths in 2024 and eighteen in 2023, which constituted a record season for fatalities. This year’s total is lower than the historical average of seven fatalities per year since 2010. Notably, no deaths were reported from Tibet.
Once again, the Sherpas have demonstrated their dominance on the mountain. The Himalayan Database indicates that between 1953 and 2025, 7,081 Sherpas have successfully summited Everest, compared to 6,656 members from other groups, and this gap continues to widen annually. However, it is essential to note that more non-Sherpa climbers have perished on the mountain, with a total of 208 fatalities compared to 131 Sherpas.
The Nepali government confirmed a permit fee increase to $15,000 per foreign climber effective September 1, 2025, up from the longtime $11,000 rate. Combined with insurance, logistics, and agency fees, this raised the average expedition costs by $5,000 to $7,000 per person, bringing a Sherpa-led expedition on the Nepal side to a median price close to $60,000, and for a Western-led climb, now $100,000 or more. While China has not increased its permit fees, operators normalized prices for parity on both sides, thus increasing their profit margins.
The season began with confusion, as Nepal’s proposed new tourism Bill 2081 contained many new mountaineering regulations. One in particular created the fuss: the requirement to climb a 7000-meter peak in Nepal to qualify for an Everest permit. To be clear, the laws have only passed one chamber of Nepal’s Federal Parliament and still need to pass the lower chamber and be signed by the President before taking effect.
However, this didn’t stop guide companies from emphasizing the proposal in their marketing, which may have encouraged some climbers to accelerate their plans to avoid it. There’s no way to know, but it might certainly have brought people to the mountain who lacked the necessary experience.
Let’s walk through how the Everest 2026 spring season unfolded.
With only a couple of weeks’ notice, China closed its side of Tibet for unknown reasons. One unverified rumor said it was due to a fireworks display. I learned from a Chinese climber that 28 Chinese nationals were supported by 60 Chinese/Tibetan climbers. 25 of the 28 summitted with an unknown number of support climbers.
All the action occurred on Nepal’s South Col route this year. No new routes were attempted. As usual, there were reports of frostbite and helicopter evacuations, but many of these incidents never went public, whether due to operator discretion, privacy concerns, or public relations considerations. However, as noted, the season was overall successful, with record numbers of permits (495) and summits (1,008), including 274 on a single day, and low death rates. We need to wait to verify this until we receive the final data from the Himalayan Database. Last year, 2025, 731 summits were on the Nepal side, and 120 were on the Tibetan side.
Mt. Everest was first summited by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary with a British expedition in 1953. They took the South Col route, which is described on this page. At that time, the route had only been attempted twice by Swiss teams in the spring and autumn of 1952. They reached 8,500 m well above the South Col. Of note, Norgay was with the Swiss, thus giving him the experience he used on the British expedition. The Swiss returned in 1956 to make the second summit of Everest.
Today, hundreds of climbers from around the world use this route to try to stand on top of the world. It is considered slightly more dangerous than the North Ridge Route due primarily to the instability of the Khumbu Icefall. However, some consider it slightly easier than the north due to the absence of the ladders and rock climbing on the steep steps of the North Ridge route. Nepal was closed to foreigners until 1950.
Note that in modern times, post-2020, the use of hypoxic tents for “pre-acclimatization” at home, high rates of supplemental oxygen, and support ratios for clients have reduced the length of expeditions from two months to as little as two weeks, with the average expedition length on either side in Spring around 37 days.
The north side of Everest is steeped in history with multiple attempts throughout the 1920s and 1930s. The first attempt was by a British team in 1921. Mallory led a small team to be the first humans to set foot on the mountain’s flanks by climbing up to the North Col at 7,020 m/23,031 feet. The second expedition, that of 1922, reached 8,321 m/27,300 feet before turning back, and was the first team to use supplemental oxygen. It was also on this expedition that the first deaths were reported when an avalanche killed seven Sherpas.
The 1924 British expedition with George Mallory and Andrew “Sandy” Irvine is most notable for the mystery of whether they summited or not. If they did summit, that would precede Tenzing and Hillary by 29 years. Mallory’s body was found in 1999 and Irvine’s foot inside his boot on the Tibet side low on the Central Rongbuk Glacier in September 2024, but neither discovery shed any light on the summit question.
It was a Chinese team who made the first summit from Tibet on May 25, 1960. Nawang Gombu (Tibetan) and Chinese Chu Yin-Hau and Wang Fu-zhou, who is said to have climbed the Second Step in his sock feet, claimed the honor. However, without a summit photo, many doubted the summit claim. In 1975, a successful summit was claimed by the Chinese when the ladder on the Second Step was installed.
Tibet was closed to foreigners from 1950 to 1980 preventing any further attempts until a Japanese team summited in 1980 via the Hornbein Couloir on the North Face.
Note that in modern times, post-2020, the use of hypoxic tents for “pre-acclimatization” at home, high rates of supplemental oxygen, and support ratios for clients have reduced the length of expeditions from two months to as little as two weeks, with the average expedition length on either side in Spring around 37 days.
Everest Resources
Based on my own experiences, I worked on these skills before attempting Everest:
- Gained climbing experience to be as self-sufficient as possible. All the climbing techniques and skills should be in your muscle memory and not a conscious thought.
- Preparing my body to be in “Everest Shape,” which is beyond “the best shape of your life.”
- Building mental toughness to push yourself while being willing to turn back for safety.
CLIMBING SKILLS – knots and roped team travel – crampon skills – ice axe skills including self-arrest in all types of positions – crevasse rescue techniques.
CAMPING SKILLS – extreme cold weather clothing techniques – packing what you need; not what you want.
PHYSICAL TRAINING – stamina, cardio, strength, breathing techniques – understanding how your body performs at altitude, preferably at 8000m before going to Everest.
MENTAL TRAINING – getting along in close quarters with strangers for 2 months, teamwork.
These pages are based on my own experiences:
Preparing for a Climb is More Than Training
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