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KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — An unstable ice block dangerously hanging over the key trail on Mount Everest, high travel costs, and increased permit fees haven't
deterred hundreds of climbers from attempting to scale the world's highest mountain. Around 464 climbers and an equal number of their Nepali climbing guides are at the base camp gearing up for the ascent to the nearly 8,850-meter (around 29,000-foot) high peak this month during the much-anticipated window of good weather on the mountain.
Climbers began gathering last month at the base camp, which is at an altitude of 5,300 meters (17,340 feet). However, for more than two weeks, a massive and unstable block of ice, or serac, stalled them from moving further up the peak.“Icefall doctors” — the elite guides deployed by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, or SPCC, to lay the yearly climbing route by setting ropes and securing aluminum ladders over crevasses — typically finish this task by mid-April.
But this year, the team opened the Icefall route only on April 29, while also issuing a warning: “The serac has multiple cracks and may collapse at any time. SPCC strongly urges all expedition operators and climbers to exercise extreme caution.”
The new trail established by the team passes below the serac, which is expected to remain a concern.
The serac is part of the Khumbu Icefall, a constantly shifting glacier with deep crevasses and huge overhanging ice that can be as large as 10-story buildings. It is regarded as one of the most difficult and treacherous sections of the climb to the summit.
A falling serac triggered an avalanche over the Khumbu Icefall in 2014, resulting in the deaths of 16 Nepali guides and workers.
Climbers, their guides, and expedition outfitters express both eagerness and caution regarding the current situation on the mountain.
Renowned mountain guide Lukas Furtenbach, who leads 40 international climbers, 11 guides, and 90 Sherpas on Mount Everest, voiced his concerns.
“Anyone who says they’re not concerned is either inexperienced or not paying attention,” Furtenbach stated from the base camp. “The serac is a real, objective hazard.”
He added that the route is more complex and exposed than last year in one section.
“The Icefall is constantly changing, but right now it’s not just more broken — it’s also forced into a line that passes under unstable features,” he explained.
This year, the team is taking precautions by reducing loads, minimizing exposure time, carefully timing movements through the Icefall, and relying on highly experienced Sherpas and guides for risk assessment.
Other expedition operators are also advising their members about the risks and closely monitoring conditions.
“If you go in the morning, it might be safer because the ice is frozen, but in the afternoon it becomes dangerous as the weather warms, increasing the risk of ice melting and falling,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa of the Kathmandu-based Asian Trekking. “It is very necessary to be cautious this year.”
There is growing concern regarding the rapid melting of glaciers due to global warming and climate change. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited a mountain in Nepal in 2023 and warned of the severe levels of melting glaciers in the Himalayan region.
Ang Tshering Sherpa noted that a significant number of climbers are on Mount Everest this season, despite the war in Iran and increased travel costs. While the number of climbers from Western countries such as the U.S. and Europe has declined, there has been an increase in climbers from Asia.
Mount Everest, which straddles the Nepal-China border, can be climbed from both sides. However, China has closed its route this year, leaving all climbers to attempt the ascent from Nepal on the south side of the peak.
Since the first successful ascent on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay, thousands have climbed the peak.
