A huge, unstable block of ice is blocking the route to Mount Everest from the Nepalese side, threatening the start of the climbing season on the world’s highest peak.
The 30-meter block is located near Camp 1 on the way to the summit. “This is not something you can fix or move. We can only wait and assess the situation,” the Kathmandu Post quoted Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism as saying.
For two weeks, “ice doctors” – teams that install ropes and ladders along the most dangerous section of the route – have been unable to find a way around the huge chunk of ice.
It could collapse without warning and unleash an avalanche.
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The hope is that the ice will melt on its own. This could happen within days. However, preparations for the spring season on Everest are lagging behind, namely April and May, which are the most favorable times to climb the highest peak on the planet.
Usually at this time in April, the route is already secured to Camp 3, but now the teams are blocked a few hundred meters below Camp 1.
This calls into question the season, which is expected to be close to records.
So far, Nepalese authorities have issued permits to climb Everest to 410 people, which is close to the record of 479 permits in 2023.
If the route through the famous Khumbu Icefall, where the problematic block of ice is located, remains blocked for too long, climbers may be forced to fit their attempts to attack the summit into a shorter period of time. This, in turn, will lead to traffic jams at extreme altitudes and additional risks.
The Khumbu Icefall is located about a kilometer above Base Camp at an altitude of 5,300 meters. It is a huge maze of ice blocks with deep cracks, which is constantly changing. Even under normal conditions, it is considered the most dangerous part of the route to Everest from the Nepalese side.
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Due to the situation, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Tourism with experts and expedition organizers. It was decided to send specialists to assess the ice block and possibly activate a backup plan, which, however, is not very clear.
There are proposals to bypass the dangerous section, but this solution also contains many risks. According to others, it is better to wait to see if the ice will not melt or shift, and if this does not happen – to consider an alternative route. However, such options are also very limited.
In 2026, the situation will be complicated by the fact that the other route to Everest – through Tibet, will be closed to climbing.
Illustrative photo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/mount-everest-in-himalayas-20839121/
