Climate change is causing widespread consequences across the planet. Oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, extreme weather events are intensifying, polar ice caps are melting… all of which are causing ecosystems to suffer and species to decline.
The Himalayan mountain range and Mount Everest are also being affected by this process, as the ice on the mountain gradually shrinks. But the melting ice is also revealing a “hair-raising” truth hidden on the world’s highest peak.
It is the bodies of climbers – and there are hundreds of them.
The Bodies on Everest
Everest remains the highest peak in the world, and conquering it is no different from standing on top of the world. That is why every year, many people attempt to climb the “roof of the world.”
But mountaineering is a sport fraught with risks. The higher you go, the thinner the air becomes, and the colder it gets, making the body susceptible to hypothermia, mental confusion, and other life-threatening conditions. This does not even account for hazards like avalanches, rockfalls, and slips.
Alongside those who succeed in their summit attempts, there are many who have lost their lives on the mountain.
Since 1922, approximately 300 people have died while climbing Everest, and at least 200 bodies still remain somewhere on the mountain. Now, thanks to climate change melting the ice, these bodies are gradually being exposed.
“Because the Earth is warming, the ice shelves are melting faster, and the bodies that have been buried for years on the mountain are also emerging,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, in an interview with BBC.
“The victims who unfortunately died in recent years while climbing have all been brought down. But the bodies from long ago are still there.”
An Increasing Number of Bodies Emerging
Since 2017, the bodies of several unfortunate climbers have begun to emerge, with increasing frequency. Experts predict that more bodies will be found as the new climbing season approaches.
“I myself have helped bring down 10 bodies from various locations on Everest in recent years, and it’s clear that more bodies are appearing,” said an official working on the mountain.
Bringing a body down from Everest involves many factors. The cost can be as high as $70,000 to retrieve a single body. There is also the matter of the deceased’s family’s wishes – some families believe their loved one would prefer to rest eternally on the mountain. However, with the prospect of approximately 200 bodies lying exposed in the future, Nepalese authorities may have no choice but to bring them down to solid ground.
A Grim Reality: Bodies as Landmarks
There is a rather gruesome reality: the exposed bodies actually serve as landmarks for current climbers. They use them for orientation and as a reminder to be more cautious.
“Frozen bodies lying along the route serve as grim mile markers. Climbers know that if they pass “Green Boots” – one of the most famous bodies – they are near the summit,” noted one climber.
Everest’s Changing Landscape
Mount Everest, part of the Himalayan range, stands at 8,848 meters above sea level. The first people to successfully conquer Everest were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953. Since then, nearly 5,000 climbers have set foot on the “roof of the world.”
However, the mountain has changed over time. In 2015, an earthquake destroyed the Hillary Step – the last challenging cliff face for climbers attempting to summit Everest. Additionally, a 2015 study indicated that up to 70% to 90% of Everest’s ice could disappear by the end of the 21st century if current melting rates continue.
In 2018, scientists conducted the first study of the Khumbu Glacier in Nepal to determine the temperature of the ice beneath. The results showed that the ice temperature was only about -3.3°C, which is 2 degrees higher than the average air temperature in the region – a clear indicator of ongoing warming.
Climate change is not only transforming the physical landscape of Mount Everest but also revealing the human cost of the mountain’s deadly allure. As the ice continues to melt, the frozen remains of climbers will continue to emerge – a sobering reminder of the risks that come with chasing the ultimate summit.
Primary Sources:
BBC – Interview with Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association
Scientific reports – 2015 Khumbu Glacier temperature study
2015 earthquake impact on Hillary Step
Himalayan Database – Everest fatalities and summit statistics