“Green Boots”: The Frozen Body That Became a Chilling Landmark on Everest
Mount Everest currently contains more than 200 bodies, of climbers from around the world who perished attempting to reach the summit. The most famous among them is a body known as “Green Boots.” The story behind this tragic fate is as remarkable as it is heartbreaking.
The Man Who Looks Like He Is Sleeping
The climber looks as if he is sleeping. He lies on his side, tucked beneath the shadow of a large rock. His hood is pulled up over his face, his arms crossed over his chest as if to ward off the cold. His legs stretch out toward the path, forcing everyone who passes to step over his bright green boots.
This climber’s name was Tsewang Paljor, but most of those who have passed by know him by another name: Green Boots. For nearly 20 years, his body, lying not far from the summit of Everest, served as a grim marker for those attempting to conquer the world’s highest peak from the north side.
Many have lost their lives on this journey, and like Paljor, most of them remain on the mountain. But Paljor’s body differs from the others in one crucial way: it is famous.
A Landmark Known to Almost Everyone
“I would say that almost everyone, especially those climbing from the north side, knows about Green Boots – they’ve read about him or heard someone else talk about him,” said Noel Hanna, who has summited Everest seven times. “About 80% of climbers who reach the summit have rested where Green Boots lies. It’s very hard to forget his image.”
Yet what is astonishing is how little is known about his personal life.
The 1996 Disaster
Type “Green Boots” into Google, and you will learn that Paljor, along with his fellow climbers Tsewang Smanla and Dorje Morup, perished in a storm during the infamous 1996 climbing season – an event immortalized in Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book Into Thin Air.
Wikipedia notes that he was a member of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and was only 28 years old when he lost his life on Everest.
A Life Shrouded in Mystery
Tsewang Paljor was born on April 10, 1968, in the Ladakh region of India – an area with an average elevation of 3,800 meters. According to his mother, Tashi Angmo, now 73, he was a good child, one of five siblings.
In his village, Paljor was known as a kind and gentle boy. Although handsome, he never had a girlfriend because he was very shy. He once confided to his younger brother that he was more interested in dedicating himself to something larger than marriage.
As the eldest son, Paljor felt the pressure of earning money to support his family, who struggled to survive on their small plot of land. After completing the 10th grade, he sought to join the ITBP, which was based in Ladakh. Established in 1962 to counter threats from China, the force specializes in high-altitude combat. With his superior physical abilities, it was no surprise that Paljor was selected.
A Secret Mission
Tashi Angmo supported her son joining the ITBP. But Paljor sensed that his mother’s support had limits – and that she would never accept him climbing peaks as high as Everest.
So when he was selected for a special climbing team tasked with a major but highly risky mission – to become the first Indians to summit Everest from the north side – he did not tell his mother.
“My son told a little lie. He said he would climb another mountain,” his mother recalled. “But he told some of his friends about what he was about to do, and the story reached me.”
To Tashi Angmo, Everest was an extremely dangerous place. She begged her son not to participate. Paljor tried to persuade her otherwise.
His younger brother, Thinley Namgyal, was not as worried. To him, Paljor was the strongest person he had ever known – a real-life “superman.” Thinley was the one who met Paljor in Delhi before he left for Everest and gave him his blessing.
That was the last time the family saw Paljor alive.
The 1996 Climb
On May 10, 1996, the Indian expedition encountered strong winds and was forced to camp on Everest. They did not leave Camp VI until 8:00 a.m., instead of the planned 3:30 a.m. Due to the late start, they decided to fix ropes in preparation for descending in darkness rather than summiting first.
By 2:30 p.m., the team had advanced quickly toward the summit, but the winds began to pick up. Expedition leader Mohinder Singh ordered his men to descend, no later than 3:00 p.m.
Four men were on the summit push that day, including Harbhajan Singh. He fell behind the group led by Paljor. When he signaled for the group to turn back, they either did not see or ignored his command.
Exhausted and frostbitten, with no other choice, he returned to Camp VI without them. Singh later suspected that the desire to reach the summit may have clouded his teammates’ judgment – a costly mistake.
At 3:00 p.m., Singh radioed his men, ordering them to descend due to worsening weather and the approaching sunset. But Paljor and his teammates were determined to reach the summit and disobeyed his order.
At 5:35 p.m., Paljor radioed Singh to say that they had reached the summit. Singh was overjoyed but immediately ordered them to descend.
The Storm and the Tragedy
The infamous 1996 blizzard struck with terrifying speed. Trying to suppress his fear, Singh encouraged his men, telling them they would be fine – they had faced worse weather before. If they moved quickly, they could reach Camp VI by midnight. But that did not happen.
According to Singh, on the morning of May 11, 1996, a Japanese climbing team passed Morup, Smanla, and Paljor as they lay dying – but did not stop to help.
“Why did they not give even a drop of water to those men? Where is the morality of those mountaineers?” Singh still asks, haunted by these questions.
The Japanese team provided a different account, stating that they did not encounter anyone who appeared to need help during their ascent. They also argued that above 8,000 meters, each climber is “fully responsible” for their own actions – even if those actions lead to their death.
The Aftermath
Today, even though Paljor died heroically on Everest alongside his comrades, his family received little compensation.
His body remained on the mountain, known only as “Green Boots” – an anonymous, unfortunate climber whom those seeking to conquer Everest had to step past on their journey to their own glory.
His body was eventually recovered or moved, but the legend of Green Boots remains.
The Ethics of the Death Zone
The story of Green Boots raises profound questions about the ethics of high-altitude mountaineering. Above 8,000 meters – the “death zone” – the human body cannot survive for more than 48 hours. Rescue is nearly impossible. Oxygen levels are one-third of those at sea level.
In this extreme environment, climbers must make split-second decisions that can mean the difference between life and death – not only for themselves but for others.
The Japanese team that passed Paljor and his companions faced an impossible choice. To stop and help might have meant their own deaths. To continue was to leave fellow human beings to die alone.
There is no easy answer.
Legacy
Tsewang Paljor is not the only climber to have died on Everest. But his story – and his bright green boots – have become a symbol of the mountain’s unforgiving nature. For nearly two decades, his body served as a silent warning to those who dared to follow in his footsteps.
His family never received his remains. They never had a grave to visit. All they have is the memory of a young man who dreamed too big – and paid the ultimate price.
Primary Sources:
Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air (1997)
Accounts of expedition leader Mohinder Singh
Himalayan Database – 1996 Everest disaster records
Interviews with Tashi Angmo and Thinley Namgyal
Wikipedia – Tsewang Paljor / Green Boots