Mount Everest, standing at over 8,848 meters (29,029 feet), is a symbol of human ambition and perseverance. Over the past decades, explorers have been flocking to Nepal and Tibet to conquer its challenging peaks. Many climbers are lured by the promise of being on top of the world. But amid the triumphs lies a haunting truth that many prefer not to discuss: the bodies of those who have died on Mount Everest, scattered across its icy slopes. These frozen people narrate a tale of human courage as well as the end cost of ambition.
Although thousands of people have managed to climb the highest mountain on Earth, more than 300 climbers have died in the attempt. Their bodies remain on the mountain, frozen in time. According to the Mount Everest rescuers, it is almost impossible to reach them due to the extreme conditions. For many, these tragic remnants serve as a caution of the risks that await in the thin air of the death zone. Unlike other mountainous peaks that are conquered at high altitudes, Everest has a chilling truth: the mountain does not readily repay those who demand it.
What keeps these bodies in that place? Who are those individuals who spent their last moments in the spectacular but severe place of Everest? To truly understand this mystery, we must not only consider the accounts of victory but also turn to the darker side of the mountain, which serves as a warning that, as beautiful as nature is, it can also be cruel.
Why Are Bodies Left on Mount Everest?
It is no small feat to climb Mount Everest. It takes great physical stamina, mental strength, and in many cases, a bit of luck. At an altitude above 8,000 meters, known as the death zone, oxygen levels are dangerously low, and every step becomes a battle. The human body is not designed to live at those heights for an extended period. Low oxygen levels cause cells to die, and thoughts become cloudy. This condition is referred to as hypoxia. Even experienced mountain climbers are overwhelmed by the paralysing effects of extreme cold and thin air.
The bodies of the climbers are almost impossible to recover at such heights when they die. Bodies are frozen in the extreme cold and remain intact for decades. Helicopters cannot fly in such thin air. Carrying down a dead body, which is usually heavier due to frozen equipment, will be too dangerous to other climbers. There have been numerous attempts that have failed, with many of the rescuers themselves dying in the rescue operation. This cruel fact makes teams abandon their dead, which contributes to the fact that Everest is a cemetery in the sky.
This has led to a chilling truth: the bodies of those who fell on Mount Everest remain where they fell, becoming landmarks for those who follow. Climbers pass by these motionless people. These bodies have turned out to be both reminders and milestones with time.
The Story of Green Boots: Mount Everest’s Most Famous Body
Perhaps the most famous of them all is a climber whose bright green boots became an unintentional signpost near a small cave on the Northeast route. Believed to be Indian climber Tsewang Paljor, who died in 1996 during a severe storm, Green Boots of Mount Everest rests in a fetal position, his legs sticking out of the limestone alcove. All the climbers using this route have to pass him, which is one of the most haunting scenes on Everest.
For nearly two decades, Green Boots was impossible to miss. His shiny boots and fluorescent clothing became a guide to the people who were going up and down the mountain. Several climbers feel a surge of fear and awe as they pass him, because they know that at one point he also stood where they are, with the same ambition to get to the top. The cave itself served as a temporary resting place to tired climbers, contributing to the morbid familiarity of the place.
The body had been exposed for almost twenty years before it was allegedly relocated in 2014. Certain climbers and authorities thought it was too painful for others and tried to move it out of view. Yet stories of other “green boots” sightings continue, as more climbers meet similar fates and their colorful gear blends with the stark, icy terrain. Green Boots of Mount Everest is no longer alone; others have joined him in this eternal rest.
The Rainbow Valley of Everest
As climbers ascend higher, they eventually pass through what is called Rainbow Valley on Everest. It is not a colourful area due to flowers or flags, but due to the bright down jackets and garments of dead climbers on the route. Located just below the summit, Rainbow Valley is where many who succumb to exhaustion, altitude sickness, or falls now lie, their clothing providing a haunting splash of colour against the white snow.
Rainbow Valley is both a poetic and disturbing term. In this case, climbers are struggling to the very end of the mountain, and not all of them survive. The number of bodies in this area only shows how brutal the mountain is. Every jacket, boot, or climbing harness is a story of ambition and tragedy. It might appear as a harmless outpouring of colour at a distance, but at a closer look, it is a graveyard with no graves.
Here in this section of the mountain, the combination of exhaustion, altitude sickness, and strong winds often results in tragic outcomes. According to climbers, the Rainbow Valley of Everest is surreal, too silent, too still, with the air being heavy due to the understanding that the people who fell here never came back. It serves as a warning and a moment of reflection for those who can still move forward.
Mount Everest Deaths: How Dangerous Is the Climb?
The ascent of Everest is both exhilarating and dangerous. To date, over 300 climbers have lost their lives in the bid to scale the mountain. In some years, the death toll is high due to avalanches or sudden storms. The dangers are enormous, even with the latest technology, better equipment, and improved predictions.
In the death zone of Everest, oxygen levels are one-third of those at sea level, and the body starts to shut down. Altitude sickness can strike quickly, causing confusion, hallucinations, and loss of coordination. Another constant threat is frostbite, as temperatures can drop as low as -40 °C. Each ascent is life-threatening due to avalanches, crevasses, and falling ice. Everest is a harsh environment that even well-prepared, healthy climbers can succumb to.
Famous cases include Francys Arsentiev, who became known as “Sleeping Beauty” after she passed away near the summit in 1998. With her distinctive blue jacket, her body remained visible for many years. Her husband Sergei died in an attempt to rescue her. Their tragic case and other Mount Everest deaths have become a lesson to all other climbers worldwide.
Can Bodies Be Removed From Mount Everest?
Technically, yes, but it is a considerable challenge. In 1999, a squad of climbers recovered the body of Bruce Herrod. However, these operations are costly, requiring tens of thousands of dollars, and pose a risk to the lives of rescuers. Numerous search efforts have been unsuccessful due to the hazardous terrain and unpredictable weather conditions.
In many cases, climbers prefer to leave the bodies where they are. They believe that it is safer and more respectful. Others prefer that their relatives stay at the mountain since it was their last adventure and the final resting place. Some others would want to have closure, but they also know how dangerous and expensive recovery operations can be.
Some of the Mount Everest bodies, like that of Green Boots, have been moved slightly off route to shield climbers from constant reminders of death. Very rarely, bodies are wholly covered by snowstorms and avalanches and are only discovered years later when the ice moves. If you are considering a safer adventure, climbing Kilimanjaro is a perfect choice.
How Modern Technology Is Changing Everest Expeditions
During the initial years of climbing Mount Everest, mountaineers approached the mountain with limited equipment, unreliable weather forecasts, and no means of real-time communication. Nowadays, modern technologies have significantly changed the way people train and climb.
Among the significant developments is the oxygen delivery system. Early climbers carried heavy and often unreliable oxygen tanks, but today’s systems are lighter, more efficient, and designed to deliver a steady flow even in subzero conditions. Combined with improved high-altitude training, this has helped climbers acclimatise better before entering the death zone.
Weather forecasting has undergone significant changes as well. Climbers and guides can now access vital information regarding potential storms or temperature fluctuations, allowing them to make more strategic attempts to reach the summit. Previously, numerous deaths had occurred due to unexpected weather conditions on Everest, which caught teams off guard.
GPS tracking and satellite phones have also improved safety. Teams can now keep in touch with the base camp and communicate their precise location in case of any mishap. In emergencies, search-and-rescue operations have a greater chance of finding stranded climbers quickly, although the thin air constrains helicopter rescue operations at high altitudes.
Even clothing and gear styles have changed. Many of them are made with ultralight but sturdy materials. They keep climbers warm and mobile. Despite all these changes, Everest still claims lives every year. Technology has been used to mitigate hazards, but it has not eliminated the dangers associated with the mountain.
Lessons for Future Climbers
While the tales of Mount Everest bodies are sobering, they also serve as vital lessons for modern climbers. Mount Everest is not just a mountain. It is a test of human endurance and humility. The dangers are not imaginary, and every climber must choose whether it is worth the risk.
- Never underestimate summit fever. Most of them die due to overstraining by disregarding the turnaround time.
- Carry enough oxygen tanks and know how to use them properly.
- Acclimatize well. Altitude sickness strikes even experienced climbers.
- Be aware that the zone above 8,000 meters it’s called the death zone for a reason.
The goal of every climber is to be alive and not to reach the top alone. Giving up is a courageous decision at times. To the budding adventurers, it can be better to train on milder mountains first. Everest will always be there, but the lives it has claimed can never be redeemed.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why are there so many bodies on Mount Everest?
The combination of extreme altitude, low oxygen levels, and harsh conditions makes retrieval nearly impossible. Many climbers rest where they fell, frozen for decades.
2. Who is Green Boots on Everest?
Green Boots is believed to be Tsewang Paljor, an Indian climber who died in 1996. His body became a famous landmark on the Northeast route.
3. What is Rainbow Valley Everest?
Rainbow Valley is an area just below the summit where colourful gear marks the locations of fallen climbers, creating a chilling yet oddly beautiful sight.
4. Are there deaths on Mount Kilimanjaro, too?
Yes, however, there is speculation about the exact number of deaths on Mount Kilimanjaro, which ranges between 3 and 10 a year.
