Bad Weather Delays Rope-Fixing on Everest
Heavy snowfall has stalled rope-fixing efforts on Mount Everest, delaying the season’s first summit as around 1,000 climbers await a weather window at base camp.
Abiral Rai
Heavy snowfall has halted rope-fixing efforts above 7,400 meters on Mount Everest, postponing the season’s first summit attempt as about 2,000 climbers, guides, and support staff await a break in the weather, officials said Friday.
Rope-fixing teams had made steady progress after the Khumbu Icefall was cleared earlier this month. Unlike last year, when avalanches and unstable crevasses delayed route-setting through the icefall, this season's early clearance had raised hopes for an earlier summit window. But persistent snowfall and strong winds since late April have forced a pause just above Camp III.
The route through the Khumbu Icefall up to Camp II is maintained by the Icefall Doctors, a team of specialized climbers employed by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee. Above Camp II, the rope-fixing team—hired by a coalition of expedition agencies—is responsible for securing the route to the 8,848.86-meter summit. This season, the task has been entrusted to 8K Expeditions.
“The team is ready to resume the task as soon as the weather improves,” said Pemba Sherpa, Executive Director of the 8K Expeditions, adding, “We are still following our original plan to to secure the route to Everest’s summit by early May.”
As of May 2, a total of 444 climbers have received permits to attempt Everest this spring. Officials anticipate a particularly busy season, driven in part by Nepal’s decision to raise permit fees from $11,000 to $15,000 starting in September, along with new regulations requiring prior experience on a 7,000-meter peak. A surge in Indian climbers has also contributed to the increased numbers.
Expedition agencies are now watching for a possible summit window next week, if weather conditions improve. The route is currently fixed up to 7,400 meters, but poor visibility and unstable snow have stalled further progress.
Forecasters suggest a potential clearing in the coming days, which could allow rope-fixing to resume and open the way for commercial summit attempts.
Meanwhile, mountaineers at Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters) continue acclimatization rotations between camps while awaiting the green light for summit pushes.
The spring Everest season typically peaks in late May, when a brief window of stable weather allows climbers their best shot at the summit.
