Everest worker dies near Base Camp
High-altitude death casts shadow over Everest season already strained by delays and shifting ice conditions
A guide working with an expedition group died on the way to Everest Base Camp on Sunday morning near the camp amid a busy and uncertain spring climbing season in the Khumbu region, official said.
Lakpa Tendi Sherpa, 51, from Gudel village in Solukhumbu district, died at an altitude of about 5,200 meters (17,060 feet), Gyanendra Shrestha, liaison officer told Everest Chronicle.
"Sherpa fell while on the way to Base Camp and died," said Shrestha.
Everest Base Camp sits at 5,364 meters (17,598 feet), while nearby Gorakshep, the final stopover for trekkers, lies at 5,164 meters (16,942 feet). Sherpa was affiliated with Seven Summit Treks.
His death is the first reported fatality of the ongoing spring Everest expedition season. His body has already been brought down to Lukla.
The incident comes as expeditions face delays in opening the climbing route through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, a key section between Base Camp and Camp I. Icefall Doctors, responsible for fixing ladders and ropes across shifting crevasses and unstable ice formations, have struggled this season due to large, unstable seracs blocking the route.
Elite climbers recently joined the Icefall Doctors in efforts to establish a safe path after waiting for the ice formations to stabilize. While officials initially delayed work in hopes that the seracs would naturally shift, some commercial expedition operators independently assessed the route at their own risk and identified a viable passage.
With a route now found, teams have begun moving climbing gears, ropes and logistical supplies to higher camps in preparation for fixing lines above Camp II. Outfitters said they are hopeful that rope-fixing teams could begin work as early as Monday.
Last year, teams opened the route to Everest’s summit by May 9, but this season’s delays could push that timeline back. Expedition organizers said, however, that sufficient weather windows are still expected for summit attempts.
It may take up to two weeks to fully fix ropes from Camp II to the summit, potentially narrowing opportunities for climbers. Stakeholders are discussing ways to ensure that all expeditions have a chance to make summit bids despite the shortened season.
This report has been corrected and updated
