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the bodies of climbers who perished in their quest to summit the world's highest peak are becoming increasingly visible.

Melting Everest Ice Reveals Climbers Lost in 'Death Zone,' Nepal Mounts Cleanup

June 29, 2024

KATHMANDU, Nepal - As climate change continues to thin the snow and ice on Mount Everest, the bodies of climbers who perished in their quest to summit the world's highest peak are becoming increasingly visible. 

A team working on Nepal's mountain clean-up campaign retrieved five frozen bodies, including skeletal remains, from Everest and nearby peaks Lhotse and Nuptse.

The task is dangerous and demanding. Rescuers chipped away at ice for hours, sometimes using boiling water to free the bodies.

Unidentified mountaineers descend from the summit of Mount Everest in a May 19, 2009 file photo. AFP/COURTESY OF PEMBA DORJE SHERPA

Unidentified mountaineers descend from the summit of Mount Everest in a May 19, 2009 file photo.AFP/COURTESY OF PEMBA DORJE SHERPA

"Global warming's effects are making [bodies and trash] more visible," said Major Aditya Karki, who led the team of soldiers and climbers.

Over 300 climbers have perished on Everest since expeditions began, with eight fatalities this season alone. Many bodies remain hidden by snow or lost in crevasses, while some serve as macabre landmarks with nicknames like "Green Boots" and "Sleeping Beauty."

Over 300 climbers have perished on Everest since expeditions began, with eight fatalities this season alone.

Everest Body Retrievals: Difficult But Necessary

Recovering bodies at high altitudes is a complex issue.  Thin air and altitude sickness pose dangers, and insurance may not cover retrieval missions.  One body encased in ice took 11 hours to free.

"It's extremely difficult," said Tshiring Jangbu Sherpa, who led the recovery effort.  "Getting the body out is just one part."

Sherpa described some bodies remarkably well-preserved, while retrieval costs remain high due to the manpower needed.  However, Karki emphasized the importance of these efforts.

"We have to bring them back whenever possible," he said. "Otherwise, our mountains become graveyards."

Bodies are typically bagged and dragged down on sleds.  One particularly challenging recovery involved a body near Lhotse's peak, requiring transport in its frozen state to a lower camp before being sledded.

A picture taken on May 16, 2010 shows the body of a mountaineer being retrieved by unseen Nepalese Sherpas during a Mount Everest clean-up expedition. NAMGYAL SHERPA/AFP/GETTY

A picture taken on May 16, 2010 shows the body of a mountaineer being retrieved by unseen Nepalese Sherpas during a Mount Everest clean-up expedition.NAMGYAL SHERPA/AFP/GETTY

Challenges and Discoveries

Two recovered bodies have been tentatively identified, with authorities awaiting confirmation.  The retrieved bodies are currently in Kathmandu, with unidentified remains likely to be cremated.

Everest continues to hold mysteries.  The body of George Mallory, missing since a 1924 summit attempt, was only found in 1999.  His partner, Andrew Irvine, and their camera, which could rewrite mountaineering history, remain undiscovered.

A photo taken on May 17, 2010 shows Nepalese Sherpas after retrieving the bodies of two climbers that were left on the world's highest mountain, during a Mount Everest clean-up expedition. NAMGYAL SHERPA/AFP/GETTY

A photo taken on May 17, 2010 shows Nepalese Sherpas after retrieving the bodies of two climbers that were left on the world's highest mountain, during a Mount Everest clean-up expedition.
NAMGYAL SHERPA/AFP/GETTY

The clean-up campaign, budgeted at over $600,000, also involved 171 Nepali guides and porters who removed roughly 12 tons of garbage.  Waste included tents, equipment, canisters, and even human waste.

"The mountains have given us so much," said Sherpa.  "We must give back by removing trash and bodies."

While modern expeditions are pressured to manage waste, historical debris remains a challenge.

"This year's trash might be brought down," said Karki, "but who will deal with the old trash?"

In this photograph taken on June 12, 2024, workers segregate waste materials retrieved from Mount Everest to recycle in Kathmandu. PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/GETTY

In this photograph taken on June 12, 2024, workers segregate waste materials retrieved from Mount Everest to recycle in Kathmandu.PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/GETTY