Mount Everest’s climbing season is getting underway later than usual, as hundreds of climbers gather to attempt the ascent despite high travel and expedition costs and an unstable ice formation on the route. Multiple outlets report that the main Icefall route is only opened on 29 April, with climbers facing a “severe caution” as conditions are assessed. The early season is also shaped by the presence of a large, unstable serac/ice block hanging over the key trail in the Khumbu Icefall area.
Reports say climbers begin assembling at base camp—described as 17,340 feet (about 5,280 meters)—with expedition teams and outfitters preparing for the limited window of the spring climbing season. One outlet estimates around 464 climbers are at base camp gearing up for the attempt to reach the summit, which is about 29,000 feet high. While guides and some operators are cautious about the hazards in the Icefall, sources characterize the overall reaction as determined but mindful. The season proceeds with the route open under heightened warnings amid elevated permit and travel expenses.
