On Everest, Everyone Is Waiting for a Block of Ice to Fall

This year's spring climbing season on Everest has yet to begin—and the timing depends on when exactly a dangerous serac collapses. Outside explains that step one in readying the mountain for climbers is prepping the Khumbu Icefall, the first major challenge above base camp. A specialized Nepali team known as the Icefall Doctors is responsible for fixing the path with ropes and ladders, but they believe the looming serac—an unstable block of glacial ice—will fall "any day now," the head of Nepal's Department of Tourism explains. Until it does, the route can't be finished.

The holdup is squeezing schedules. Ropes can't be fixed further up the mountain, and higher camps can't be stocked until the Khumbu Icefall is passable. Last year, that happened on April 11. Teams typically want those higher camps established by the start of May, so that summit attempts can begin mid-month. Guides warn that if the route opens late, it could compress the season and send too many climbers upward at once, creating dangerous bottlenecks. For now, some expeditions are diverting clients to nearby peaks like Pumori and Island Peak to acclimatize while they wait.

"The risk is not theoretical," notes the Kathmandu Post. A collapsing serac in that very location in 2014 caused an avalanche that killed 16 Sherpas. Once the Khumbu Icefall does open, ExplorersWeb reports drones will be able to help speed things up. A service employed for the first time last year transports gear for both the rope fixers and for commercial expeditions who are willing to pay to have gear flown between Base Camp and Camp 1. Last year's drone could carry up to 30 kilograms at a time; this year's limit has been upped to 50 kilograms, at a cost of about $7 per kilogram.