Science Archive - Adventure Mountain

28. February 202528. February 2025

When the snow on Mount Everest disappears in winter

The Nepalese south side of Mount Everest (in 2002)

Be prepared for bare ice in the Western Cwm and on the Lhotse flank – and for wide crevasses! That’s what you could say to mountaineers who want to try to climb Mount Everest this spring.

“The lack of snow, as I reported last winter as well, will lead to crevasses being less filled/more open and more bare ice slopes,” Mauri Pelto writes to me. “This can be altered by late winter/early spring storms, but that is not to be expected.” In the 2024 Everest spring season, the scientist had already pointed out a lot of bare ice and firn slopes in the Western Cwm and in the Lhotse flank and thus an increased risk of falling rocks. The Khumbu Glacier is currently in a similar condition (see image below).

25. April 202425. April 2024

Everest study: One in three had cardiac arrhythmias

South side of Mount Everest, Khumbu Icefall on the lower left — South side of Mount Everest

If you attempt Mount Everest, you should be aware that you are risking your life. You can get caught in an avalanche, fall into a crevasse, be hit by falling rocks, fall off, freeze to death, die of exhaustion, high altitude cerebral or pulmonary edema. With their “SUMMIT” study, Nepalese and Swiss scientists have now drawn attention to another potential danger that can also be fatal in extreme cases: Cardiac arrhythmias during the ascent from Everest Base Camp at 5,300 meters to the summit at 8,849 meters.