A team of Sherpas from Icefall Doctors, joined by specialists from several commercial companies, managed to open the route to Camp 1. But the Serac remains. We analyze the times.
THIS SAME NOTE IN THE ORIGINAL SPANISH VERSION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS LINK
A team of Sherpas from Icefall Doctors, joined by specialists from several commercial companies, managed to open the route to Camp 1. But the serac remains. We analyze the timing.
This is the scenario: a serac that remains menacing, although, according to testimonies, it is no longer «as threatening» as before, and pressure from the authorities, who, we understand, have said, «the route must be opened.» That is the feeling we can understand after the news that arrived today, when the serac, which has been the protagonist for the last few weeks in the Khumbu Icefall, has ceded the spotlight to none other than the clock.
In a season where royalties from permits have reached figures close to seven million US dollars, of which Everest accounted for no less than six million, it was imperative that this route be opened, no matter what. All we hope is that it was done in the best possible way.
“I thank the EOAN and SPCC teams for successfully opening the icefall route,” said EOAN Secretary General Rishi Ram Bhandari on Monday. SPCC Base Camp Manager Tshering Tenzing Sherpa confirmed that the team had reached Camp 1 and was continuing their ascent. EOAN Field Coordinator Lakpa Sherpa, who has managed base camp operations throughout the crisis, added a note of caution: “The exact condition of the hanging serac near the Western Cwm will only be known after the team returns to base camp.”
For its part, 14 Peaks Expeditions posted: «After days of relentless dedication, the courageous icefall doctors of the SPCC, the steadfast Nepal Expedition Operators Association (EOA), and the incredible Sherpas of expedition teams across Nepal have pushed through every challenge the mountain threw their way, including a formidable serac that once stood between dreams and destiny. Today, a passage has been found. The path is clear.»
Finally, Seven Summits Treks confirms: “We would like to confirm that, as of April 28, 2026, the Khumbu Icefall route is officially open, with the fixing team successfully reaching Camp I today. The route has been fully established with ladders, ropes, and anchors across the icefall, thanks to the exceptional hard work of the SPCC Icefall Doctors, with strong coordination and support from the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal (EOAN) and various management bodies. We deeply appreciate their efforts on such a difficult and technical section of the mountain. With this critical section now secured, rotations to Camp I will soon begin for over 400 climbers this season who are currently waiting at Everest Base Camp for Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse, along with a large number of Sherpa support teams preparing for the summit pushes.”
Fortunately, everyone agrees on the safety of the route.
Now let’s analyze the timing, where there’s no room for improvisation. In this regard, three days into May, the route is still almost completely fixed, only established from base camp to Camp 1. But the biggest problem is the loads, among them the most precious: oxygen, which is expected to be used by more than four hundred climbers.
The statement reports that the team «continued ascending,» presumably to open the route to Camp 2, and Camp 3 initially, a much less traumatic undertaking than the icefall. But the timeline is extremely tight, all this assuming everything «aligns» and the weather doesn’t play a trick on them.
I’ve seen somewhere recently, in a news article, that some have suggested extending the season beyond May, although this seems incredible. And indeed, it is. I can’t yet imagine how they could manage to delay the monsoon season; it’s a task I have yet to complete.
But even in the best-case scenario, assuming that alignment of the planets, which would imply the complete cooperation of the weather conditions, it becomes incredibly difficult to imagine guiding more than four hundred clients, with a very, very limited time for rotations, with acclimatization done exclusively on secondary peaks, to a summit that might be set for, say, mid-May. Oh, and with a menacing serac, which—let’s see what the next reports say—stands like a faithful and jealous guardian in the final stretch of the icefall. Or perhaps not; let’s hope that what the issued reports assure us is true, and that it doesn’t represent a real danger.
Could we be facing a more complex scenario than on other occasions, with less time and so many people? Unfortunately, all of this is a breeding ground for danger for all those clients, and non-clients who are about to venture to the summit of Everest in the coming days.
Those companies that abandoned their Everest or Lhotse expeditions this season, upon seeing that the north face was closed, opted for the most sensible course of action, prioritizing the safety of their clients. And that was before they even knew about the serac issue. Some others already had established commitments, and this simply wasn’t possible. Perhaps it wasn’t even in their plans. Still others that operated exclusively in the north decided to move to the south to avoid losing their clients. Every little bit helps.
Within this overall scenario, we have Lhotse with nine teams and 111 climbers; and Nuptse with four teams and 42 climbers. Added to the 425 Everest permits, this brings the total to 578 climbers crossing the icefall (assuming all Nuptse climbers access it via the Khumbu Icefall) and sharing the route above it. With a fairly limited timeframe and ideal weather conditions, we need to ensure everything concludes successfully by the end of May.
I’ll leave the final conclusion to you.
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