Everest 2026: April 27 Weekend Update - Icefall Route In?

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of climate change on climbing Mt. Everest, focusing on the dangers posed by melting seracs and the current climbing conditions.

We may finally see how climate change has impacted climbing Mt. Everest: melting seracs threatening climbers, and helicopters used to bypass the icefall. First, let's clarify that the Icefeall is not blocked and is passable. The issue is a large, unstable hanging serac that, if it fell onto the Icefall with climbers there, dozens could be killed, making it much worse than the 16 taken in a similar event in 2014. There are conflicting reports about a route to Camp 1. But others say it's still too dangerous because of rockfall, and the ice serac in question remains.There are 410 Everest permits issued, so with 1.5 Sherpas per permit and 0.2 cooks, there are around 1,200 people at EBC, by my estimation. I've seen other reports with three times that many. #everest2026 Climb On! Alan Memories are Everything https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2026/04/27/everest-2026-april-27-weekend-update-icefall-route-in/

People in this episode

Host: Alan Arnette

Topics covered

• climate change
• climbing
• Everest
• safety
• icefall
• serac

Keywords

• Everest
• climate change
• icefall
• serac
• climbing permits
• safety

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Mt. Everest, EBC

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