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Giant ice block stalls Everest route preparations
A towering 30-meter ice formation has obstructed the primary path from Mount Everest's Base Camp to Camp 1, forcing climbers to delay acclimatization as the spring summit season kicks off.
Route-fixing teams stuck at Base Camp
Icefall doctors-specialized Sherpas tasked with installing ropes and ladders on the lower slopes-arrived at Base Camp three weeks ago but remain unable to advance. The unstable ice block, known as a serac, sits roughly 600 meters below Camp 1, with no safe detour identified.
"We've searched every possible route around the serac, but scaling it or bypassing it is too dangerous," said Ang Sarki Sherpa, a veteran icefall doctor, in a call from Base Camp. "Our only option is to wait for it to melt naturally."
Melting hopes and climbing delays
Teams report the serac's lower section is weakening, with visible melting near its base. Tshering Tenzing Sherpa, coordinator for the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), confirmed no artificial methods have succeeded in accelerating the thaw.
"We first reached the block on April 10, and subsequent teams noted further melting," Ang Sarki Sherpa added. "It could collapse any day now."
Narrowed summit window raises congestion fears
Climbers typically acclimatize by shuttling between Camps 1, 2, and 3, but the delay has compressed the schedule. Purnima Shrestha, a Nepali climber aiming for her sixth Everest summit, warned of potential "traffic jams" near the peak.
"The route will open-we still have time. But the window for safe ascents may shrink, forcing everyone to attempt the summit in a shorter period."
Purnima Shrestha, climber and photographer
Favorable weather is expected only until late May, leaving little margin for error.
Emergency measures under consideration
Nepal's Department of Tourism is exploring helicopter airlifts to transport rope-fixing teams directly to Camp 2, bypassing the blocked section. "We're assessing the feasibility of airlifting logistics to Camp 2 to resume work above the obstruction," said Director General Ram Krishna Lamichhane.
Despite geopolitical tensions affecting fuel costs, expedition operators report only a slight dip in permit applications. Dambar Parajuli, president of the Expedition Operators' Association, noted that mountaineering demand remains resilient compared to trekking.
Permit costs surge amid safety reforms
Nepal has raised climbing fees this year, with foreign nationals now paying $15,000 (up from $11,000) and Nepali climbers $1,000 (double the previous rate). The hikes follow viral images of 2019's summit congestion, prompting stricter permit regulations.
Of the 367 permits issued so far, most were granted to Chinese climbers. China has not authorized foreign ascents from its Tibetan side this season, leaving Nepal's route as the primary option. Last year, over 700 climbers summited from Nepal, compared to roughly 100 from China.
