Overview
There are a bunch of things you should put into account before climbing Mount Everest. You could reduce potential risks until the Everest Base Camp trek. However, these dangers arrive more suddenly. They typically happen due to weather, natural disasters, and land structure. Let’s examine these unforeseen difficulties in detail.
Crevasses openings
Crevasses are the names given to the ice cracks that form in glaciers. These crevasses openings frequently occur at the Khumbu Ice Falls, which are well-known for them. Falls could occur as a result of these tiny cracks. These glaciers range in depth from 20 to 40 meters. Climbers who fall through these fissures are undoubtedly dead.
Furthermore, because they are ice cracks, these crevasses are frequently invisible. A slight optical illusion could cause deadly accidents.
The icefall in Khumbu
The Khumbu glacier on the route to Mount Everest causes the Khumbu icefall. The suicide passage is another name for this area. So it stands to reason that this is one of the most lethal structural hazards of climbing Mount Everest.
There are risks of an accident or even the death of climbers due to the glacier’s rapid movement, which opens up sizable crevasses. Sometimes the icefall actually blocks the path. On average, the glacier releases 3 to 4 feet of ice daily.
Avalanches
One of the most well-known threats in the Himalayas is avalanches. Avalanches can happen in the Everest region for several reasons. Snowstorms and unfavorable weather may be the cause. It can occasionally be brought on by glacier cracks, icefalls, and crevasses openings. Avalanches can happen under normal conditions, such as weather or time of day, or they can happen due to natural disasters.
However, some specific locations in the area have a higher chance of experiencing an avalanche. Avalanches are more likely to occur near the North Col, South Col, and the aforementioned Khumbu Ice Falls.
The avalanche causes ice to fall and brings more dangerous falling rocks and ice. Their collision could very easily result in grave danger. It is possible to avoid the dangers of avalanches like the Khumbu Icefall by crossing at a specific time, typically when there is less sunlight.
Aside from natural disasters, avalanches can result from other events.
The worst avalanche disaster in the Everest trials occurred due to the 2015 Nepal earthquake. In the base camp, it sparked a massive avalanche that killed 15 still-climbing people.
Similar to how localized hurricanes and strong winds cause avalanches. Avalanches are also brought on by natural catastrophes like hurricanes, though this is less uncommon. They still might cause harm that cannot be repaired.
Bad climate
The weather on Mount Everest is very erratic and subject to sudden changes. Any event could easily turn disastrous if there is a lot of snow, there is a lot of cloud cover, or it is very cold outside.
Everest experiences freezing temperatures for the majority of the year. However, spring still brings a category one hurricane despite the generally calm seasons. Here, sudden wind and snowstorms could literally kill you. In addition to posing a threat in and of itself, the weather has the potential to trigger other natural catastrophes like avalanches.