Mt. Everest route blocked by massive ice wall as climbing season begins

A massive 30-metre-high wall of glacier ice—known as a serac—is blocking the main climbing route from Base Camp on Mount Everest in Nepal, just as the peak climbing season gets underway.

The obstruction lies about 600 metres below Camp 1, halting progress along the traditional ascent path.Professional mountain guides from Nepal and Tibet say they have been unable to find a safe way around or over the unstable ice formation, as reported by The Guardian.

These specialists are often referred to as "ice doctors" as they are responsible for fixing ropes and ladders along the lower sections of the climb.They are working under the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC). “We haven't found artificial ways to melt it so far, so we don't have any options other than to wait for it melting and crumbling itself,” said Tshering Tenzing Sherpa, the SPCC base camp coordinator.

Delays threaten the climbing season

By late April, teams would normally have secured the route up to Camp 3. This year, however, work has stalled well below Camp 1, putting the entire schedule weeks behind.

The spring climbing season—typically the most favorable window due to relatively stable weather—runs through May. With suitable conditions expected only until the end of the month, delays could compress the timeline and lead to congestion on the mountain as climbers rush to summit.Guides warn that scaling the serac is too dangerous, while establishing an alternative route at this stage would be extremely difficult.

For now, waiting for the ice to melt remains the only viable option.Officials are exploring contingency plans to keep the season alive. Department of Tourism Nepal is considering airlifting rope-fixing teams directly to Camp 2 to bypass the obstruction.

“We are thinking about airlifting the rope-fixing team and their logistics to Camp 2 by helicopter, so they can open the route above that altitude for now,” said director general Ram Krishna Lamichhane.Authorities stress that work on the blocked section will only resume once conditions are deemed safe.

Strong demand despite setbacks

Despite logistical challenges—and broader pressures like rising travel costs—high demand for Everest expeditions remains. Most climbers attempt the ascent from the Nepalese side, which is far more popular than the route via Tibet (China).

Last year alone, more than 700 climbers (including guides) reached the summit from Nepal, compared to roughly 100 via China.

The spring season, the busier of the two with warmer temperatures than the autumn window between September and November, typically ends by the end of May.

Acclimatization, which refers to the process of adapting to high-altitude environments over several weeks, and base camp preparations take place from March to late April, while sherpas clear the path, and the summit window tends to be in May.

If the serac collapses or melts in the coming days, Sherpa teams hope to resume route fixing quickly and keep summit attempts on track. For now, however, a single unstable wall of ice is holding up the world’s highest climb.

By Nazrin Sadigova