Khumbu Icefall, Glacier formation at Mount Everest South Route, Nepal
The Khumbu Icefall is a glacier formation on the southern route of Mount Everest in the Himalayan range, where ice tumbles over a steep slope and fractures into chaotic towers and crevasses. The terrain shifts constantly as gravity pulls the frozen mass downward, displacing blocks the size of a house.
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay crossed the icefall during their successful summit of Everest in May 1953. Over the following decades, this section became one of the most hazardous passages for expeditions.
Sherpas often refer to the icefall as Khumbu Namche, and it is considered one of the most demanding sections on the route. Local climbers begin each day with a puja ceremony before stepping onto the ladders that bridge the deep gaps.
Most climbers cross the icefall very early in the morning, when temperatures remain below freezing and the ice is more stable. Even with preparation, the passage requires several hours through constantly changing terrain.
The ice in the icefall moves at a rate of about one meter per day, creating new crevasses and towers constantly. This dynamism means the route changes each season and must be re-prepared.
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