ASIAN ALPINE E-NEWS
Issue No 58. December 2019

5700~5800m peaks in the headwaters of the upper Mekong River
Photo: Nathan Dahlberg NZ

Contents
2019 West Nepa-Lachama Khola Expedition

Page 2~10

The Zidio Glaciers of Mekong headwaters

Page 11~34

Everest Deaths Statistics

Page 35~61

1

12019 Lachama Khola Expedition
A report on the exploration and unclimbed peaks of the South Lachama
Valley in Western Nepal
27th September – 27th October 2019
Derek R Buckle(18 Hillfield Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 4AP; derek@bucklefamily.com)

The upper reaches of the South Lachama Glacier indicating the true PK 5822

Supported by the Mount Everest Foundation, the Montane Alpine Club Climbing Fund,the Julie Tullis Memorial Fund and the Austrian Alpine Club (UK)
Members:
Derek Buckle, Drew Cook, Lorna Earl, Mike Fletcher, Steve Humphries, & Nick King

2

Summary:
Over the period from 27th September to 27th October 2019 our party of six Alpine Club
members travelled to Nepal to explore the south Lachama Valley in the Changla Himal andattempt one or more unclimbed peaks. The team assembled in Kathmandu on 28th September
before taking two domestic flights via Nepalgunj to the remote hilltop town of Simikot. From
Simikot we trekked north for five days up the Chuwa and Dojam Kholas following an
arduous track, made treacherous by late monsoon rain and large numbers of descending
livestock, to reach a base camp at 4,348m at the junction of the north and south forks of the
Lachama Khola. A more convenient advance base camp was then established just short of thecomplex terminal moraine of the south Lachama Glacier at 4,585m on 7th October. From thiscamp the team made exploratory forays both to the pass leading south, to what we had
believed was our objective peak PK 5822, and eastwards in an attempt to access the glacial
headwall and our secondary objective. During these forays it became increasingly obviousthat the photograph we had been given depicting PK 5822 (now labelled as False PK 5822)
was in fact a lesser peak estimated from Google Earth satellite images to be ~5,590m. The
actual PK 5822 peak was now believed to be our secondary objective at the head of theglacial cirque and was relabelled True PK 5822.
Guarded by extensive and complex boulder fields, access to the glacier proper was awkward
and time-consuming, with the preferred route being the true right lateral moraine. Closer
inspection of the ice-fall leading to True PK 5822, however, questioned the wisdom ofattempting this peak with the limited time at our disposal, leading us to focus on establishinga camp on the pass due south of advanced base camp and beneath False PK 5822. Having
made this decision, the party relocated to a high camp at 5,120m just below the pass on 14th
October after several reconnoitres to find the optimal route over the intervening complex
boulders. Once at this pass it was difficult to see a reasonable route up the west face of False
PK 5822 so we elected instead to attempt one or more of the rocky outcrops on the ridge
leading westwards from the pass. Snow-covered boulder fields made even this simpler
approach time-consuming, but once on the ridge proper a steep snow-plastered wall defeated
our attempts to reach the highest point. We aborted the attempt at 5,320m, just 20m below thesummit.
Introduction:
Having visited various parts of the Indian Himalaya numerous times over the last ten years it
was time for a change of scene and several friends suggested that we should go to the
Nepalese Himalaya. The problem was that I did not know the country that well and wasundecided where best to focus our approach. Fortunately, Julian Freeman Attwood, afrequent visitor to Nepal with an abundant fount of knowledge, generously provided anumber of suggestions based on areas that he had visited in the far west of the country. A
recent publication by Julian has summarised some of his experiences.1 After talking with
Mick Fowler, who in 2015 successfully made an impressive ascent of Gave Ding from thenorth,2 we decided to explore a region of the Changla Himal centred on the southern arm of
the Lachama Khola. Julian had visited this area in 2011 when his team were defeated by poor
weather while attempting Gave Ding from the south.3 As a result of this visit, however, he3

was able to provide us with a photograph of a peak labelled as PK 5822 on the south rim of
the Lachama valley that appeared to be a reasonable objective for our party. A more detailed
analysis of Google Earth satellite pictures supported the feasibility of this objective andindicated the plausibility of a second objective at the head of the glacial cirque (see Appendix
1b).

The team (almost) ready for action at ABC (from left: Derek Buckle {leader}, Steve Humphries, Lorna
Earl, Drew Cook, Nick King, Mike Fletcher)Itinerary:
The journey to and from Base Camp via the Chuwa and Dojam Kholas:
The 45 minute flight from Nepalgunj in a 12-seater
Twin Otter was an interesting affair. After attaining aheight of about 3,600m we essentially hugged themountain tops of the Himalayan foothills before
hardly descending to the short, sloping runway at thehilltop town of Simikot. On arrival with our Sirdar
around midday on 1st October we were united withthe rest of the support team; two local porters, the two
muleteers and the twelve mules that were to carry allof our food and equipment to our base camp in the The Twin Otter at Nepalgunj
Lachama Khola valley. Before leaving the UK we had predicted that this would be a four day
trek, but a late monsoon and local herders descending from the high pastures with their

4

animals made the well-defined track slippery and treacherous. As a result the time increased
by a further day.
Leaving Simikot after a brief lunch we began thetrek along a well-defined path to make a steep,
500m descent to the Ghatte Khola before climbing
to a campsite at 2,829m by the side of the trackoverlooking the village of Kharpunath. It was not
one of the marked camp sites on the route but atleast it was clean and adequate for a one night stay.
Leaving relatively early the next day we descended
another 500m to the Chuwa Khola before once
again climbing uphill parallel to the river on a very
muddy track. En route we passed many small encampments and were slowed by numerous
local herders bringing their animals down from the high pastures before the onset of thewinter snows. Eventually we halted at another improvised camp site at ~2,950m where it
proceeded to rain for much of the night. It was not a very salubrious site and we were pleased
to get away early the following day.
Climbing steeply past many small
encampments we again encountered large
numbers of descending animals, adding to
the feeling that this was a mass exodus
from the upper valley. Eventually wecamped on a muddy area at 3,560m having
covered some considerable distance sinceleaving Simikot. Indeed, the total journey issome 45km and by now we were a little
over half way.
One of several bridges en route
The team leaving Simikot

Once more it rained a lot just after setting up
camp and this persisted for much of the night.
Fortunately the weather was considerably better
when we awoke on the 4th October althoughinitially the path continued to be steep andmuddy as it meandered through trees.
Eventually the valley opened out with the path
becoming less undulatory and more level as wereached the entrance to the Lachama Khola
Valley where we made our fourth camp at
Nick at the entrance to the Lachama Khola
4,017m. This was by far the best camp site so
far and a marked contrast to those that had gone before.

5

It remained fine overnight, albeit rather colder
now that we were a little higher, and there wasno cloud cover. With only a short day ahead
we had a lazy start before trekking up the rightbank of the Lachama Khola to where it
branched north and south. It was our intention
to continue further at this point, but with themuleteers having arrived in advance of theclimbing party the mules were alreadyunloaded by the time that we arrived and themain tents were already erected. It was a fait Lorna making the awkward river crossing near ABC
accomplis so this was to become base camp atonly 4,348m. While it was a comfortable spot at the confluence of the two Lachama rivers wewould need an advance base camp considerably further up the valley in order to carry out any
effective exploration.
After spending thirteen days at or above base camp we began our descent to Simikot. Again
we chose to do so over five days, which in retrospect was a good decision as this allowed us
to fully enjoy the now changed environment. The track was dry, there were no animals
descending and the sun shone throughout. It
was sheer delight and a relaxing end to the
expedition. It also allowed us to return by avariant of the route of ascent in that before
making the long descent and re-ascent to
Simikot we followed close to the Chuwa
Khola to reach the village of Kharpunath
where we made our final camp just west of thehabitation and a little way above the river.
From here a rising, well-defined track led
almost directly to Simikot some 800m above.
ABC with False PK 5822 left of centre
Exploration and climbing in the South Lachama Valley:
It was evident from the photographs that we had been given that base camp ought to havebeen higher in the valley, but it was not to be. Thus, on the 6th October we continued further
up the southern Lachama valley to what was clearly Julian’s earlier camp site. Nevertheless,on the 7th October we chose to go anotherkilometre or so beyond this site to place ouradvanced base camp at 4,585m just beneath theterminal moraine. This camp gave a full view towhat we later referred to as False PK 5822 (as itsoon became clear that this was not the peakmarked as 5822m on the Finnish map)4 and thepass leading to its west face, as well as offering
Climbing steep moraine to the 5,201m pass

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the potential to explore routes to the southern arm of the Lachama Glacier.
Our first foray was to explore possible routes tothis pass, which lay due south of advanced basecamp. The initially complex moraine slowly
made way for easier boulder fields so that over a
period of days we eventually cairned an optimalroute to the 5,201m pass. A plethora of cairns
bore witness to the earlier presence of others at
this pass, although presumably they had not had
to contend with unstable snow-covered boulders
when they did so. It also seemed unlikely that
Derek with one of the many cairns on the passdomestic animals had made this ascent, though bycontrast, bear and snow leopard prints showed that wild animals certainly had.
It was not until 14th October, however, that withthe help of our high altitude Sherpas weeventually established a high camp at 5,120m in asnow scoop some 80m or so below the pass. Onceestablished in this camp we eventually decided
that any attempt on the west face of False PK
5822 (later identified as PK 5703)4 would belengthy and unlikely to succeed under theprevailing conditions. As an alternative weconsidered attempting one or other of the rocky High camp just below the passpeaks lying on a prominent ridge to the west of the pass. On the 15th October therefore, fourof us set out to investigate this option while Drew and Lorna
decided to return to ABC. Once again it was not easy terrain,
comprising snow-covered boulders all the way up to the ridge
itself. At this point we unfortunately reached an impasse below
the final tower when a short impending wall overlain withsnow stopped progress at 5,320m, just 20m short of thesummit. Following this disappointment we returned for anothercold night at highcamp prior to
relocating back to
ABC.
Beforefinally
Complex boulders leading to theestablishingaridgehigh camp below
the pass, various members of the team spent
several days investigating potential routes to the
Nick eying up the 20m impasse at 5,320m

7south Lachama Glacier. One attempt to follow
close to the glacial outlet itself bore little
promise as it was convoluted and hard goingfor over 2-3km without getting sufficiently
close to clean glacier to assess whether it did
indeed offer a way forward. An alternative
approach via the true right lateral moraine(which terminated at 5,100m) offered greater
promise, and even the chance of a camp sitehigh up in the ablation valley. However, fromneither high viewpoint did a realistic attempt
Complex ground beneath True PK 5822
on what we now believed to be True PK 58224 (see Appendix 1b) appear viable on accountof the multiple ice-falls that we would have to navigate in order to site a camp within striking
distance of the snowy summit. Reluctantly we decided to abandon any attempt on this peakand concentrate on those potentially more accessible from the pass mentioned above.
Now that both objectives that we had
considered prior to leaving the UK had been
investigated, and discounted, time was
beginning to run out and our options were
becoming limited. On 12th October, as part ofour acclimatisation regimen, we had
attempted to get as high as possible on the
rocky peaks to the north-east of advanced
base camp, but this too ended in failure when
it became clear that any potential summit was
still a long way off and involved considerable Mike & Nick high on NE slopes above ABC
distances over difficult terrain with no obvious places where a high camp could be sited.
As a result we all returned to base camp just as bad weather was forecast to find that one of
the mules had succumbed to what was thought to be a combination of the cold and eating
poisonous plants. It was a sad end to our climbing and time to return to Simikot.

Conclusion:
Far West Nepal remains a remote area to which only a limited number of mountaineers haveventured. Julian Freeman-Attwood is by far the most authoritative exponent who has a wealthof knowledge based on twelve expeditions over the last decade or so. His review1 is a mustfor anyone planning a visit. During our visit we were compromised on the approach march by
the late monsoon and the return of herders and animals from the high pastures, but our returnto Simikot was in sharp contrast. The track was then dry, there were few herders and the sun
shone. Under these conditions the Dojam valley is beautiful and the trek a delight. Once at
our advance base camp we found the climbing opportunities limited for a party with modest

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aspirations and manoeuvring over the interminable moraines was arduous in the extreme.
This is not an area for the faint hearted.

Bibliography & Notes:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Julian Freeman-Attwood, American Alpine Journal, 61, 82-103, 2019
Mick Fowler, Alpine Journal, 3-12, 120, 2016

Julian Freeman-Attwood, Alpine Journal, 107-116, 117, 2013
Following discussions with Julian Freeman-Attwood on our return to the UK we now
both conclude that Google Earth satellite images and the 1:25K Finnish terrestrial
maps convincingly show that the peak originally assigned as PK 5822 (now labelled
by us as False PK 5822) is, in fact, PK 5703. True PK 5822 lies higher in the glacialsystem and was originally identified as our secondary objective (see Appendix 1b).

Sponsors & Supporters:
The expedition was supported by the following sponsors to whom we are especially grateful:Montane Alpine Club Climbing Fund

MontaneMount Everest Foundation

Austrian Alpine Club
(UK)

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Appendix 1
Appendix 1a; 1:150,000 map showing the route to PK 5822.

Appendix 1b; Google Earth satellite image of the South Lachama Glacier with False
and True PK 5822 marked (note orientation of north)The Zhidio Glaciers

The eastern view of the Zhidio Glaciers as they appear just before
crossing the An yang qong chu river below the Riadong la.

Introduction
Subsequent to my article on Karakoram anomaly published in issue 54 of the Asian Alpine E News
this year (2019), I have now made a small study of the glaciers in the Zhidoi mountains on the
Qinghai Tibet plateau which I visited last year (2018). This study is rather different in that there are
no previous visits or studies of the area involved so nothing to base observations on. However the
study area is very small compared to the Karakoram so this means that a far larger part of thestudy area was actually observed. Unlike the Karakoram which has had many satellite image
based studies and also a few actual field observations, the Zhidoi Glaciers have had neither so it
has been an interesting exercise to look back through satellite time line images to see anychanges.

Study area
The Zhidoi Glaciers are based around the high point of peak 5876m at 33’34’24 N, 94’55’54 E, withthe closest town being Zhidoi. It is a small isolated glacial system located on the Qinghai/Tibet
Plateau with the closest other Glacial area’s in the Tangula mountains to the south and west.

Glacial study area is centred around point 5876m in the centre of this map – courtesy of Tom
Nakamura.

History and scope of previous studies.
Resources
Unlike the glacial regions in parts of the former British Empire which have been observed
intermittently now for more than 150 years the glaciers of political China have only been under
any sort of scientific observation since the mid 1950’s although real detailed reports in English
surface from the mid 1980’s onwards. The Karakoram, Pamir and Kunlun mountains (which all are
straddling or in the case of the Kunlun’s completely within Chinese frontiers) have had muchinternational interest with the research from numerous European and American sources whereas
the Chinese have largely ignored these ranges. Research and observations I have seen from(national) Chinese sources are largely concentrated to the far eastern side of their mountainregions. My own reading of these has been restricted to English language publications from China
and there maybe many others only available in Chinese. The Russians had sent clandestine highaltitude photo mapping aircraft over China during the 1970’s and at an altitude of 20000 m theymapped most of Central Asia. These maps are now available online. Although missing many
details, and sometimes very inaccurate with heights and hazy in outline they give a general
impression of ground features some 50 years ago. Satellite images from roughly 1984 are alsoavailable online – generally speaking those before the year 2000 are of mixed quality althoughmaybe there are some available to scientific bodies of better quality than I have seen. Currently
the Yandex satellite images from Russia provide the amateur with the best and latest imagery andthese seem to give very accurate details of ground features – unfortunately they have no time line
to observe previous images. Google Earth is generally of a much lower quality but does provide
historical images and 3d mapping to help in research. The Chinese military have also apparently
mapped topographically the whole of China in 1/50000 scale. Unfortunately these maps remain
the sole preserve of the party and military it being a criminal offence for the public to own one inChina although I have heard there is a black market trade in them. I have not seen one personally
but if they are indeed accurate they would be a primary resource in establishing past glacialconditions in China.

Observations in 2018
Below is a photo study of glaciers we visited in the Zhidoi system.

Recent (post 2016 ) Yandex satellite imagery of the 5 primary glaciers we observed Photos below
will refer to the numbers on each glacier as which one it was taken on.

Fresh snow on top of peak 5778m in July looking South . The majority of the precipitation in the
Glaciers falls between spring and autumn and winters are dry.

Looking down the Southern ridge of 5778m , peak centre left is 5774m which is the origin of No 1
glacier. Behind on the right is peak 5710m which is the source of glacier No 2.

Glacier No 1 is approximately 3.5 km’s long and 1 km wide and is surrounded by steep peaks.

The lower part of glacier No 1 was debris covered unlike the other glaciers we visited. The Glacierappears to be in regular state with neither recent advance nor regression apparent.

The snout of glacier No 2 is visible below us on peak 5778m. The snow peak centre is 5777m andthe rocky peak to right 5842m. No 2 glacier is only 2kms in length but over 2kms wide in its upper
portion.

Looking down into the wide upper section of No 2 glacier.

Looking at the south face of 5778m which hangs over No 2 glacier. South and east facing glaciers
are all generally much less well developed than the north and west ones.

Looking up valley to the outlet of Glacier No 2 with peak 5777 centre picture. This is the only
glacier of the 5 we didn’t physically stand on so observations are limited.

Old boulder and moraine fields start appearing almost immediately once one begins up the valley
to glacier no 3 – probably dating to the little ice age 150 years ago but perhaps even before that.

No 3 glacier – note the wasted appearance as it pulls away from the mountain walls indicatingrecession.

The upper neve of glacier no 3 still looks in good shape despite the lower tongue sections decline.

This huge crevasse almost a kilometer long and 50 meters or more deep splits the western upper
portion of number 3 glacier in half – process’s for forming such a massive split are unknown.

Looking down to the wide neve area with surrounding feeder peaks of No 3 glacier , there isplenty of fresh snow in midsummer – July.

The lower sections of No 3 glacier and some of the smaller hanging glaciers above it – the highest
peak 5876m is in the back ground.

Looking North on No 3 glacier at approx 5300m.

On the terminus of No 3 glacier – wasted sides and moraine debris lying higher than the ice plus
furrowed hillocks of moraine debris below the terminus are evidence of recent retreat.

No 4 glacier – ice rising on mountain flanks with no moraine debris suggests that the upperglacier is stable.

The upper neve portion of glacier No 4 is quite full as one would expect in midsummer when it
receives most of it’s snow fall.

View from summit of 5876m. All the glaciers visible in the photo face north wards and have fullsummer snow levels.

The glaciers further west (separated from the more eastern area we visited by a pass of just under
5400m) – at least 2 of the glaciers in this part of the system are as large or larger than glaciers 3
and 4 which are largest of the glaciers surrounding the highest peak of 5876m.

The glacier facing west below the main peak of 5876m.

On the col above glacier No 5 displaying some of the feeder peaks for the neve snow.

Looking down glacier no 5. Note the glacial lake and also moraines above it. The glacier seems
quite stable although retreat from past highs are evident.

Maps and Satellite imagery
Main system

Aerial map from Soviet Russia 1970’s

1986 December image, Google Earth (Note fresh snow fall)Latest image summer post 2016, Yandex

Close up 5 observed glaciers in the Zhidoi system

Close up 1986 of the 5 glaciers, Google EarthClose up post 2016, Yandexnote on above pictures – recent snow fall on the murky 1986 Google earth map which is a winterpicture where as the Yandex photo is a summer picture and very clear .This has somewhat
increased the area in white on the 1986 photo and also length of shadows is quite different withthe seasons but all in all I think one can tell the actual Glacial area’s in the 2 photos. The Yandex
photo definitely has more rock showing indicating generally retreating conditions over the last 30
years.

Conclusion
In July 2018 we visited the Glaciers that descend around peak 5876m and other mountains
located at 33’34’24 N, 94’55’54 E approx 70kms SW of Zhidoi. Whilst there we observed
and photographed the glaciers surrounding the highest mountains although further west
there are also substantial glaciers that maybe even larger in area which we only observed
from a distance. Of the Glaciers we saw listed numbers 1 to 5 in the photos above. All theglaciers had been substantially longer in the past, perhaps as recently as the period known
as the “Little Ice Age’ that saw most glaciers in the region reach there largest post Glacialmaximum (14000 years ago) of size as recently as 100 – 150 years ago – old moraines were
evidence of this. Generally the changes haven't been large making it difficult to accesssome of them.
The glaciers we observed are as below.
No 3 glacier showed evident recent retreat especially around the terminus and wastage
away from the rock faces that enclose it. No substantial lateral moraines were visible
however. Satellite images confirm this wastage and thinning and visible wasting on thelower glacier over the last 30 years and there has also been a minor retreat of theterminus up valley. The upper neve portion of the No 3 Glacier is largely unchanged
although shows some regression with more rock visible.
Glaciers No 2, 4 and 5 looked full in the upper neve sections and relatively stable –satellite images suggested a minor thinning in the last 30 years with a small retreat of theglacier terminus on glacier No 2. On No 4 and 5 glacier’s the glacial terminus position’s
remain unchanged.
Glacier No 1 seemed to be stable from our observations and satellite images tend to
confirm thisSatellite observations of the general Zhidoi Glacial systems (ie the total area rather than
the 5 we visited) over 30 plus years show that Towards the north the glacial areas are largely unchanged on satellite maps showing aminor recession with variations on some individual glaciers however those to the south
generally are visibly smaller in area and the rescission is more pronounced . This tends toconfirm what most satellite studies have shown on glacial systems in Eastern China –Glacial changes are not homogeneous over any one glacial system and there is a North –South and often East - West imbalance where although glacial area is generally declining
its far more evident in the SE than NW. Some individual glaciers may even be expanding.
The Tibetan plateau is the heart of many different weather systems and on the South andEastern sides is heavily influenced by the monsoon which drops most of it’s precipitationin the summer – when also most of the ablation occurs. The north and west is heavily
dominated by the westerlies which are usually dropping their precipitation in winter.
However the Zhidio glacier’s are towards the east of Chinese glacial areas and thus receive
most of their snow fall in summer. Additionally precipitation through out the plateau
increases with altitude. Precipitation has been rising on the plateau but temperature has
also been rising over the eastern parts in particular. Some areas of the Zhidoi glaciers(particularly at lower altitude and on the southern side) have shrunk in recent decades
suggesting the increase in precipitation and therefore snow is not as great as thetemperature rise. Other factors may also influence glacial development – even subtle longterm wind direction changes will place snow in different areas that will change nevesupply. Long term weather patterns with the weakening monsoon and strengthening
westerlies may also start playing a part in the glaciers of Eastern China.

FutureBeing small in area and largely overshadowed by nearby massifs like Geladaindong which
has had research done on it since the 1980’s the Zhidoi glaciers are unlikely to garnermuch attention from the scientific community in the future- many other much moresignificant glacial areas currently attract no attention. This leaves the area to the amateur
observer for anytime in the foreseeable future. Although fast changing by geologicalstandards most glacial change is still relatively small over a human lifetime meaning one
normally has to wait some years for change. Visiting the glacial area again in perhaps 10
years would be the first step towards witnessing any glacial movement. For the amateur
without quality satellite images and other advanced equipment to rely on (and mis
interpret data from!) an actual revisit to the glaciers would be necessary. With close to
one hundred photos of the region from this trip a very useful re-evaluation could be done
after a 10 year period. Regarding making time lines of past photos and accounts European
travellers, adventures and explorers in the late 19th and early 20th century left detailed
reports and more importantly photographs which when compared to modern reports andphotographs provide useful insight’s into changing conditions. When the sites are
physically revisited today the information gleaned is of an excellent nature – the Rongbuk
glacier on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest and the Baltoro Glacier provide primeexamples of how photo’s and eyewitness reports from 100 years ago can be comparedwith the present Most of the areas photographed in China during initial explorations are
rarely visited today (for political reasons alone most are inaccessible) which currently
makes this a limited source of information but definitely a great prospect for future
research – perhaps not on the Zhidoi system which as far as we know was unvisited
before our trip but on many other glacial areas in China.

Appendix 1
Notes on Chinese mountains and glaciers.
China is vast in size comprising of many climatic zones and geological areas – only afraction of which has seen any research. The majority of research in China has been in the
more easily accessible eastern areas with a few small efforts also in the north west of
China and Tibetan plateau. South west China where the largest glacial masses lie – ie
Karakoram, Pamir and Kunlun mountains remain almost unstudied by the Chinese andhere one needs to seek international research sources. As elsewhere most papers have

been composed of satellite image observations and despite pleas in these same scientificpapers for more on the ground research little has been done in that regard apart fromsome very large expeditions usually taking glacial core samples on the Tibetan plateau or
Kunlun mountains. Fortunately for the study of the Zhidoi glaciers one of the few plateau
areas that has been studied and with permanent weather stations in close proximity is the
Geladaindong ice massif in the Tangula mountains and source of the Yangtze river. This isroughly 350kms due west of the Zhidoi glaciers on the same plateau area and they sharemany of the same characteristics.

General outline of China’s glacial systems
The Tibetan plateau which ranges in altitudes of between 3 -5000 meters and themountains that surround it have often been called the third pole – the largest glaciatedarea outside the polar circles. The Tibetan Plateau is the highest plateau on the earth andstretches from the southern margin of the Himalayas to the north, to the Kunlun
Mountains, the Altun Mountains, and the northern margin of the Qilian Mountains. In thewest, the Pamir and Karakoram Ranges, and the east and north-east connect with thewestern section of the Qinling Mountains and the Loess Plateau. The plateau itself ispermafrost – ie the water is frozen in the ground so the actual amount of ice on theplateau are is far greater than observable from the air. The glaciers to the east including
the those in the Himalayas's are called maritime glaciers and are largely feed in thesummer by the Asian monsoon. This is also when the most ablation or snow loss occurs so
although the eastern mountains and Himalayas receive the highest precipitation they
have generally much smaller glacial areas than the mountains in the west. The largest
glacial areas are in the west , the Karakoram , Pamir and Kunlun . These are continental
glaciers – and in the case of the Kunlun polar continental. The main precipitation is in thewinter and at high altitude and little or no ablation takes place so although lessprecipitation takes place than in the mountains in the east more actually turns to ice. The
Tibetan mountains in the centre can be effected by both summer monsoonal systems andwinter continental systems. The Zhidio system is eastern central with most precipitation
falling in summer.

Appendix 2
General characteristics of Geladaindong ice massif of the Tangula
mountains.
The Tangula mountain range stretches over 500kms in a general south east to north west
direction. Geladaindong at 6621m on the North Western end of the range is the highest
known peak in the range which has at least 30 peaks over 6000m and several large
glaciated areas and many minor ones scattered throughout the range.

The area surrounding Geladaindong is the largest glacier area in the Tangula mountains
approx 800 square kms in area from the glacial area of the Tangula range’s total glacial
area of 2215 km squared. Much of the range remains unvisited by either mountaineers or
scientific groups although towns lie on the lower southern reaches and nomads dwell on
the plateau during summer. Studies of the Geladaindong massif which is easily accessible
from the Xining – Lhasa highway G109 and now the Qinghai – Tibet railway began in the
1980’s and with several subsequent studies and also with metrological stations all quite
close by (by the standards of Western China ) one indeed being in Zhadoi close to theZhidoi glaciers. It could be said that the Geladaingdong massif is the most well monitoredof all the glacial systems on the Tibetan plateau. After 35 years of attention these basic
observations have been made.
The Tanggula Mountains serve as a geographical boundary between the continental
climate and the summer Indian monsoon over the Tibetan Plateau. The north is subject tocontinental air masses, whereas the south is influenced by air masses from the summer
monsoon.
The Tangula mountains are on the transitional belt between the subcontinental- andmaritime-type glaciers and mean temperature near the snowline is –6.0 to –7.0 °C.
Glaciers on the south side of the Tanggula mountains depend mainly on water vapour
transported from the south and south-east. The moisture source for the glaciers on thenorth side is from the east. Precipitation increases with altitude in the glaciated areas. An
estimated annual accumulation in the firn areas is about 400 to 600 mm of waterequivalent. The Geladaindong region has a cold, dry climate and the glaciers in the region
can be classified as continental (some researchers class them as polar continental). The
present climatic conditions result in a negative mass budget for most glaciers.
From 1970 to 2009 a tendency for glacial retreat was accompanied by several growing
glaciers – overall the glaciers shrunk faster in the period 1970 -1992 than 1992 thru to
2009. During that time there was a tendency to warmer conditions.
Between 1969 and 2002 the surface area of the Geladaingdong glaciers decreased from
889 km squared to 847km squared - minus % 4.8
Interestingly one study found that
“we detected glacier thinning at lower elevations while a simultaneous glacier thickening
was observed at higher elevations - The same altitude depended pattern is found for the
Tanggula Mountains.
From – “ Glacier mass changes on the Tibetan Plateau 2003–2009 derived from ICESat
laser altimetry measurements”
by N Neckel, J Kropáček, T Bolch, and V HochschildThis is strikingly similar to what we observed – the upper areas of the Zhidoi glaciers werevery evidently full whereas the lower parts often shrinking!!

Appendix 3
References“Different observations regarding glacier mass balance on the Tibetan Plateau remain at
odds with one another ……… Recently, numerous studies have examined the mass loss of
glaciers in high mountain areas, but their results have been considerably divergent. The
glacier mass budget derived from elevation differences is highly correlated to glacier area.
However, estimates of glacier area over the Pamir–Karakoram–Himalaya–Nyenchen
Tanglha (PKHN) vary from 21000 km3 (Neckel et al. 2014) to 79500 km3 (Gardner etal.2013) owing to an incomplete glacier inventory or erroneous interpretations of theglacier inventory”
From - Consistent interannual changes in glacier mass balance and their relationship withclimate variation on the periphery of the Tibetan Plateau, from the Geophysical journalinternational by Qiuyu Wang, Shuang Yi and Wenke Sun (please note the authors of thearticle have put km3 but area would be km2 – a typo presumably)

There is now an enormous amount of research on glaciers throughout China , althoughlargely concentrating on eastern China but as these authors of the paper above mention,
results have been considerably divergent and conclusions often more so (to the point
where results and conclusions often contradict each other – sometimes even in the same
article!!). I read about 30 scientific papers on the subject before writing this article andgleaned some generalisations such as a NW/SE imbalance in glacial mass gain/ loss– ageneral warming and increasing precipitation on the plateau and also increasing
precipitation at height (but decreasing precipitation in the eastern Himalayas due toweakening monsoon) that most studies but not all agree on. Much more than that andresults are non homogenous. Recently new satellite's have been launched including the
GRACE twin gravitational research satellites and the ICE land elevation research satellites
but if anything increasing information has lead to even more divergent results!! For theamateur ploughing through all this information it can be disconcerting to realise how little
is known and how much is speculation and computer modelling. That been said it makes
interesting reading and a quick internet search will reveal many free articles online andassociated articles not necessarily devoted to glaciology often reveal the best information.
A good starting place is Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research found athttps://www.tandfonline.com/toc/uaar20/current

Mount Everest Deaths
Statistics by Year (1922-2019)
July 26, 2019July 25, 2019 by Chris M. Merritt

Scaling Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world at an elevation of
8,848 meters, is the ultimate accomplishment for any mountaineer.
Hundreds of aspirants from around the world attempt to conquer themountain every year. Unfortunately, not all of them succeed, owing to
the treacherous weather conditions and high altitude.
These adversities make climbing Mount Everest one of the biggest feats
possible for a human. The ascent puts your physical and psychologicalcapabilities to the test, and the climb is not an easy task by any means. A
single mistake can take your life while attempting to get to the top of theworld.

People started trying to get to the top of Everest since 1922. While somehave successfully achieved the feat, many of them have ended their lives
during the attempt.
Around 300+ climbers have met with their end on Mount Everest till
now. The fatality stat provided is the total death count from 1922 to May
2019.
Below is a more comprehensive statistic on Mount Everest deaths.

Year-by-Year Death Toll On Mount
Everest1922
The year 1922 marked the first mountaineering expedition which aimed
at making the first ascent of Mount Everest. The expedition was called
the British Mount Everest Expedition. Sadly, 7 Nepali climbers lost theirlives during the attempt.
(Source: Life and Death on Mt. Everest: Sherpas and Himalayan
Mountaineering (2001 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)

1924
Two years later was the second British Mount Everest with the goal ofachieving the first ascent of Mount Everest. This time too, 4 climbers, 2each from Nepal and Britain faced tragic death on their way to thesummit.

(Source: Unsworth, Walt (2000). Everest: the mountaineeringhistory (2000 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)

1934
One British mountaineer died in the year 1934 while attempting a solo
expedition. Marice Wilson, the ill-fated aviator attempted to climb
Mount Everest to promote his belief that the world’s problem could be
solved by a combination of fasting and faith in God.
(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)(Source: Unsworth, Walt (2000). Everest: the mountaineeringhistory (2000 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

1952
A Nepali climber named Dorje Mingma lost his life on Mount Everest
during a Swiss Expedition in 1952. The cause of death was reported as
falling ice.
(Source: Unsworth, Walt (2000). Everest: the mountaineeringhistory (2000 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)

1960
In the year 1960, 2 Chinese climbers faced tragic death during the
Chinese Mount Everest Expedition. The expedition was the first to
successfully ascent Mount Everest via the North Ridge.
(Source:
http://www.everestnews2004.com/malloryandirvine2004/deathsnort
hside.htm)(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)

1962
One Nepali climber lost his life on Mount Everest in the year 1962. He
breathed his last in the Lhotse Face.
(Source: Kohli, M.S. (2000). Nine Atop Everest: Spectacular Indian
Ascent (2000 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)

1963During the year 1963, the United States’ citizen, Jake Breitenbach diedbeing crushed under a serac. Jake was part of the Norman Dyhrenfurth’s
American Mount Everest Expedition.
(Source: Hornbein, Thomas F. (1998). Everest: the west ridge (1998ed.))(Source: Fisher, James F. (1990). Sherpas: reflections on change in
Himalayan Nepal (1990 ed.))(Source: Potterfield, Peter; Hornbein, Tom (2003). Everest: Volume 4 of
The Mountaineers anthology series(2003 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)

1966
The year 1966 saw the death of one Chinese mountaineer. The deceased
climber, Ma Gao-Shu was part of a Chinese Everest Expedition.
(Source:
http://www.everestnews2004.com/malloryandirvine2004/deathsnort
hside.htm)(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm)

1969Nepali mountain climber Phu Dorje met with his death by falling into acrevasse in the year 1969. He was a part of the Japanese Everest
Expedition.
(Source: Unsworth, Walt (2000). Everest: the mountaineeringhistory (2000 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1970
The year 1970 saw 7 unfortunate fatalities. Among the deceased
climbers of the Japanese Skiing Expedition, 6 were Nepali while one
belonged to Japan.
(Source: Unsworth, Walt (2000). Everest: the mountaineeringhistory (2000 ed.))(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1971
In 1971, a leading mountaineer of India, Harsh Vardhan lost his life on
Mount Everest after being suspended above a crevasse during a
blizzard. Harsh, who was military personnel, was a part of theInternational Expedition of 1971.

(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1972
An Australian citizen, Tony Tighe met with his death while
mountaineering on Everest. He was crushed under a block of glacial ice.
(Source: http://english.cri.cn/6966/2009/07/03/1361s498617.htm)(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1973
In the year 1973, a Nepali climber Jangbu lost his life on Mount Everest.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1974
A total of 6 mountain climbers lost their lives on Mount Everest in theyear 1974. Among the dead, 5 were Nepali citizens while one was aFrench national. The group was a part of the French West Ridge Direct
Expedition.

(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1975
A Chinese mountaineer lost his life on Mount Everest in the year 1975.
Another English climber, who was part of the Bonongton’s 1975 Everest
Expedition, met with his demise in the month of September.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1976
The year 1976 saw the demise of one English climber, who was a part ofthe British-Nepal Army Everest Expedition.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1978
In the year 1978, 2 mountaineers lost their lives while climbing Mount
Everest. One of the deceased was a Nepali citizen while the other one
was from China.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1979
A total of 6 mountaineers died on Mount Everest during the year 1979.
Among the dead, 3 were from China while one-each were from Nepal,
West Germany, and the United States.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1980
In the year 1980, 3 mountaineers lost their lives in the quest ofconquering Mount Everest. Among the deceased, one Nepali and an
Italian climber belonged to the Italian Expedition. Meanwhile, the othervictim was from Japan and was part of the Japanese Alpine Society
Expedition.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1981
A Japanese climber of the Japanese Winter Expedition, Noboru Takenaka
lost his life on Mount Everest in the year 1981.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1982
The count of Mount Everest bodies reached 11 in the year 1982. Amongthe dead, 5 were Nepali citizens. Besides, 2 belonged to Japan and theother 2 were from the United Kingdom. Additionally, one American and
one Canadian native died on Mount Everest.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1983
During the 1983 climbing season, one Nepali and 2 Japanese climbers
lost their lives while trying to conquer the highest peak in the world. All
the deceased were part of the Japanese Expedition.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1984
The death toll of Everest climbers reached 8 in the climbing season of
1984. Three Nepalis and 2 Australian mountaineers lost their precious
lives. Also, one each from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, and the United
Kingdom were among the dead.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1985
The year 1985 saw 7 demises while trying to conquer Mount Everest.
Among the casualties, 5 were from India. They were all part of the
Indian Expedition. Besides, one Spanish and one Japanese climber met
with a tragic end during their Everest expedition.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1986
In the year 1986, 4 mountaineers met with their end on Mount Everest.
Among them, 2 were Nepalis while the other 2 belonged to Chile andSwitzerland.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1987
The Everest death toll in 1987 reached 4. Among the deceased, 2 wereNepalis, one was from Japan and the other belonged to Canada.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1988
Four Nepalis and 4 Czechoslovakian citizens lost their lives while
climbing Mount Everest in the year 1988. In addition, 2 more citizens
belonging to Japan and France breathed their last on Everest, taking thedeath toll to 10.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1989
In the year 1989, 8 mountain climbers lost their lives on Mount Everest.
Among the deceased, 5 belonged to Poland. Meanwhile, 2 of them wereNepali citizens whereas one was from Yugoslavia.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1990
The count of Everest fatalities in 1990 reached 4. Amidst the deceased, 2were Nepali nationals. Additionally, one was a Spanish citizen while theother was part of the Japanese Korean Expedition, who belonged toSouth Korea.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1991
In the year 1991, 2 mountaineers, each belonging to Germany and Japan,
lost their lives on Mount Everest.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1992
The Everest death toll in 1992 reached 5. Three of those dead wereIndians. Aside from that, one belonged to Nepal and another was fromJapan.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1993
In the quest of climbing Mount Everest, 8 people lost their lives in theyear 1993. The dead included 4 Nepalis including Pasang Lhamu Sherpa,
the first Nepali woman to scale Everest, and 2 South Korean climbers.
Besides, one belonged to the United States and the eighth dead body wasof a Spanish native.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1994
The year 1994 saw 5 mountaineers meet an untimely death at thehighest peak in the world. Among them, 2 belonged to Nepal.
Additionally, the remaining fatalities included one-each from Taiwan,
Italy, and Australia.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1995
Three Nepali citizens met their final destination on Mount Everest
during the climbing season of 1995. Amidst the fatalities, 2 were part of
the South Korean Expedition while the remaining one was part of theAmerican Expedition.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1996
The year 1996 is considered the darkest time in Mount Everest history.
During this time, 15 of the climbers faced an untimely death en route to
the highest peak in the world. Among the casualties, 3-each belonged to
Nepal and India. Besides, 2-each were from the United States and New
Zealand. Apart from that, Japan, France, Austria, Taiwan, and the United
Kingdom lost one citizen each.

(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1997
During the 1997 Mount Everest expedition, 3 Russian and 2 English
climbers faced an untimely death. Apart from that, 2 more mountaineers
who belonged to Nepal met a sad end at the top of the world. Moreover,one South Korean and one German climber lost their life taking thedeath count to 9.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1998
Two of the American natives carrying out the Russian/French
Expedition lost their lives on Mount Everest during the year 1998.
Besides, the death of one English and one New Zealand native took the
total death toll to 4.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )1999

The year 1999 saw 4 fatalities of climbers belonging to 4 different
countries. The casualties were from Ukraine, Poland, Belgium, and theUnited Kingdom.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )2000
One climber from Denmark and China each died on Mount Everest in theyear 2000.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )2001
The Everest death toll in 2001 reached 5. The deceased belonged to fivedifferent countries namely Nepal, Austria, Australia, Russia, and
Hungary.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )2002

During the year 2002, 3 mountain climbers sacrificed their lives on
Mount Everest. Among the deceased, one each belonged to France,
Yugoslavia, and the United Kingdom.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )2003
Among the 4 fatalities of the 2003 Mount Everest expedition, 2 were of
Nepali nationality. The rest 2 of the dead belonged to European
countries France and Poland.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )2004
Three members of the South Korean Expedition lost their lives in questof conquering Mount Everest in 2004. Similarly, 2 Bulgarian citizens andone climber from Japan and the United States each faced an untimely
death taking the fatality count to 7.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)(Source:
http://www.everesthistory.com/everestsummits/summitsbyyear.htm )2005

The year 2005 recorded the total Mount Everest fatality of 6, one
climber each from Canada, the United States, Slovenia, India, Germany,and the United Kingdom.
(Source:
http://www.everestnews.com/stories2005/deathsoneverest2005u060
92005.htm)(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

2006
A total of 11 bodies was found on Mount Everest in the year 2006.
Among the deceased, 4 were from Nepal. The other dead were from
France, India, Sweden, Brazil, Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
(Source:http://www.greatoutdoors.com/published/dispatch-20-davehahn-on-the-tragic-death-of-ang-phinjo-sherpa)(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

2007
Two climbers, each from Japan and South Korea lost their lives on
Mount Everest. Besides, one mountaineer from Nepal, Italy, and theCzech Republic each faced untimely death, taking the total fatality countto 7.
(Source:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/everestfatilities.shtml)

2008
A Swiss native, Uwe Gianni Goltz faced a tragic death due to exhaustionin the year 2008. Uwe was part of the Sherpas documentary team.

(Source: http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/sherpas-find-body-of-swisskilled-on-everest/8863530)

2009
The year 2009 recorded a fatality count of 4. The climbers from Nepal,
China, Canada, and the Czech Republic lost their lives on Mount Everest.
(Source: http://giladstern.co.za/Everest%202009%20Report.htm)

2010
The 4 Everest fatalities in 2010 included Hungarian, Japanese, Danish,
and English citizens.
(Source: http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2010/06/03/everest2010-season-recap-2/)

2011
In the year 2011, 5 climbers lost their lives on Mount Everest. Amongthe fatalities, 2 of them were from Japan. Besides, one mountaineer eachfrom Nepal, Ireland, and the United States each faced a tragic death in
the summit.
(Source:https://nationalpost.com/news/world/american-doctor-andtwo-other-climbers-die-on-mount-everest-officials)

2012
During the 2012 Everest climbing season, 11 climbers including 3
Nepali and 2 German natives met their final destination. The remaining
casualties were from India, Canada, South Korea, China, Cambodia, andSpain.
(Source:http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2012/05/22/everest2012-north-side-deaths-bring-total-to-11/)

2013
Five among 9 dead in the 2013 Mount Everest expedition were Nepalis.
Additionally, 2 fatalities were from Russia and the others from South
Korea and Bangladesh.
(Source: http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2013/06/03/everest2013-season-recap/)2014
One of the most tragic deaths on Mount Everest was recorded in theyear 2014. 16 Nepali climbers lost their lives to an avalanche. Besides,
another Nepali mountaineer lost his life to High-altitude Pulmonary
Edema (HAPE).
(Source:https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/24/finalmoments-of-tragic-mount-everest-team-climb-revealed/)2015
A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal in April 2015. The
natural calamity triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest taking thedeath toll to 22. Among the deceased, 11 belonged to Nepal while 4
were American natives. Besides, one climber from India, Australia,
China, Vietnam, and Japan each lost their lives.
(Source: http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2015/04/27/everest2015-ebc-death-update/ )2016
In the year 2016, 7 of the mountain climbers faced untimely death on
Mount Everest. Among the deceased were 3 Indians, one Australian, one
Dutch, one Canadian, and one Nepali citizen.

(Source: http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2016/05/31/everest2016-normal-season/)

2017
The Everest death toll in 2017 reached 5. One climber each from Nepal,
Australia, Slovakia, India, and the United States lost their lives.
(Source: https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/american-climberdies-on-mt-everest/)(Source: https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2017/05/21/everest2017-death-summits-thefts/)

2018
In 2018, five mountaineers died while trying to conquer the highest
peak. The recovered dead bodies were of 3 Nepali natives, one
Macedonian and one Japanese citizen.
(Source: http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2017/12/17/everest-bythe-numbers-2018-edition/)

2019
As per the statistics obtained in May 2019, 12 people have already losttheir lives on Mount Everest. The first found body was of a solo hikerfrom the United States. Besides, 4 Indian climbers breathed their last on
Everest. Additionally, 2 mountaineers from Ireland and one climbereach from Nepal, Austria, and the United Kingdom lost their lives. In themeantime, another US citizen lost his life to altitude sickness. The lastfound body was of an American climber Christopher John Kulish, who
was found dead on 27 May 2019.
(Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48407433)

Mount Everest Death Statistics Table By
Nationality
SN

Nationality

Death Count

1

Nepal

115

2

India

24

3

Japan

21

4

United States

19

5

United Kingdom

18

6

China

12

7

South Korea

118

Australia

89Germany

7

10

Poland7

11

Russia7

12

Canada6

SN

Nationality

Death Count

13

Czechoslovakia

5

14France

5

15

Spain

4

16

Austria3

17

Bulgaria

3

18

Ireland

3

19

Italy

3

20

New Zealand3

21

Czech Republic2

22

Denmark

2

23

Hungary

2

24

Switzerland

2

25

Taiwan2

26

Yugoslavia

2

SN

Nationality

Death Count

27

Bangladesh

128

Belgium

1

29

Brazil130

Cambodia

1

31

Chile

1

32

Macedonia

1

33

Netherlands

1

34

Slovakia

1

35

Slovenia1

36

Sweden1

37

Ukraine138

Vietnam1

39

Unknown1

Major Cause 0f Death
Avalanche and falling are the major cause of death on Mount Everest. As
per the stats, around 68 climbers have met with their demise due to
Avalanche on the highest peak. Besides, the death toll from falling stays
at around 67.
The most unusual death of Mount Everest has been that of the U.S.
astronaut, Karl Gordon Henize. Karl was on a mission to study radiation
but unfortunately lost his life to severe High-altitude Pulmonary Edemaon 5 October 1993.

In Conclusion
It has almost been a century since the mountain climbers started their
mission to conquer the highest peak in the world. While some havesuccessfully achieved this feat, many of them have died trying to pursue
their dream.
You can find contradicting stats from different sources if you look forthe actual Mount Everest death statistics. It is because more bodies,
which are nearly a century old, are still being recovered in the present
time.

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Table of Content [hide]
Year-by-Year Death Toll On Mount Everest• 1922• 1924• 1934• 1952• 1960• 1962• 1963• 1966

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1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005

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• 2007• 2008• 2009• 2010• 2011• 2012• 2013• 2014• 2015• 2016• 2017• 2018• 2019
Mount Everest Death Statistics Table By Nationality
Major Cause of DeathIn Conclusion
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