Nepalese officials and climbers on April 24 said that an ice block about 30m high above the base camp blocked the movement of the Sherpas, who are responsible for fixing ropes, installing ladders and setting safe routes through the Khumbu icefall area to Camp II. This crack has no possible path to cross, causing the entire progress to be stalled.
Mr. Garrett Madison, who leads the international expedition, said that this situation has affected the schedules of all expeditions. He assessed that the ice block could collapse at any time and is also likely to prolong the waiting time.
The Everest summit conquest season usually takes place from April to May, the time with the most favorable weather conditions. According to Mr. Himal Gautam of the Nepal Tourism Authority, the climbing route is usually opened on the third week of April. If the ice mass melts or collapses in time, the Sherpas can complete the road opening so that the climbing groups can continue their journey as planned.
In case of prolonged deadlock, authorities will send more Sherpas to assess risks and find alternatives. Currently, a group of 8 people are on duty at the base camp to handle the situation.
Mr. Mingma Sherpa, who has conquered Everest 11 times, said that altitude adaptation activities and transportation of equipment to higher camps have been delayed.
