Witnessing Climate Change on Your Everest Trek
The Khumbu Glacier, the foundation of Everest Base Camp, is thinning at an alarming rate. For anyone on an Everest trekking journey, the signs of climate change are visible and sobering.
Areas that were once pure blue ice are now covered in dirt and rock. This debris accelerates the melting by trapping heat, a major concern for the future of Mount Everest expeditions.
As the glacier moves faster and melts, the Khumbu Icefall becomes more unstable. This makes the work of setting the Mount Everest summit route more dangerous and complex every year.
The melting glaciers are the primary water source for the villages along the Everest trekking trails. Protecting these 'water towers' is essential for the survival of the Sherpa culture.
Seeing the melting glacier firsthand turns every Mount Everest expedition member into an environmental advocate. We must protect the Mount Everest summit for the future.
