The Most Famous Obstacle on the Mount Everest Summit Ridge
The Hillary Step was a 12-meter vertical rock face near the summit, the last defense of the mountain. Since the 2015 earthquake, reports say it has changed. What does this mean for your Mount Everest expedition?
Climbers confirm the rock face has collapsed into a snow slope. It is technically easier to climb now but potentially more dangerous as loose rocks make it unstable. It remains a bottleneck on the Everest summit ridge.
Because it is a narrow choke point, climbers often wait here for hours. This wait in the Death Zone is dangerous. The change in topography hasn't solved the crowding issue on popular Everest expedition days.
Named after Sir Edmund Hillary, it was the key to the first ascent. Even if the rock is gone, the name and the legend remain. Passing it means you are minutes away from the Mount Everest summit.
The mountain changes, but the challenge remains. The Hillary Step is a reminder that nothing on Everest is permanent.
