Crossing Crevasses on a Mount Everest Expedition
The most iconic and terrifying part of a Mount Everest expedition is crossing bottomless crevasses on horizontal aluminum ladders. It is a test of balance and nerves on the way to the Mount Everest summit.
Walking on a ladder with crampons is unnatural. You must place your feet precisely on the rungs. It is a technical skill that climbers practice at Everest Base Camp before entering the Icefall.
While on the ladder, you are clipped into two safety ropes. Even if you slip, the lines will catch you. However, the psychological challenge of the drop below is a major part of the Everest trekking peak experience.
Sometimes, ladders are lashed together to scale vertical ice walls. This 'engineering on the fly' is what allows Mount Everest expedition teams to navigate the ever-shifting Khumbu Icefall.
Ladder walking is a rite of passage. Once you master the Icefall, you are one step closer to the Mount Everest summit.
