Say "Glacier Doctor" on Everest

In each climbing season, we often hear the name “Glacier Doctor” in the report about climbing on the south side of Mount Everest, but who they are and what they do not always clearly explain. However, they have played a crucial role in climbing the world’s highest peak.

There are many different routes to climb Mount Everest to choose from, but most climbers will choose to climb along the northeastern ridge line of Tibet or the traditional southern route of Nepal. Both routes have their own obstacles to overcome. In fact, no one is easier than the other. But on the south side of the mountain there is a "particularly tricky" road that brings fear and death to the climbers. This is the Khumbu Glacier, which is often described as the most dangerous part of the climb.

When considering the most dangerous part of Mount Everest, I, like most people, think that it will be on slopes above 8000 meters (26,246 feet). After understanding through various channels at home and abroad, most of the articles found that most of the articles were marked on the Khumbu Glacier at an altitude of 5400-5900 meters instead of the “death zone” of about 8,000 meters. Since records have been recorded, 80 climbing accidents have occurred on the southern slope of Mount Everest, of which 30% are on the Khumbu Glacier.

The reason why the Khumbu Glacier is difficult is that it often takes away the life of the climber because of frequent avalanches, ice collapses, slipping into the gaps in the ice, and linking cracks in the ice. At the same time, the melting of glaciers and the movement of the season made the Khumbu Glacier even more unpredictable. In the 14th year, the avalanche of the Khumbu Glacier claimed 16 Sherpas.

While climbing Mount Everest, climbers on their way to Camp 1 must pass this glaciers. In order to ensure the passage and safety of climbers, a lifeline must be built here. However, the unstable and changing geography requires that the road be repaired and maintained every year. At this time, our "Glacier Doctor" will appear. Now. They are a trained team of Sherpas who will enter the deadly icefall and carefully look for a safe route to the other side.

Before the year 2000, mountaineering expeditions will face the daunting task here. Usually they will unite together and employ a team of highly skilled Sherpas who are skilled in climbing. They install ropes to help climbers pass. In 2000, the SPCC (Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee) took over the task of repairing roads at the request of the Nepalese government. Every spring, the Everest Climbing Season SPCC will charge a fixed amount ($600/person) to all teams that climb Mount Everest to pay for the glacier doctor's road costs. They set up ropes and ladders for climbers on the Khumbu Glacier, which spreads over ice towers and ice cracks. When the business team started the mountain climbing activities, they helped the climbers walk along the ropes through the icefall and walked them very carefully after them.

Glossary: ​​Who are Icefall doctors?

Icefall doctors are highlyskilled, courageous and expedition experienced Sherpas who make and maintainthe Khumbu Icefall Route.

What is a glacier doctor?

Dr. Glacier is a Sherpa who has extensive experience in climbing and courage and adventure in the construction and maintenance of the Khumbu Glacier line.

Because of the instability of the icefall, it is changing throughout the climbing season. The glacier doctor's job is to maintain the glacier route here and ensure that all climbers have the opportunity to pass safely up the mountain. So when most climbers are trying to reduce their passage through this dangerous climbing section, these brave Sherpa teams will enter the glaciers every day to make sure that after the night passed, the roads that were closed yesterday did not change. Safe and workable.

After the Glacier team opened up a new route that was not used in the past in 2015, they gradually became the topic of discussion. Until then, the path through the icefall in the left area of ​​the glacier, although shortening the time spent on glaciers, needed to pass. An area that is more unstable and prone to avalanches. In order to avoid a repeat of the tragedy of the previous year, the glacier doctors moved the new route to the central area of ​​the glacier, where the mountains were more stable and less likely to collapse. Although a bit long, a safer route requires more ice cracks placed through more ladders.

The powerful and brave team of "Glacier Doctor" saw his work very seriously. They continue their work day after day in each climbing season. Unless an accident occurs, external media rarely mention them, but for each mountaineering team, these glacier doctors are the most important people there.

When it comes to this, you have to mention the "heart and soul" of the team of former Glaciers doctors - Ang Nima Sherpa.

Annyma Sherpa, the team leader of the Glaciologist, has been responsible for road construction for 25 years. He searches for, establishes and maintains the safest corridor within the Khumbu Glacier every year before the Everest and Lhotse climbing season begins. This is really an amazing record. In the two months of the spring season of Mount Everest, he risked his life almost every day and entered the Khumbu Glacier road. January 25, 2013 died at home, at the age of 59. He is also the longest working glacier doctor. In 1975, he entered the Khumbu Glacier for the first time with a mountain expedition. In the next 30 years, he has experienced almost all the major routes of Everest.

No matter how hard it is, he never complains. Whenever a climber complains about how dangerous the road ahead of them is, he always laughs and says 'Everywhere danger!' There is danger everywhere!

The Khumbu Glacier is the most dangerous part of the Everest climbing route. Without the unremitting efforts of the “Ice Doctor”, it is almost impossible for most climbers to climb Mount Everest or Lhotse. The glacier changes almost every day, which means that glacier doctors must constantly check their route throughout the season to make sure it is accessible. This is an extremely dangerous job. Glaciologists need calm minds and strong wills. Annyma Sherpa is the best leader among them. His death is a loss to the entire mountaineering community.

Passing through the “terrorist glacier” and passing over 8,000 meters of dead zone, he is still eager to reach the peak under the state of oxygen deficiency less than 1/3 of the sea level and low air pressure, and he has courage, endurance and determination. Every climber who comes to this dream is a brave person. However, if there is no collaboration between the Glaciologists and Sherpas on Everest, they may never reach their peak.