When People Try Climbing Everest During Winter | Mountaineering Gone Wrong

Only 15 people have ever stood on Everest's summit in winter. The rest, beaten back by temperatures colder than Antarctica and hurricane force winds. Over 29 expeditions have tried and failed. Some climbers vanished into the icy void, others froze just steps from their goal. The line between triumph and tragedy is razor thin, and winter on Everest shows no mercy. In this video, we'll delve into the history of winter ascents on Everest, and why so many failed. Mount Everest in winter is an entirely different world. It's colder, quieter, and far more dangerous. The snow-covered peak stands in harsh isolation, with fewer climbers daring to face its icy slopes. The temperature at base camp can drop to minus 22 degrees Celsius, but at the summit, it plunges even further to minus 60 degrees. One of the biggest threats in winter is the wind. It can howl at over 140 kilometers per hour, making it hard to stay upright, let alone climb. The air is thinner in winter, and breathing becomes an even greater challenge. Everest sits right in the path of the jet stream, a powerful wind current that can create hurricane force gusts. This wind can knock climbers off balance, rip tents apart, and make temperatures feel even colder. The already thin atmosphere becomes even more unforgiving, and even the best prepared climbers struggle to adapt. Despite these brutal conditions, climbers still try. Everest has seen more than 12,000 successful summits over the years, but only 15 of them have been in winter. Out of 34 attempts, only 5 have succeeded. And just one climber has ever reached the top without bottled oxygen. Climbing without bottled oxygen in winter is a nearly impossible feat. The lack of oxygen at high altitudes makes movement slow and exhausting. The brain struggles to function properly, and decision-making becomes difficult. Every step requires more effort, and the cold saps energy at an alarming rate. The risks are extreme. Frostbite can set in within minutes. The body burns calories at an alarming rate just to stay warm, and exhaustion comes faster. Many climbers turn back before reaching their goal, defeated by the unrelenting cold and unpredictable weather. Even getting to Everest is more complicated in winter. The journey from Kathmandu to base camp is filled with challenges. Flights to Lukla, the gateway to the region, are often delayed or cancelled due to weather conditions. The trails are covered in snow and ice, making every step more difficult. The South Khol route, from the Nepal side, is the most popular, offering a shorter but steep path to the summit. On the other hand, the North Khol route from Tibet is longer and colder, but has fewer technical obstacles. However, in winter, no route is easy. The challenges don't end at climbing. Simply trekking to Everest base camp in winter is tough. The trek covers around 70 kilometers of rough terrain, where temperatures drop below freezing every night. There are fewer trekkers during these months, so the usual bustling tea houses are quieter. Tent hotels at base camp shut down for the season, forcing visitors to stay at the basic Rongbuk monastery guesthouse or in nearby villages with limited facilities. No running water, heating, or modern comforts. The food is simple, usually noodles and butter tea, enough to keep warm, but not luxurious. But there's a reason why some still choose to face Everest in winter. The mountain offers a level of solitude and beauty that can't be found during the busier seasons. The landscapes are breathtaking, frozen rivers, snow-blanketed valleys, and skies so clear you can see for miles. The usual dusty trails are now covered in pristine snow, making it feel like an entirely different world. Winter also brings financial advantages for those looking to experience Everest without climbing. Trekking costs are lower during this season. Flights, accommodations, and permits are often discounted, making the journey more affordable than in peak months. A trek to base camp can cost around $1,500 to $3,000 US dollars, depending on the level of support needed. But lower costs don't mean an easier experience. Packing for a winter Everest expedition is nothing like packing for the usual climbing seasons. In spring or autumn, climbers can rely on standard mountaineering gear, layered clothing, insulated jackets, and sturdy boots. But in winter, the cold is relentless, and every piece of gear needs to be extreme weather rated. Thermal interlayers alone aren't enough. Climbers need heavier down-filled suits, triple-insulated boots, and gloves designed to withstand temperatures that can freeze skin in seconds. Unlike other seasons, even sun protection becomes more critical. The snow reflects UV rays with blinding intensity, making high-SPF sunscreen and protective lip balm essential. But climbing Everest in winter wasn't always thought possible. In the early years of mountaineering, no one dared to attempt it in the coldest months. Between 1950 and 1964, all of the world's tallest peaks, each standing above 8,000 meters, were climbed for the first time. But none of these climbs happened in winter. The idea of facing freezing temperatures, strong winds, and unpredictable weather at such high altitudes seemed too risky. It wasn't until nine years after climbers summited Shishapengma, the last of the 8,000-meter peaks, that someone finally dared to attempt a winter ascent at extreme altitude. The breakthrough came in 1973, when Polish climbers Andrzej Zawada and Tadeusz Piotrowski reached the top of Noszak, a 7,492-meter peak in the Hindu Kush Mountains. It was a major step forward, showing that climbing high peaks in winter might just be possible. Encouraged by this success, Zawada set his sights on something even bigger—Everest. But first, he needed to test the limits further. In 1974, Zawada led a winter expedition to Lotse, Everest's neighbor. On December 25th, he and his climbing partner, Ziga Heinrich, made it to 8,250 meters before they were forced to retreat due to an incoming storm. The attempt showed just how unpredictable winter weather could be. But it also gave the team valuable insight into Everest's winter conditions. They learned how the winds shaped the snow, how quickly temperatures dropped, and what it would take to push higher. For the next several years, Zawada and his team worked hard to secure a permit for a It wasn't easy. Climbing permits were limited, and Everest was considered too dangerous in winter. But in November 1979, after years of waiting, the Polish team finally received permission. They had a chance to make history. The plan was to take the South Kohl Southeast Ridge route, the same path used by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay during the first successful Everest ascent in 1953. Zawada's team was large, with 20 Polish climbers, six workers to help carry loads above base camp, and Pemba Norbu, an experienced Sherpa who had climbed Everest before. They arrived at base camp on January 5th, 1980, ready to begin their climb. But Everest had other plans. The team was greeted by fierce winds blowing from the north. The temperature hovered between minus 25 and minus 45 degrees Celsius. The wind stripped away snow, leaving behind dangerous ice-covered slopes. Moving across these icy sections was slow and exhausting. Every step required extra belaying, fixed ropes, and absolute focus. Even the lower camps were hard to establish. The icy air made the climbers sick, and the lack of fresh water meant they had to melt ice for drinking. Setting up camp 3 at 7,150 meters was a constant struggle. The wind kept destroying their tents, forcing them to rebuild again and again. By early February, progress was slow. The wind kept knocking down their camps, and their supplies were running low. Finally, on February 9th, they managed to push higher and set up camp 4 at 7,960 meters. But the conditions were still brutal. Winds howled at speeds up to 200 kilometers per hour, and the climbers had to retreat back down to camp 3 to avoid being blown off the mountain. Just when it seemed like the wind would never stop, it suddenly did. On February 13th, the weather changed. The wind dropped, and heavy snow began to fall. Zawada and his teammate Ryszard Safirski returned to camp 4, hoping to make progress. But the snow made climbing even harder, and they were forced to leave their oxygen tanks behind and descend once again. Meanwhile, a new challenge appeared. The Nepalese government wanted the team to end their expedition by February 15th. They needed more time. Fortunately, a Polish official in Kathmandu managed to negotiate an extension until February 17th. That left them with only a few days to make their final attempt. Two climbers, Ziga Heinrich and Pasang Norbu Sherpa, set out immediately. They reached 8,300 meters without bottled oxygen. But a sudden snowstorm forced them to turn back. Time was running out. On February 16th, the skies cleared. It was now or never. Krzysztof Wielicki and Lejek Cici reached the south coal and spent the night at camp 4. Early the next morning, they made their final push toward the summit. It was incredibly cold, and the wind never completely stopped. But they pressed on. At 2.30pm on February 17th, 1980, Wielicki and Cici reached the summit of Everest. They had done it. Everest had finally been climbed in winter. They planted the Polish and Nepalese flags at the top and stayed for 40 minutes, taking in the moment. The descent was just as difficult. The bitter cold and exhaustion took their toll. But by the time they reached the lower camps, the entire team knew they had achieved something historic. Everest in winter was no longer impossible. But after the news of the first winter ascent spread, not all climbers were ready to accept it. Reinhold Messner, one of the most famous mountaineers of all time, was quick to criticize the Polish team's success. He claimed their climb didn't count as a true winter ascent. The reason? Nepalese officials had recently changed the official definition of winter, setting January 31st as the cut-off date. Since the Polish climbers had reached the summit in February, Messner argued it wasn't a real winter climb. For two years, the debate continued. Messner, who was preparing for his own winter expedition to Cho Oyu, kept insisting that Everest hadn't truly been climbed in winter. But not everyone agreed with him. Elizabeth Hawley, a well-known chronicler of Himalayan expeditions, supported the Polish team. She believed they had done what no one else had, reaching Everest's summit in the harshest conditions. Eventually, the Nepalese government stepped in and issued an official certificate, confirming that the Polish climbers had indeed completed the first winter ascent of Everest. Messner had no choice but to accept it. With this success, winter climbing on the world's tallest peaks entered a new era. Climbers from around the world started thinking about their own winter challenges, hoping to achieve what the Poles had done. Over the next few years, other teams attempted winter ascents on Everest. In December 1982, Japanese climber Yasuo Kato reached the summit alone via the normal route, but his success was short-lived. Kato died on his way down. More successful climbs followed. In December 1983, a Japanese-Nepali team, including Takashi Ozaki, Noburu Yamada, Kazunari Murakami, and Nawang Yondan Sherpa, made it to the top. A few years later, in December 1987, South Korean Youngho Haeho and Nepalese Angrita Sherpa also reached the summit. Angrita Sherpa's climb was especially remarkable. He became the first and only person to summit Everest in winter without bottled oxygen. By the early 1990s, more teams attempted winter climbs, but the mountain continued to push back. The last successful winter ascents happened in December 1993, when a group of Japanese climbers tackled Everest via the Southwest Face, a much more difficult route. They completed their climb in harsh conditions, adding their names to the short list of winter Everest summiters. But for every success, there were many failures. Over 29 expeditions have tried and failed to summit Everest in winter. The reasons vary. Some climbers turned back due to extreme cold. Others faced strong winds that ripped their tents apart. Some ran out of oxygen, while others suffered exhaustion or injuries. Seven climbers lost their lives in these attempts, including Yasuo Kato and others who fell from high altitudes or succumbed to altitude sickness. Everest's routes also played a role in the challenges. Most climbers attempted the normal South Coal Southeast Ridge route, but others tried different paths. Some took on the difficult Southwest Face, while others attempted the North Coal Northeast Ridge, or the Hornbine Couloir, a steep and technical path on the North Face. Each route presented unique obstacles, and winter made them even harder to overcome. In more recent news, Jost Kobusch is the latest climber to test his limits on Everest in winter. Unlike others before him, he's attempting something no one has ever done, climbing solo, in winter, and without bottled oxygen. His chosen route is the Lola West Ridge, one of the most rarely attempted paths to the summit, known for its steep icy slopes and dangerous winds. The Lola West Ridge route has a long and difficult history. It was first attempted in the winter of 1980-81 by a British team led by Alan Rouse, who reached 7,300 meters before turning back due to poor weather. In the mid-1980s, other teams, including a French-Italian-Belgian expedition, attempted the same route, but were stopped at 7,500 meters by fierce winds and extreme exhaustion. South Korean climbers tried again in the winter of 1985-86, but had to abandon their attempt at 7,100 meters after team members fell ill and the conditions became too dangerous. In the winter of 2019-2020, Kobusch made his first serious attempt, reaching an altitude of 7,366 meters before harsh conditions forced him to turn back. Two years later, he tried again, but was stopped at 6,450 meters, beaten back by worsening weather. In the winter of 2023-2024, Kobusch returned once more, determined to push higher than before. This time, he made significant progress, reaching 7,537 meters, about 200 meters higher than his previous record. But despite his determination, he was forced to stop. The extreme altitude combined with his solo approach made it too dangerous to continue. He later explained that his acclimatization wasn't sufficient to safely go any higher. Spending the night at that altitude would have put him at serious risk, and being alone meant there was no room for mistakes. A wrong step or sudden illness could have been fatal. Instead of pushing beyond his limits, he chose to descend, making his way back down to safer ground. As he descended, Kobusch faced additional challenges. Winds picked up to 40 kilometers per hour, with gusts even stronger, making his way down to Camp 1 at around 5,700 meters, slow and exhausting. Despite the tough conditions, he managed to return safely to the Italian research station near La Buche, where he finally rested after days of relentless climbing. Kobusch's approach is different from most winter climbers. He climbs in alpine style, carrying all his gear himself, and setting up camps only when necessary. In his most recent attempt, he skipped setting up a second camp at the low La Paz, opting to carry everything in a single push. This minimalist approach allowed him to move faster, but it also left little room for rest. Finding a safe place to pitch his tent was one of the biggest challenges he faced, with strong winds and steep slopes making it nearly impossible to carve out stable platforms. His ultimate goal is ambitious. From where he reached this past winter, he still had 1,300 meters to go. But Kobusch sees his climb as a long-term project. He's in no rush to break records. Instead, he's carefully testing his theories and gathering experience for future attempts. Despite these repeated failures, Kobusch remains committed to the route. His recent attempt is the closest anyone has come in winter to reaching the top using this path. And while he hasn't reached the summit yet, his determination and strategic approach could one day lead him to achieve what no one else has. Everest in winter is still one of the hardest goals in mountaineering. The success rate is low, and the risks are high. But despite all this, there are still people out there willing to do it.