Photo by Maxwelljo40 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Mountains are ruthless.
People have no power over the weather.
Thin air makes even mundane tasks hard to perform.
Climbing is extremely dangerous.
And yet, every year hundreds of people from around the world attempt to climb Earth's highest mountain, Mount Everest.
Every year, some of them never come back.
This is the story of perhaps the most famous one of them all, Green Boots.
Who was Green Boots
Green Boots is the nickname given to an unidentified climber's body on Mount Everest, which became a well-known landmark on the mountain's Northeast ridge route. [1]
The body is believed to be that of Tsewang Paljor, an Indian climber who was a member of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and part of the first Indian expedition to attempt climbing Everest from the eastern side. He and his teammates (Dorje Morup and Tsewang Smanla) were caught in a severe blizzard and never returned to their high camp. That day became known as the 1996 Mount Everest disaster as they were not the only ones struck by the blizzard.
Paljor's body was later found in a limestone cave at 27,887 feet (~8,500 meters), approximately 350 meters below the summit, frozen in a resting position with his red fleece pulled up around his face.
His story has become emblematic of the dangers of high-altitude mountaineering and the ethical dilemmas faced by climbers who encounter those in distress on the mountain. The tale of Green Boots continues to be a reminder of Everest's harsh realities and the risks taken by those who attempt to conquer the world's highest peak.
How did Green Boots become a landmark for climbers?
There are several main contributing factors, why Green Boots became a landmark.
- Distinctive appearance
The bright green Koflach mountaineering boots on the body made it easily recognizable, eye-catching, memorable and hard to miss. - Prominent location and unavoidable passage
The body was situated in a limestone cave, not far from the top, on the Northeast ridge route, which is also the main route to the summit from the North side. That makes it highly visible to nearly all passing climbers on this path and ensures almost everyone would encounter it. - Waypoint for climbers
Over time, Green Boots became a reference point for climbers to gauge their progress and location on the mountain. - Media attention
The story of Green Boots gained widespread media coverage, further cementing its status as a famous landmark on the mountain.
Are there any other bodies on Mount Everest?
According to recent estimates, there are approximately 200 dead bodies still on Mount Everest. This number represents a significant portion of the over 340 people who have died attempting to climb the mountain since expeditions began. The bodies remain on Everest due to the extreme difficulty, high cost, and substantial risks involved in removing them from such high altitudes. Because of the low temperatures, the bodies do not decompose.
Final words
We would like to raise awareness about the dangers of high-altitude climbing.
All the climbers on Mount Everest must accept the risk of the likelihood of things going wrong before deciding to climb. The more risk assessment is done, the safer the climb can be. We can’t change the weather, but we can predict it. We can’t change the route but we can train to be strong enough to conquer it. We need to know our limits and prepare ourselves accordingly. The equipment, the team, the nature, they all play a major role in deciding whether the climber returns home safely or not. Study the mountain, train hard, know and trust your team, don’t underestimate the equipment and don’t regret turning back if any of the factors around you does not feel right.
If you are interested in learning more about Green Boots and the details of what exactly happened on that tragic day in 1996, there are several fantastic and humbling books written by people who've been up there. We've read them when researching for this article, and they go beyond what we've covered here.
We believe every mountaineer should read them at least once in their life.
If you prefer motion pictures, you can find a handpicked collection of the most notable videos made about Green Boots and Mount Everest ascend in our video section.
