The Everest expedition is an exciting yet challenging adventure. The view from the top is breathtaking, but the route to the top is equally challenging. There are various points along the route where the climbers face life-and-death situations while climbing Everest. The most dangerous of them all is the Khumbu Icefall.
The Khumbu Icefall is a glacier that tumbles down from the Western Cwm, part of the Khumbu Glacier. It is located between Everest Base Camp and Camp I. It is very hard for climbers and guides to overcome Khumbu Icefall, as with fluctuating temperatures, there is a risk of avalanches.
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Khumbu Icefall dangers
Since 1953, many climbers and porters have lost their lives in challenging parts of the Khumbu Icefall. In April 2018, an avalanche killed 16 Sherpas in Khumbu Icefall. Last year, three Sherpa guides were buried by avalanches in the Khumbu Icefall. These ice blocks can be as massive as cars or multi-story structures, resulting in an unexpected and hazardous environment.
Climbers and porters generally cross Khumbu Icefall during the morning as the ice is more stable. As the day continues and the sun heats the ice, the chance of collapse rises dramatically, making the expedition much more dangerous.
Everest expedition challenges
Khumbu icefall is one of many challenges that climbers and porters have to face. There are other obstacles that the expedition team should keep track of during their journey. Some of these are:
- Sudden Crevasses: Large crevasses can come up unexpectedly, posing severe risks to climbers who may not have time to respond.
- Collapsing Ice Blocks: Massive ice portions, sometimes as massive as multi-story buildings, might collapse unexpectedly, posing a life-threatening risk.
- Time Pressure: Climbers must cross the icefall in the early morning hours to reduce risk, as the sun’s heat later in the day can destabilize the ice.
- High Altitude and Fatigue: The physical and mental toll of navigating the icefall, combined with high altitudes, makes this part of the climb exceedingly challenging.
Drones on Everest
To avoid human casualties, authorities plan to utilize Chinese drones to remove rubbish between Camp 1 and Everest Base Camp in the future. This will be the first commercial use of remotely controlled vehicles at high altitudes.
Da Jiang Innovations (DJI), China’s largest drone manufacturer, will execute the task. Officials believe it will help reduce human casualties. In the spring (March-May), these drones will fly out from Camp 1 to deliver ropes, ladders, and waste to the Everest base camp.
In April, tests were carried out to make the first delivery on Everest. The test was successful and yielded positive results, prompting the final establishment of the drone policy. Nepalese officials and mountaineers regard drones as life-saving vehicles.
The test results showed that the DJI drones (DJI FlyCart 30) could lift 234 kg per hour between Camp I and Everest base camp. If completed by humans, the task would require 14 porters and six hours.
How drones improve safety on Everest expeditions?
Using drones has many benefits that could be useful for climbers and porters. Drones can provide real-time data on icefall conditions, assisting climbers and sherpas in finding safer routes. Here are some other benefits of using drones on Everest.
Monitoring and Mapping
Drones can collect high-resolution photographs and videos, resulting in precise maps of the icefall. These maps assist climbers in locating newly developed crevasses and fragile ice blocks, allowing them to plan safer routes. Drones, for example, can provide real-time data about a freshly developed chasm that may have emerged overnight, allowing climbers to avoid it during their ascent.
Enhancing safety
Drones can scan ahead of climbers and provide real-time reports on the icefall’s status. This real-time surveillance considerably minimizes the danger of accidents caused by abrupt changes in the glacier. For example, if a drone identifies a large, unstable ice block, climbers can be alerted to choose another path or wait for better conditions. Drones also monitor weather conditions, alerting climbers to potential threats such as approaching storms that could collapse the ice.
Priority to human safety
The major purpose of deploying drones on Everest is to improve human safety. Drones drastically reduce climbing dangers by delivering real-time information and mapping risky places. According to sources, incorporating drones into the Everest expedition could reduce accident rates, notably in the Khumbu Icefall, where many people have died over the years due to unexpected ice falls and crevasse openings.
Effective use of drones
The use of drones will reduce human casualties while increasing efficiency. The dangers of the Khumbu Icefall will be reduced by the introduction of such heavy-lifting drones. While the drones will operate until Camp 1 (6,000 m), porters will be required to transport items across the easier route between Camp 1 on the Western Cwm and Camp 2 (6,400 m).
Drone use will extend beyond Everest. The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, and Airlift Technology Pvt. Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding “for the use of advanced drone technology to efficiently manage garbage in the mountains of the Khumbu region.”
Local employment at risk
While the use of drones has obvious advantages, it also raises concerns about local jobs. Sherpas, who have traditionally guided climbers through the icefall and carried supplies, may face a decline in career options. Drones can undertake activities that were formerly the duty of these local guides, potentially resulting in fewer jobs for them. Balancing the use of technology with the preservation of local communities’ livelihoods is critical to ensuring that the advantages of technical breakthroughs do not come at the expense of local jobs.
There are concerns that the machines may eliminate jobs. However, the sole goal is to reduce death in the Khumbu Icefall. Sherpas will be able to learn how to handle drones because operating them at high altitudes will be tough. The Sherpas may receive new job possibilities soon.
The use of drones will benefit Sherpas by increasing their growth potential. Most importantly, it will save lives, which is far more essential than financial gains.
Everest waste management
In spring 2023 alone, the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) handled about 70 tonnes of waste from several expedition groups. The number of climbers has climbed dramatically during the previous five years. Although it boosts the economy, it has a significant negative influence on the environment.
Before this year’s expedition began, the Supreme Court ordered a mandamus limiting the number of climbers on Everest. This may cause the rising trash rate to slow marginally, but it is not a permanent solution. Drones will be more effective at cleaning than humans or helicopters.
A better step towards waste management
In addition to improving safety, drones are being utilized to address another pressing issue on Everest: waste management. The Chinese government has deployed drones to clear trash from the mountain’s slopes, a big step toward conserving Everest’s ecosystem.
These drones can transport up to 20 kilos (44 pounds) of rubbish per flight, lessening the pressure on human climbers and sherpas who used to haul junk down the mountain themselves. This approach not only helps to keep Everest clean but also minimizes the environmental impact of excursions. The drones’ capacity to function in Everest’s extreme conditions makes them an excellent trash pickup alternative, preserving the mountain’s pristine beauty for future generations.
Conclusion
The Khumbu Icefall remains one of the most difficult tasks for Everest climbers. However, with the help of drone technology, the voyage is becoming slightly safer. Drones deliver critical real-time data, help chart safer routes, and contribute to environmental conservation by collecting rubbish. As technology progresses, climbing Everest will become safer and more sustainable, allowing adventurers to experience this spectacular peak for centuries to come.
