Everest Icefall Doctors: Part Of Earth’s Natural Wonders
Story of Khumbu Icefall Doctors
You may be wondering what doctors do on those high peaks before each climbing season starts, and who the Icefall doctors are.
The icefall doctors are a highly trained team of Sherpa whose responsibility is is to keep the route up Everest in good condition. The icefall doctors, known as the crack squad, mount mile-long ropes and ladders over crevasses each year so that commercial climbers can safely follow the ropes and ladders through the icefall on their way to the summit.
Reaching the top of the world without any hitch is every climber’s dream. Summiting Everest is not easy, and there are numerous challenges to overcome.
Among the number of obstacles, the nastiest one is the Khumbu Icefall, instilling fear and dread in climbers. Given the name as the “Death zone,” the Khumbu icefall is so unsteady, that the route often changes throughout the climbing season. Since the instability, the route must be maintained and rebuilt each climbing season. That's where icefall doctors brought into play.
The doctor’s carries aluminum ladders, ropes, pickets, rods, and ice screws into the frozen web on their backs and return nearly every day to maintain and reset the roads.
Earning almost more than $4500 each season, the icefall doctors enter the icefall each day to ensure the routes are in good condition due to the constant movement of the ice. They put their lives on the line to ensure that the climbers get through the risky section safely and that they have a chance to reach the summit with minimal difficulty.
Without these courageous and hardworking guys, even the most professional and experienced climbers from around the world would not stand a chance of summiting Everest each year.
