Not only did the 200 bodies not brought home, but the mystery behind Everest was even more scary with “the delighted land legend”, when many shocking discoveries were announced.
Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, has long been a symbol of human ambition and resistance. However, its appeal entails a harsh reality: more than 200 bodies of climbers remain scattered by their slopes, frozen over time, serving as disturbing markers for those who dare to ascend. Beyond these unconvable remains, recent discoveries and disturbing stories have fed the Everest’s legend as a “haunted land”, revealing much more disturbing secrets than the number of deaths in the mountain. From ethical dilemmas to supernatural whispers, Everest’s mysteries continue to captivate and terrify.
The harsh conditions of Everest, especially in the “zone of death” above 8000 meters, make survival a risky bet. Here, oxygen levels are a third of the sea level, temperatures plumme up to -30 ° C and can flutter unpredictable blikes without prior notice. Physical wear is immense: climbers face disorientation, extreme fatigue and organic overload. Most of those who perish in this relentless environment are left behind, since recovering the bodies is an almost impossible task. The combination of low oxygen, extreme cold and the weight of a frozen body, often embedded in ice, makes recovery missions dangerous and expensive, with expenses that reach 70,000 dollars and significant risks for the lives of rescuers. As a result, the remains of many climbers become permanent elements, some even serving as shady monuments, such as “Green Boots”, identified as Tsewang Paljor, whose body has lay near a cave since 1996, passed by innumerable climbers.
The ethical issues surrounding these bodies add another layer of horror. In the Escalator community, an unwritten code urges mountaineers to help those who are in danger, even at the expense of their own dream dreams. However, in Everest, this code is often abandoned. Stories of climbers that pass over morbound or dead companions abound to reach the top, driven by ambition or survival instinct. In 2006, David Sharp’s tragic death unleashed outrage when it was reported that up to 40 climbers advanced it while dying, prioritizing his rise over his life. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first confirmed climber of Everest, condemned such actions, stating that human life is more important than any summit. This moral “gray zone” has led many to question whether the extreme conditions of Everest erode not only physical force, but also humanity itself.
Beyond ethics, the mystique of the mountain is amplified by stories that touch the supernatural. The legend of the “haunted land” comes from stories of climbers who experience spooky phenomena. Some report having heard whispers or steps in the snow, even being alone. Others claim to have seen ghostly figures, such as Andrew Irvine, who disappeared in 1924 with George Mallory. Irvine’s foot, even in his boot, was recently discovered in 2024, reviving speculation about his destiny and feeding the myth. The local, deeply spiritual sherpas believe that the mountain is sacred, and some attribute these phenomena to the concern of the spirits of those who were left behind. The Sherpa community usually considers that leaving bodies without recovering disturbs the holiness of the mountain, which further exacerbates the feeling of restlessness.
Recent discoveries have only intensified the gloomy reputation of Everest. Climate change has begun to melt the ice from the mountain, exposing hidden bodies and debris for a long time. In 2024, a Nepalese military team, led by the greatest Aditya Karki, recovered several bodies, some in an exceptional state of conservation, still dressed in the climbing team. These missions, although they aim to restore the cleaning of the mountain, are exhausting: the teams spend hours carving ice or pouring boiling water to release the frozen remains. The psychological impact on rescuers is immense, facing the harsh reality of human mortality. In addition, the thaw has exposed not only corpses, but also tons of waste: more than 11 tons of garbage, including abandoned equipment and human droppings, were removed in a single season. This environmental degradation underlines the transformation of the mountain into what some call the “highest landfill in the world.”
The narrative of the “haunted earth” is fed by tragic stories that last in the memory of the climbers. Francys Usentiev, known as “Sleeping Beauty”, became a legend after his death in 1998; His last plea, “don’t leave me here,” resonates in the mountain tradition. Similarly, the 1996thieth, which charged eight lives, including that of Yasuko Namba, remains one of the darkest chapters of Everest, where survivors relate terrible white snow conditions where visibility was reduced to zero. These stories, combined with the physical and ethical challenges of the mountain, paint the image of a place where the power of nature and human fragility collide.
Everest’s secrets extend beyond their visible horrors. The appeal of the mountain, added to its dangers, raises questions about why climbers continue to risk everything. For some, it is the search for glory; For others, a proof of your personal limits. However, as the death toll increases – 18 only in 2023 – and the bodies are still not claimed, Everest rises as a crude reminder of the indifference of nature. The legend of the “haunted earth”, either based on real events or superstitions, reflects the ability of the mountain to evoke both astonishment and fear. As the climbers continue their adventures, they travel a path furrowed by the ghosts of those who preceded them, their stories recorded in the ice, forever part of the steppe of Everest.
