KATHMANDU: A hanging serac has obstructed icefall doctors from placing ladders along a treacherous section of the climbing route just below Camp I on Mt Everest.

According to Tshering Tenzing Sherpa, base camp manager at the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), hazards caused by the unstable serac in the Khumbu Icefall have prevented icefall doctors from completing the climbing route from Base Camp to Camp II.

Icefall doctors have been closely monitoring the situation in the area. “They went up to the site yesterday and noticed that a small section had collapsed,” Sherpa said, adding that they hope the remaining serac will collapse within a day or two, allowing route-fixing work to resume. It would take only two-three days to open the route to Camp II once the current fragile situation is normalized, according to Sherpa.

In previous seasons, the icefall route was generally opened by the first week of April. “This season, the unstable serac, along with erratic snowfall and strong winds, is creating problems,” Sherpa said, adding that the SPCC prioritizes the safety of climbers and the establishment of a secure route.

The Spring 2026 Icefall Doctors team is led by Ang Sarki Sherpa as chief leader and Dawa Jangbu Sherpa as team leader, under base camp manager Tshering Tenzing Sherpa. Other team members include Tendu Sherpa, Ngima Tenji Sherpa, Phura Chheten Sherpa, Dawa Chhirri Sherpa, Sonam Geljen Sherpa, and Mingma Gyaljen Sherpa. “They are all well-trained and experienced in evaluating risks and finding appropriate solutions,” Sherpa said.

This treacherous section must be traversed repeatedly by climbers—from acclimatization rotations to carrying loads to higher camps and making summit attempts on Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, and Mt Nuptse.

“The delay in route fixing could result in congestion during the peak season,” expedition operators cautioned. More than 350 foreign climbers, along with their support staff, have already reached Everest Base Camp to attempt the world’s highest peak this spring season.

Acclimatization rotations above Base Camp can only begin once the route to Camp II is opened. Likewise, a team from the Expedition Operators Association Nepal (EOAN) can only start fixing ropes from Camp II to the summit of Mt Everest and Mt Lhotse thereafter. “Delays in rope fixing cause significant losses to expeditions,” EOAN officials said, adding that it is discussing the issue with officials from the SPCC, Nepal Mountaineering Association and the Department of Tourism.