600+ Summits & 2 Deaths: Inside Everest’s Most Crowded Season | WATCH
Deadly traffic jams mar the 2026 Everest climbing season as historic summit records are overshadowed by client fatalities in the perilous Death Zone.
The 2026 spring climbing season on Mount Everest has delivered both triumph and tragedy. On May 20, a staggering 274 climbers reached the summit from the Nepali (south) side in a single day, shattering the previous record of 223 set in 2019.
This marked the busiest 24 hours in the mountain’s history from that route. Nepal issued a record 492 climbing permits this season (the highest ever), with no expeditions on the Tibetan north side due to Chinese restrictions.
The Record-Breaking Day
Climbers began their final push around 3:00 AM local time on May 20. Clear weather after earlier delays from dangerous icefall in the Khumbu Icefall created a rare summit window. Nearly 150 Sherpas were among those who summited that day. Reports indicate the total could have been slightly higher as some climbers had not yet checked in at base camp.
Subsequent days saw continued success, with season totals approaching or exceeding 600 summits by late May, and more Western teams still pushing for their turns.
Dramatic images and videos from the upper mountain showed long “traffic jams” in the Death Zone (above 8,000 meters), with climbers queued for hours on fixed ropes, particularly between the South Col and the Hillary Step.
The Human Cost: First Client Fatalities on Descent
While the record day initially passed without reported deaths on the summit push, reality struck hard on the way down. Two Indian climbers died shortly after reaching the top:
These mark the first client fatalities of the 2026 season on Everest. At least five deaths have been reported overall this spring (including earlier Sherpa/high-altitude worker fatalities). Altitude-related illnesses remain the primary cause, underscoring that descent in the Death Zone is statistically the most dangerous phase.
Experts and veteran climbers, including record-holder Kami Rita Sherpa, have renewed calls for limits on permits due to overcrowding risks. Long summit days (up to 12 hours from South Col in some cases) increase exposure to extreme cold, fatigue, and oxygen depletion.
The 2026 season is winding down as the monsoon approaches. While records were broken, the mountain continues to demand respect, as everyone knows only too welll, success at the top does not guarantee a safe return.