Hillary Step Everest – Everything You Need to Know

The Hillary Step was one of the most significant and challenging sections on Everest. It is the most popular landmark on Mount Everest, located at an elevation of 8790 meters (28,839 ft). The Hillary Step Everest was considered the last, about 60 meters steep obstacle before reaching the summit.

The Hillary Step lies on the southeast ridge, halfway between the ‘South Summit’ and the true summit of Everest. It was the most technical part of the climb, on the South Col of the Everest. The Step is named after Sir Edmund Hillary in his honour.

This steep section is especially famous for its notorious vertical drops, which are 3000 meters (9843 ft) and 2400 meters (7874 ft) during the ascent. It lies in the Death Zone, further increasing the difficulty of the ascent or descent.

Challenges on the Hillary Step Everest

As mentioned above, the landscapes and high altitude made this particular section strenuous and technical to climb. Further, the bottleneck and harsh, unpredictable weather conditions make it really difficult to summit Everest.

However, each climber aiming to conquer Everest has to go past this section on the South Col route.

Difficulty Due to Landscape

It is about 60 meters steep ascent, just before the summit. Climbers are required to make a vertical ascent using fixed ropes provided by Sherpa or previous climbers.

Then, there are two vertical drops on both sides. One small mistake can cost mountaineers their lives. The altitude, technical landscape, and exhaustion test the determination and skill of the climbers.

Hillary Step Everest a Bottleneck

It was a narrow path on which only one climber could pass at a time. Due to this reason, climbers have to wait in queue until they reach the summit. Especially during the peak season, there is a high traffic of climbers aiming to reach the top of Everest.

Such delay could be risky, increasing the risks of frostbite, altitude sickness, hypothermia, and physical strain.

Harsh and Unpredictable Weather Conditions

The weather is unpredictable in the mountains, especially at higher altitudes. The strong wind over Hillary Step (almost 160 kph or 100 mph), low visibility, unpredictable snowfall, thin air pressure, and other conditions make the ascent challenging. Staying in such extreme conditions for a prolonged period of time could be risky and even fatal.

All these difficult conditions have claimed numerous lives, with occasional sightings of corpses at the base of Hillary Step.

Hillary Step Before and After

One of the most difficult yet exciting sections of Everest has been altered due to the earthquake in 2015 in Nepal. The vertical, long rock face has been changed into snow and debris.

Although this has made the ascent easier and safer, it has tempered the most iconic feature of Everest. With the Hillary Step gone, the dynamics of the Everest expedition have changed, making the step gentler.

However, even without the step, a bottleneck still exists, and delays continue due to the high number of climbers. Also, due to the narrow climbing season, the step faces high traffic.

How long does it take to climb the Hillary Step?

Before it collapsed due to the earthquake in 2015, Hillary Step usually took 10-20 minutes for an experienced climber to climb. This section of Everest could be climbed under favourable climatic conditions.

However, it can take more than the mentioned time for average climbers due to traffic, unfavourable weather, individual fitness levels, and other reasons. It can take hours to ascend or descend this bottleneck due to long queues, especially during peak climbing season.

In contrast, accessing Hillary Step after 2015 became a little easier as the vertical rock face converted into the gentler route. The technicality was reduced, which also reduced the climbing time of Hillary Step after the earthquake in 2015 in Nepal.

Hillary Step Death Body

Hillary Step, located in the Death Zone Mount Everest (above 8000 meters), is the final obstacle before summiting Everest.

In this region, oxygen levels are very thin and barely sufficient for breathing. Additionally, it tests climbers’ physical and mental limits. Due to its unforgiving nature, several climbers have lost their lives here before and after the summit.

One of the most significant Hillary Step accidents is the Bruce Herrod accident, whose body was found hanging from the ropes in 1996. Likewise, Pastenji Sherpa and Daniel Paterson from the UK, May 2024, are the other victims of the Hillary Step.