Everest Summit Race Begins As Tensions Rise Between Expeditions
The race for the summit of Mount Everest is now underway, with growing impatience among teams appearing to disrupt the usual cooperation between Nepal’s major expeditions.
Mingma G of Imagine Nepal has announced plans to fix the summit ropes himself, with or without the official rope-fixing team, after frustration over delays high on the mountain.
His decision appears to have sparked a reaction from the Sherpas employed by Nepal’s Expedition Operators Association (EOA), who have now reportedly joined the effort. Many more Sherpas are also preparing to move higher on the mountain.
Reports suggest that more than 200 Sherpas are heading towards Camp 4 tonight, although many are expected to be carrying supplies and oxygen rather than making immediate summit bids. It remains unclear how many climbers and clients could attempt the summit on Wednesday.
The push towards the summit comes as Everest records its first on-mountain death of the 2026 season.
Bijay Ghimire Bishwakarma, a 35-year-old climber from Nepal, died near Camp 1 after falling ill while climbing towards Camp 2 early yesterday morning.
According to Solukhumbu police, Bishwakarma became unwell at around 4am and died while being assisted back down towards Base Camp.
His body has since been airlifted from the mountain and will undergo an autopsy at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. Officials have not yet confirmed the cause of death, although altitude-related illness or cardiac arrest are both possible factors.
Bishwakarma was an experienced Everest climber, having previously reached the summit four times. He was also recognised as the first Everest summiter from Nepal’s Dalit community.
His death is the first to occur on Everest itself this season, following the death of a Sherpa guide last week while travelling towards Base Camp.
Despite the tragedy, summit preparations continue at pace. Sherpa teams are expected to target the summit on May 13 in what appears to be a joint effort between the official EOA rope-fixing team and Imagine Nepal.
However, confusion still surrounds the situation after Mingma G stated on social media earlier in the day that he intended to bypass the official rope-fixing operation entirely and complete the task independently.
