Daily Dispatches – 15th May
The summit race on Everest is finally beginning.
After nearly a week dominated by powerful winds and frustrating delays, May 15 brought a dramatic shift in mood across Base Camp as expedition teams from around the world confirmed their summit pushes are now underway.
For many climbers, tonight marks the moment they leave the relative safety of Base Camp behind and begin the long journey through the Khumbu Icefall toward the South Col and ultimately the summit of the world’s highest mountain.
Several teams are targeting May 20 as their summit day, with forecasts suggesting the current weather window could finally allow large-scale summit attempts after days of inactivity high on the mountain.
Among the first to announce their push was the Ascent Himalayas team, who confirmed they will move out tonight. Their expedition includes Norwegian climber Magnus R, who is attempting to become the youngest Norwegian ever to summit Everest, while Will Reed continues his quest to complete the Seven Summits challenge.
The legendary 7 Summits Club also confirmed their schedule, with expedition leader Alexander Abramov stating the team plans to depart Base Camp early on May 17 following final oxygen system preparations.
There was also huge excitement from the Irish camp as Jason Black announced that Team Ireland has officially begun its summit bid. Black described the climb as the first full all-Irish Everest expedition in more than twenty years, calling it “the moment we have dreamed about for years.”
Satori Adventures similarly confirmed that both members and Sherpas from their Spring 2026 Everest Expedition are now beginning the final ascent after weeks of acclimatisation rotations and preparation.
Elsewhere on the mountain, climbers already positioned higher up continue to make steady progress. British climber Philip Collins was reported to be moving from Camp 2 toward Camp 3 today as teams carefully stagger their summit schedules.
Photographer and Everest veteran Purnima Shrestha also confirmed her summit push has begun. If successful, she is aiming to stand on top of Everest for the sixth time on May 20.
Romanian climber Razvan Barsan joined the growing list of climbers announcing their departure from Base Camp, while Emma S Deguara shared an emotional message before going offline for the duration of her summit attempt, saying the story already feels beautiful “no matter what happens from here.”
Not everyone is rushing immediately toward the summit though. Veteran climber Ben Jones returned safely to Base Camp after completing a rotation to Camp 2 and reported that conditions through the Khumbu Icefall are currently among the best he has seen in fifteen years climbing in the Himalayas. Jones added that his team will now wait patiently for a quieter weather window with fewer crowds before making their own attempt.
After days of waiting, Everest is suddenly alive again.
The ropes are fixed. Oxygen systems are being checked. Camps are filling. And over the next five days, hundreds of climbers will attempt to turn years of preparation into a few precious minutes on the summit of the world.
The biggest phase of the 2026 Everest season has officially begun.
