The Mt. Everest climbing season has been delayed by a few weeks this year as giant blocks of ice called seracs clog the primary path to the world’s highest peak. The blockage, directly above base camp nearly 20,000 feet above sea level, threatened to derail the entire climbing season, leaving hundreds of adventurers stuck at the basecamp, missing the two-week window in May when weather conditions permit the ascension of Everest.
On Tuesday, Sherpas were able to cut through an alternate route to open a path to the summit for the hundreds of adventurers who flock to Nepal each year and support the local economy that depends on mountain tourism.
Orlando native Lauren Harby has experience in that region. She is a freelance journalist focusing on travel and lifestyle content and a UCF graduate. In 2023, Harby trekked to Everest Basecamp One, the gateway for climbers seeking to ascend Everest. At 20,000 feet, the city of tents hardly represents a starting point. Just getting there is challenging, as is acclimating to the altitude. Harby explains witnessing the grandeur of the mountain is worth the blood, sweat, tears, and dollars it takes to get to the base of the Himalayas.
Orlando Woman Recalls Everest Experience as Ice Delays Climbing Season
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Mt. Everest rises more than 29,000 feet above sea level. Between 850 and 1,000 adventurers will attempt to summit the peak in the 2026 climbing season.
Lauren Harby
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Everest Basecamp 1 is nearly 20,000 feet in elevation. The trek to the camp takes more than two weeks from Kathmandu.
Lauren Harby
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Lauren Harby and a travel companion sit atop the rock welcoming mountaineers to Mt. Everest Basecamp 1.
Lauren Harby
