Icefall Doctors depart for Everest Base Camp as Spring 2026 season gets under way
Summary
The Icefall Doctors team has departed Namche Bazaar to prepare the Everest Base Camp route for the Spring 2026 climbing season, amid rising royalties, environmental efforts, and safety concerns on Nepal's high peaks.
Key Points
- The Icefall Doctors team has left Namche Bazaar to prepare the Khumbu Icefall route for the Spring 2026 Everest climbing season.
- SPCC will enforce stricter human waste management rules, including mandatory use of poop bags on expeditions.
- A new three-year waste management project, Swachya Sagarmatha, is underway to improve waste segregation and recycling in the Everest region.
- Nepal's mountaineering economy saw record climbing royalties in 2081/82, with 2,548 climbers from 87 countries visiting, but safety concerns remain due to recent climbing fatalities.
