Editing Mount Everest (section)

===2015 avalanche, earthquake, season===
{{main|2015 Mount Everest avalanches}}
[[File:Everest from Kalatop April 2015.jpg|thumb|Everest, April 2015]]

2015 was set to be a record-breaking season of climbs, with hundreds of permits issued in Nepal and many additional permits in Tibet (China). However, on 25 April 2015, an [[April 2015 Nepal earthquake|earthquake measuring 7.8]] [[Moment magnitude scale|M<sub>w</sub>]] triggered an avalanche that hit [[Everest Base Camp]],<ref>{{cite news |title= Everest Climbers Are Killed as Nepal Quake Sets Off Avalanche |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/world/asia/everest-climbers-killed-as-nepal-quake-sets-off-avalanche.html |author= Gardiner Harris |work= [[The New York Times]] |date= 25 April 2015 |access-date= 23 December 2015 |archive-date= 14 November 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171114202007/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/world/asia/everest-climbers-killed-as-nepal-quake-sets-off-avalanche.html |url-status= live }}</ref> effectively shutting down the Everest climbing season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2015/05/06/everest-2015-season-summary-summits-dont-matter-2/ |title=Everest 2015: Season Summary – Summits Don't Matter |website=alanarnette.com |format=Blog |access-date=20 September 2015 |archive-date=4 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220804205212/https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2015/05/06/everest-2015-season-summary-summits-dont-matter-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 18 bodies were recovered from Mount Everest by the Indian Army mountaineering team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Avalanche-triggered-by-quake-kills-18-on-Mount-Everest/articleshow/47055195.cms|website=The Times of India|title=Avalanche triggered by quake kills 18 on Mount Everest|access-date=26 April 2015|archive-date=28 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428194807/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Avalanche-triggered-by-quake-kills-18-on-Mount-Everest/articleshow/47055195.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> The avalanche began on [[Pumori]],<ref>{{cite magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224201012/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/150425-everest-earthquake-basecamp-nepal-himalaya-climbing-sherpa|archive-date=24 February 2021|url= https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/04/150425-everest-earthquake-basecamp-nepal-himalaya-climbing-sherpa/ |title= Everest Base Camp a 'War Zone' After Earthquake Triggers Avalanches |magazine= National Geographic |access-date= 26 April 2015}}</ref> moved through the [[Khumbu Icefall]] on the southwest side of Mount Everest, and slammed into the [[Everest Base Camp#South Base Camp in Nepal|South Base Camp]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2015/04/25/cfa47ee6-eb95-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html?hpid=z2 |title= 10 confirmed dead in Mount Everest avalanche, but toll expected to rise |date= 25 April 2015 |newspaper= The Washington Post |access-date= 25 April 2015 |archive-date= 2 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190402144807/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2015/04/25/cfa47ee6-eb95-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html?hpid=z2 |url-status= live }}</ref> 2015 was the first time since 1974 with no spring summits, as all climbing teams pulled out after the quakes and avalanche.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://snowbrains.com/everest-will-not-be-climbed-for-first-time-since-1974/ |title= Mt. Everest Will Not Be Climbed for First Time Since 1974 |website= snowbrains.com |date= 5 May 2015 |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-date= 19 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220519143653/https://snowbrains.com/everest-will-not-be-climbed-for-first-time-since-1974/ |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="WillEverest"/> One of the reasons for this was the high probability of aftershocks (over 50 per cent according to the [[United States Geological Survey]]).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://snowbrains.com/no-one-will-climb-everest-this-year/ |title= No One Will Climb Everest This Year – The Last Team Pulls Out |website= snowbrains.com |date= 2 May 2015 |format= Blog |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-date= 28 April 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220428111912/https://snowbrains.com/no-one-will-climb-everest-this-year/ |url-status= live }}</ref> Just weeks after the first quake, the region was rattled again by a 7.3 magnitude quake and there were also [[list of aftershocks of April 2015 Nepal earthquake|many considerable aftershocks]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://theconversation.com/nepal-earthquake-such-huge-aftershocks-are-rare-41833 |title= Nepal earthquake: such huge aftershocks are rare |author= Nick Rawlinson |date= 15 May 2015 |website= The Conversation |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-date= 3 June 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230603173739/https://theconversation.com/nepal-earthquake-such-huge-aftershocks-are-rare-41833 |url-status= live }}</ref>

The quakes trapped hundreds of climbers above the Khumbu icefall, and they had to be evacuated by helicopter as they ran low on supplies.<ref name="supplies">{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/trapped-at-20000-feet-hundreds-of-everest-climbers-await-choppers-as-supplies-run-low/|work=Fox News|title=Trapped at 20,000 feet: Hundreds of Everest climbers await choppers as supplies run low|access-date=20 June 2015|archive-date=11 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211092708/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/04/26/8-dead-as-quake-triggered-avalanche-sweeps-everest-in-nepal/|url-status=live}}</ref> The quake shifted the route through the ice fall, making it essentially impassable to climbers.<ref name="supplies"/> Bad weather also made helicopter evacuation difficult.<ref name="supplies"/> The Everest tragedy was small compared to the impact overall on Nepal, with almost nine thousand dead<ref name=drrportal>{{cite web |url= http://drrportal.gov.np/ |website= Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal, drrportal.gov.np |title= Incident Report of Earthquake 2015 |access-date= 28 May 2015 |archive-date= 24 October 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211024022604/http://drrportal.gov.np/ |url-status= live }}</ref><ref name="D2015">{{cite web |url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Nepal-earthquake-death-toll-rises-to-8413/articleshow/47187088.cms |title= Nepal earthquake death toll rises to 8,413 |date= 7 May 2015 |website= The Times of India |access-date= 9 May 2015 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150509190440/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/Nepal-earthquake-death-toll-rises-to-8413/articleshow/47187088.cms |archive-date= 9 May 2015 |df= dmy-all }}</ref> and about 22,000 injured.<ref name=drrportal/> In Tibet, by 28 April at least 25 had died, and 117 were injured.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/tibet-quake-toll-rises-to-25-117-injured-115042800106_1.html |title= Nepal quake: Death toll rises to 25 in Tibet; 117 injured |agency= Press Trust of India |date= 28 April 2015 |work= Business Standard |access-date= 17 June 2016 |archive-date= 28 February 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210228040012/http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/tibet-quake-toll-rises-to-25-117-injured-115042800106_1.html |url-status= live }}</ref> By 29 April 2015, the Tibet Mountaineering Association (North/Chinese side) closed Everest and other peaks to climbing, stranding 25 teams and about 300 people on the north side of Everest.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.outsideonline.com/1974091/breaking-north-side-everest-closing |title= North Side of Everest Closing |website= Outside |date= 29 April 2015 |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-date= 25 February 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210225094452/https://www.outsideonline.com/1974091/breaking-north-side-everest-closing |url-status= live }}</ref> On the south side, helicopters evacuated 180 people trapped at Camps 1 and 2.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.smh.com.au/world/nepal-earthquake-hopes-fade-for-survivors-180-rescued-on-mount-everest-20150427-1mungw.html |title= Nepal earthquake: Hopes fade for survivors; 180 rescued on Mount Everest |website= The Sydney Morning Herald |date= 27 April 2015 |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-date= 25 September 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150925022839/http://www.smh.com.au/world/nepal-earthquake-hopes-fade-for-survivors-180-rescued-on-mount-everest-20150427-1mungw.html |url-status= live }}</ref>

On 24 August 2015, Nepal re-opened Everest to tourism including mountain climbers.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.dw.com/en/mount-everest-opens-for-business/a-18668065 |title= Mount Everest opens for business |website= Deutsche Welle |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-date= 26 March 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220326072824/https://www.dw.com/en/mount-everest-opens-for-business/a-18668065 |url-status= live }}</ref> The only climber permit for the autumn season was awarded to Japanese climber Nobukazu Kuriki, who had tried four times previously to summit Everest without success. He made his fifth attempt in October, but had to give up just {{cvt|700|m}} from the summit due to "strong winds and deep snow".<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/08/japanese-climber-with-no-fingertips-abandons-bid-to-scale-everest |title= Japanese climber with no fingertips abandons bid to scale Everest |website= The Guardian |date= 8 October 2015 |access-date= 12 December 2016 |archive-date= 14 May 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220514081833/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/08/japanese-climber-with-no-fingertips-abandons-bid-to-scale-everest |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://time.com/4007494/nepal-everest-climbers/ |title= Everest Reopened to Climbers |author= Tanya Basu |magazine= Time |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-date= 26 March 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220326072826/https://time.com/4007494/nepal-everest-climbers/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

Some sections of the trail from Lukla to Everest Base Camp (Nepal) were damaged in the earthquakes earlier in the year and needed repairs to handle trekkers.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.foxnews.com/world/4-sections-of-trekking-route-to-mount-everest-were-damaged-by-earthquake-assessment-finds/ |title= 4 sections of trekking route to Mount Everest were damaged by earthquake, assessment finds |website= Fox News |date= 7 August 2015 |access-date= 20 September 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150924191426/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/08/07/4-sections-trekking-route-to-mount-everest-were-damaged-by-earthquake/ |archive-date= 24 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>