The 1996 Mount Everest disaster stands as one of the most devastating events in mountaineering history. On May 10–11, eight climbers lost their lives during multiple summit attempts after a sudden blizzard struck the mountain. What began as a hopeful climb quickly turned into chaos, reshaping the world’s understanding of the risks on the world’s tallest peak.

Background and Overcrowding

By the 1990s, the number of commercial expeditions to Mount Everest had surged. Teams led by Rob Hall of Adventure Consultants and Scott Fischer of Mountain Madness were joined by expeditions from Taiwan and South Africa. Many climbers were clients who paid tens of thousands of dollars, but lacked high-altitude experience.

Journalist Jon Krakauer, reporting for Outside magazine, was among Rob Hall’s team members. He noted that even before reaching Base Camp, the trails were overcrowded, supplies delayed, and tensions growing.

The Summit Attempt

On May 10, 1996, four major expeditions began their final ascent. Clear skies gave climbers confidence, but delays due to missing ropes and crowded routes slowed progress. Many climbers reached the summit late in the day — far beyond the safe turnaround time — and were still high on the mountain when the weather turned deadly.

A sudden blizzard hit with hurricane-force winds, freezing temperatures, and near-zero visibility. Climbers lost their way, radios failed, and oxygen supplies ran low.

Chaos in the Storm

Some climbers, including Krakauer, made it back to Camp IV before the storm’s full force. Others were stranded higher up. Anatoli Boukreev, a guide from Scott Fischer’s team, led heroic rescue missions through the night, saving several climbers.

However, tragedy struck as Rob Hall, Doug Hansen, Andy Harris, and Scott Fischer perished in the freezing conditions. On the north side of Everest, three Indian climbers from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police also died in their descent.

The Miraculous Survival of Beck Weathers

One of the most remarkable stories from that night was Beck Weathers, a climber from Texas. Partially blinded from a previous eye surgery, Weathers was left for dead on the mountain. Against all odds, he regained consciousness after a night in subzero temperatures and stumbled back to camp, frostbitten but alive.
He later lost his right arm, most of his left hand, and parts of his face and feet — but survived to tell his story.

Aftermath and Legacy

The disaster claimed eight lives in one day — the deadliest in Everest history at that time. It sparked worldwide attention, raising questions about commercial climbing, ethics, and safety.

Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book Into Thin Air (1997) and Anatoli Boukreev’s The Climb (1997) presented conflicting accounts of the tragedy, fueling public debate. The story inspired documentaries, the 2015 Hollywood film Everest, and even an opera produced by the Dallas Opera in 2015.

Lessons from the Tragedy

The 1996 disaster forced a reckoning within the mountaineering community. Stricter safety protocols, better communication systems, and climber vetting were introduced.
Even decades later, the tragedy remains a powerful reminder that Mount Everest rewards courage — but punishes arrogance.