South Col

South Col
Tirthakanji · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	South Col
Elevation m	7920
Range	Mahalangur Himal
Location	Mahalangur Himal/Mount Everest region

South Col is a high mountain pass on the ridge between Mount Everest and Lhotse in the Mahalangur Himal of the Himalayas. It serves as the traditional high camp and staging area for summit attempts on Mount Everest from the Southeast Ridge (Everest), linking routes and camps used by climbers from around the world. The Col is a focal point for interactions among expeditions, rescue operations, and scientific teams operating at extreme altitude.

Geography and Location

The Col sits on the Southeast Ridge (Everest) between the summits of Lhotse and Mount Everest, above the Southwestern face of Everest and below the South Summit. It lies within the Mahalangur Himal section of the Himalayas on the Nepalan side of the border with the Tibet Autonomous Region. From the Col, routes descend toward the Lhotse Face and the Geneva Spur, while the Khumbu Icefall lies lower on approaches to the Camp I (Everest), Camp II (Everest), and Camp III (Everest). The area is within the traditional grazing and pilgrimage landscape of the Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality and is influenced by access via Lukla Airport and trails through Namche Bazaar.

History and First Crossings

Early reconnaissance of the ridge was conducted by members of the 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition and the 1922 British Mount Everest expedition, while major exploratory work on the Southeast Ridge continued during the 1924 British Mount Everest expedition. The first confirmed occupation of the Col as a high-altitude staging point occurred on expeditions culminating in the successful 1953 British Mount Everest expedition led by John Hunt (British Army officer), with climbers including Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary establishing the modern pattern of camps. Subsequent notable expeditions included international teams such as the American Mount Everest Expedition (1963), the 1975 British Mount Everest Southwest Face expedition, and alpine-style attempts by climbers like Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler.

Role in Mountaineering and Routes

The Col functions as the principal high camp for the Southeast Ridge (Everest) route and as a junction for lines toward Lhotse and the South Summit. It is integral to the classic sequence of Camp IV (Everest) logistics, serving as the launching point for the "summit push" in the so-called "death zone" above 8,000 metres, a concept investigated by physiologists from institutions such as Oxford University and Harvard University. Logistics here involve coordination among expedition operators like Himex, Alpine Ascents International, Adventure Consultants, and national programs from Nepal and China. Rescue and acclimatization strategies developed by figures such as Fritz Kasparek and organizations like International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation influenced how teams stage at the Col. The Col's role is frequently discussed in expedition accounts by authors including Jon Krakauer, Ed Viesturs, and Wade Davis (anthropologist).

Climbing Conditions and Hazards

Conditions at the Col are subject to extreme wind, low pressure, and severe cold influenced by the South Asian monsoon and jet stream patterns studied by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and International Civil Aviation Organization researchers. Avalanches from the Lhotse Face, crevasse fields near ablation zones, and sudden weather windows have contributed to incidents recorded in reports by Nepal Mountaineering Association and case studies in journals such as The Lancet and Nature. Hypoxia-related risks like High-altitude pulmonary edema and High-altitude cerebral edema have been documented among climbers from diverse national teams including United States, United Kingdom, India, France, and Japan. Sherpa and guide safety concerns, highlighted by events involving companies such as Seven Summits Club and tragedies analyzed after seasons with multiple fatalities, prompted regulatory responses from the Government of Nepal and policy work by International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation.

Facilities and Camps

The Col is the location for Camp IV (Everest), a temporary high camp composed of tents and caches used by commercial operators, national teams, and scientific expeditions. Support infrastructure includes oxygen cylinder caches supplied by logistics firms like Alpine Ascents International and governmental sherpa logistics coordinated through groups such as Nepal Mountaineering Association and local agencies in Solukhumbu District. Medical research teams from Mayo Clinic and Duke University have deployed monitoring equipment during summit pushes, while media coverage by outlets like BBC, The New York Times, and documentary filmmakers including David Breashears has recorded activity at the Col. Waste management and human remains have created ongoing management issues for authorities including Department of Tourism (Nepal) and conservation bodies like Sagarmatha National Park administration.

Cultural and Environmental Significance

The Col occupies a place in the cultural geography of the Khumbu region, intersecting with Sherpa traditions centered on monasteries like Thame Monastery and cultural hubs such as Namche Bazaar. It features in mountaineering literature by chroniclers including Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, and in academic studies by scholars at institutions like University of Cambridge and Tibetan and Himalayan Library. Environmental concerns include glacial retreat studied by teams from NASA, University of Zurich, and McGill University, impacts on the Khumbu Glacier, and biodiversity issues within Sagarmatha National Park. Debates over commercialization involve stakeholders such as Nepal Tourism Board, international outfitter associations, and NGOs like Mountain Institute and World Wildlife Fund.

Category:Mount Everest Category:Mountain passes of Nepal