Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world, located on the border of two countries: Nepal and China. It is a popular trekking destination for trekkers from all around the world. There are two ways of getting into Everest: one is from South col that is from Nepal and another is from North col that is Tibet. Mount Everest stands at an altitude of 8848.86 meters and is also one of the most thrilling adventurous treks to go for. From South side of Everest Base Camp, it is 68.7 km in distance to reach the summit. These are basically divided into 4 camps; the death zone officially starts from camp 4 to the summit. That specific death zone is called the rainbow valley.
The Death zone of Mount Everest
The death zone of Mount Everest is the most difficult part of the whole journey because of the lower oxygen level and our body’s late response, and acclimatization also doesn’t help in the rainbow valley. It takes around 10 to 14 hrs to reach the summit from the camp 4 passing the deatn zone. The death zone is typically any part of Mount Everest that is above 8000 m. Over 340 people have died till 2025 while attempting to climb Mount Everest, of which 227 bodies are still there due to impossible and risky rescue operations.
In the death zone valley, the oxygen level drops down 35 to 40%, making it difficult for trekkers to breathe, and slowly the cells start dying, which is the reason why people die in rainbow valley. The people have to be in a queue to ascend toward the summit because of the dead bodies in the trail. They have to walk through it and wait for their turns to come. At that point there is limited time for people and waiting in queues, and at the same time the body is not cooperating with the altitude so you can imagine the difficulty level for people to reach the summit.
The Origin of Rainbow Valley
So, the death zone of Mount Everest got the name Rainbow valley because of the colorful graveyard of dead bodies. Many people have died in the rainbow valley due to the lack of oxygen and their bodies not cooperating and due to the dying cells, they fall asleep in the rainbow valley and they just die in their sleep. Due to avalanches, altitude sickness, and difficult terrain, the bodies of the trekkers fail to recover, which results in numbers of bodies preserved in the ice, and their colorful attire signifies the rainbow. That’s the reason the death zone of Mount Everest is called the rainbow valley.
It is the result of the repeated tragedy of trekkers dying the same way in the death zone and due to the risky and impossible rescue operation for those bodies, it is named the rainbow valley. The rainbow valley reminds the trekkers of the dangerous side of Mount Everest and the passion, ambition, and desire of those people to climb Mount Everest despite the dangerous side of it. This mentions the bravery of the trekkers and the huge respect for them throughout the journey.
Why Do Bodies Pile Up and Remain in Rainbow Valley?
The 8000 meters above are considered the death zone of Mount Everest. The tragedy occurs here due to the lack of oxygen level, altitude sickness, avalanches and difficult terrain. The difficulty level makes it hard for people to reach the summit and some give up in the death zone of Mount Everest. Their body remains in the trail preserved by ice and due to that, it makes it difficult for other trekkers to pass through; that’s why they push off the body from the trail that goes down to the rainbow valley.
Due to the risk and impossible rescue mission because of the unstable weather conditions, helicopters do not reach above 8000 meters altitude, which is why the body remains in the ice for many, many years. This has been going on and till now there are still 227 bodies that are not rescued from the rainbow valley. This is the reason the body remains in the rainbow valley. Because of pushing the bodies off the terrain that reaches the rainbow valley, the bodies pile up in the rainbow valley.
What Happens to The Corpses on Everest?
Frozen in Time by Snow and Ice
Corpses on Mount Everest remain frozen in the ice and snow for years and even decades at a time. Conditions and extreme cold keep the bodies from decomposing and essentially "preserve" them in the condition they were in upon death. Several climbers become permanent additions to the mountain, almost becoming a silent testimony to how risky climbing is at high altitudes.
Role of Mountain in Preserving Remains
Everest itself is instrumental in preserving these bodies intact. Its cold climate, thin air, and high winds retard natural decay and safeguard the dead against predators or other natural elements. Eventually, even the ice can shift or move the bodies around, often exposing them to new climbers ascending on the route. Thus, against all odds, the mountain inadvertently serves as a frozen graveyard, and every body has a tale of aspiration, bravery, and peril of the highest peak in the world.
Main Causes of Death on Mount Everest
Exhaustion and Physical Collapse
The actual physical rigors of climbing Everest can cause intense weariness and ultimate collapse. Extended climbing in low-temperature weather, hauling heavy packs, and fighting rough conditions can be too much even for strong climbers. A large number of deaths happen because climbers run out of energy or can no longer keep going and become extremely exposed to danger on the mountain.
Altitude Sickness and Oxygen Deprivation
One of the major reasons for the death of people on Mount Everest is due to lack of oxygen and altitude sickness. As you reach the death zone of Mount Everest, which is above 8000 meters, then you feel a lack of oxygen because the oxygen decreases 35 to 40% in the death zone. Acclimatization also doesn’t help much and your body respond slowly and your body cells start dying. Lack of oxygen leads to heavy breathlessness, dizziness and the feeling of wanting to lie down.
Avalanches, Falls, and Extreme Weather
Another reason for causes of death on Mount Everest is the unstable weather conditions, avalanches and falls. Sometimes the extreme wind and heavy snowfalls might trigger the avalanches. Due to the weather conditions, rescue operations might not be conducted and reduce the survival chance of trekkers.
Notorious Deaths That Became Landmarks
Green Boots: The Most Recognized Body on Everest
Green Boots is a famous body on everest because of his flashy green boots and an oxygen cylinder on his back. He was found under a cave just below the summit. It was the true story of the Everest Expeditions. The body was found on May 11 1996. The body was preserved by the snow for a long, long time at the same spot. He defines the danger of Mount Everest and its difficulty level to the people, but at the same time he reminds them of his bravery, desire, and passion to climb Everest despite the risk. Now also people use that cave as a place to rest and take a breath for a while.
Sleeping Beauty Everest
Sleeping beauty Everest is the story of Francys Arsentiev, who was the first American lady to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. Francy and her husband came to Nepal to climb Mount Everest on May 22, 1998. Everything was going good while ascending but when it was time to descend, she felt uncomfortable with surroundings and she lay down and was left there 3 days without oxygen. When the team came to rescue her, she was hardly breathing so they decided to rope her down but It was not possible all the way down. So, they left her in the mountain and she died sleeping. That’s why the nickname “Sleeping Beauty” was given.
Hannelore Schmatz: The First Woman to Die on Everest
Hannelore was the first German woman to climb Mount Everest. One day Hannelore and her husband decided to climb Mount Everest with 6 other people and 5 Sherpas to ascend. Everything was good; they reached the summit but while descending, everyone returned except her and one American climber, Ray Genet. They decided to spend one night at the summit along with one Sherpa and during that night a strong wind came and Ray couldn’t survive but however Hannelore and that Sherpa survived and while they were coming down Hannelore felt uncomfortable and sat for a while and she never got up. Two people came up to get her body but they were also found dead. And a year later her body was swept away by the strong wind and that’s how her story became famous.
Key Facts of Rainbow Valley
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Famous Bodies: A few climbers have become landmarks:
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Green Boots: a legendary mark for climbers.
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Sleeping Beauty: Francys Arsentiev, who perished while descending.
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Hazards: It lies within the "death zone," where oxygen is too thin such that human survival is highly limited without supplemental oxygen.
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Climber Awareness: The site is a warning about the dangers of altitude climbing.
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Recovery Challenge: It is extremely risky to recover bodies; thus, many remain on the mountain permanently.
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Nature: It is essentially a frozen graveyard. Severe cold preserves the dead flesh in shape for decades, and thus these lie uncovered on the slopes.
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Cause of Death: The majority of climbers who die in this section succumb due to altitude sickness, fatigue, falls, avalanches, or poor weather.
Can the Dead Be Removed From Everest?
Logistical and Financial Challenges
It takes skilled climbers, supplemental oxygen, special gear, and helicopters at times to bring a body down from Everest. It is a very costly process that can run tens of thousands of dollars. And the mountain itself is hazardous, with steeper cliffs, crevices, and avalanches making every recovery effort a perilous task.
Moral Arguments and Risk to Humanity
Most disagree about whether it's right to expose other people's lives to danger in order to retrieve a dead body. Some climbers think that if they leave the dead bodies undisturbed, they'll be showing respect both to the mountain and to the deceased's resting place, while others think families need closure. This issue continues to split mountaineering circles.
Conclusion
Rainbow Valley is a chilling testimony to the risks of climbing Mount Everest. Bodies frozen for years speak of aspiration, bravery, and disaster. Though the valley serves a warning to ascenders about the reality of climbing at a high altitude, it poses tough questions about human danger, ethics, and survival limits. Above all else, however, Rainbow Valley is a frozen cemetery rather than a hollow graveyard, a grim tribute to human daring and frailty.
FAQ
1. What is Mount Everest's Rainbow Valley?
Rainbow Valley is a high-altitude section on Everest where numerous dead climbers can be found, often in sight because the dead climbers' colored gear makes a rainbow effect.
2. Why is it called Rainbow Valley?
The name comes from the bright climbing equipment left on the frozen bodies, which looks like a rainbow from a distance.
3. Where is Rainbow Valley located?
It's beyond the death zone, above or at a height of 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), primarily on Mount Everest's southern side.
4. Why do so many climbers die in Rainbow Valley?
Most deaths happen due to altitude sickness, poor weather, tiredness, falls, or avalanches.
5. Is the flesh still intact?
Yes, numerous bodies freeze in the valley since extreme cold will keep them frozen for years.
6. There are some renowned climbers in Rainbow Valley.
Green Boots: a mountaineers’ landmark.
Sleeping Beauty: Francys Arsentiev, who died climbing Everest.
7. Can the dead be removed from Everest?
It can be done but is very hazardous and costly involving special gear and qualified climbers.
8. Why are no bodies discovered?
Recovery risks are very high, and helicopters or climbers usually can't safely recover them.
9. Is it safe to rock climb near Rainbow Valley?
It is a highly unsafe location because of low oxygen rates in the death zone, precariously inclining slopes, and severe weather.
10. Does Rainbow Valley affect climbers psychologically?
Yes, it's disturbing and emotionally challenging to observe the bodies, but climbers tend to be adequately warned about this fact.
11. For how long can bodies be viewed there?
They can be left for centuries or decades because the cold embalms them.
12. Has anybody made any efforts to revive or restore Rainbow Valley?
There was some attempt at retrieval but most bodies remain since it is too hazardous and expensive to bring them out.
13. Is Mount Everest's Rainbow Valley special?
There are other such high-altitude frozen cemeteries on other mountains too, but this is perhaps the most famous because it has a lot of trekkers and can be seen.
14. What does Rainbow Valley teach students?
It serves to remind mountaineers of the risks involved in high-altitude climbing and the need for preparation, caution and respect for nature.
15. Is Rainbow Valley accessible to tourists?
Not quite; it's in the treacherous death zone reserved only for experienced climbers. But it's usually referred to in Everest movies and climbing narratives.