KATHMANDU: Incessant snowfall and avalanches have forced teams to abandon their bid to achieve the first winter ascent of Everest in more than quarter of a century.
Winter climbs are difficult and riskier due to snowier terrain, shorter and colder days and a narrow summit window compared to the busy spring when hundreds of mountaineers flock to Everest.
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Spanish climber Alex Txikon and his team were unable to reach Camp 3 on Thursday (Feb 27) after 45cm of fresh snow made conditions dangerous for them to continue.
"We also had some close calls with avalanches yesterday. It's frustrating, we're strong and willing to go on, but conditions are unforgiving!" Txikon posted on his Facebook page.
The post came hours after a Nepali team of four Sherpas who were attempting a speed winter ascent announced they were ending their expedition from just below Camp 3 after "34 hours of fresh and soft snow".
READ: Nepal's Sherpa climbers to make rare winter ascent of Everest
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READ: Nepal rescuers call off search for trekkers after new avalanches
The only other climber this season, German alpinist Jost Kobusch attempting an Everest climb without supplemental oxygen and Sherpa support, said on Wednesday that he was descending to base camp after reaching 7,360m.
"Could even have continued, the weather seemed to be holding up, but my intuition told me: stop," he posted on his Facebook page.
Winter temperatures near the summit of the world's highest peak regularly plunge below minus 40 degrees Celsius, while strong winds make it even riskier.
In those conditions exposed skin freezes in less than five minutes, putting climbers in serious danger of frostbite.
The last successful winter ascent of the wRead More – Source
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