Himalayan Database<\/a>, there have been 42 staff deaths over the last 10 years. As you might expect, the most frequent causes are climbing- and weather-related accidents higher up on the mountain. But death also visits Base Camp. A significant percentage of the last decade\u2019s fatalities have been due to illness, avalanches, or rock or ice fall at 6,000 meters (19,685 feet) or lower. (Base Camp sits around 5,300 meters, or 17,388 feet, above sea level. The summit of Everest is just over 8,800 meters.)<\/p>\nSome of these illness-related deaths were chalked up to Acute Mountain Sickness. Others were listed as \u201cNon-AMS,\u201d but their severity was likely no coincidence. Extended time at high altitude can be extremely hard on the body\u2014even for those who work well below the Death Zone, and even for the legendary Sherpa.<\/p>\n
There are other dangers. Every few years, guides hear stories about angry clients kicking or hitting Sherpa staffers. The altercations often stem from miscommunications related to significant language barriers; not all locals have the opportunity to learn English before coming to work on the mountain. Those who do often piece together a foreign-language education on the job. The results aren\u2019t always perfect. Clients\u2019 short tempers\u2014and overt racism\u2014can make the gig much harder than it already is.<\/p>\n
Many Sherpa staffers\u2014and their families\u2014are willing to accept the risks for the money and status that come with them. Others have had close friends and family die on the mountain and now forbid their loved ones from doing any kind of climbing work. Some find a middle ground: Work as a porter, or work in Base Camp. These jobs limit some of the hazards, but they\u2019re still far from easy.<\/p>\n
The Gig at a Glance<\/h2>\n
Job: <\/b>Base Camp Manager<\/p>\n
Age: <\/b>40s<\/p>\n
Years in the Business:<\/b> 20<\/p>\n
Salary:<\/b> $2,000 for a three-month season<\/p>\nHow Much Do You Make Farming in the Off-Season?<\/h2>\n
When I\u2019m not at Everest, I\u2019m home on my farm. We grow potatoes and fresh vegetables. Doing that, we make between $500 and $600 per year in U.S. dollars. That\u2019s very different from the money I make on Everest, which is around $2,000 for three months of work. I make tips, too. The biggest I\u2019ve ever gotten was $700\u2014a personal tip from an especially happy client.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s good money, but my wife has to take care of the farm alone while I am gone. I am always happy to be back home after three months away.<\/p>\n
How Did You Start Working on Everest?<\/h2>\n
When I was 25 years old, I started working as a trekking guide. I was a porter at first, and I did 15 to 20 trips as a porter before I got promoted to doing other work. The packs are heavy\u2014anywhere from 65 to 100 pounds for weeks at a time. Sometimes we have less, sometimes we have more. It\u2019s hard work. But I learned a lot, and I was able to improve my English. I took classes when I was at university in Kathmandu City, but practicing with clients helps.<\/p>\n
I work with a Western guide now. He hired me for his company because he saw me working very hard, and he needed someone to help him manage his company\u2019s camp at Base Camp. That\u2019s what I do now. I\u2019ve been a camp manager since 2020.<\/p>\n
Does Working on Everest Make a Rockstar Back Home?<\/h2>\n
It is prestigious to be on Everest. The money is good, and it is work I\u2019m proud of.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s Your Favorite Part of Working in Base Camp?<\/h2>\n
My work is mostly looking after all the tents, cleaning the dining room, and washing the clothes. I sort the food, and I am the waiter. I like the work. I like to take care of my clients and make them happy. There\u2019s also the same staff here every year, so I get to see people I know, and we have parties for the clients and listen to music and dance.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the Worst Part of Working in Base Camp?<\/h2>\n
The cold and the conditions make it very tough. When there\u2019s lots of snow, we have to do a lot of work to clear it, and during bad storms, we can\u2019t do anything. Clients can get frustrated by the weather, too. But I like my job, and I have not had any particularly difficult clients.<\/p>\n
Have You Climbed Everest? Do You Want to?<\/h2>\n
I have never been to the summit of Everest. My highest altitude is 6,500 meters. Maybe if I get a chance, I will try, but my work is in Base Camp. That is my priority.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re in Your Forties, and This Is Hard Work. How Long Will You Continue?<\/h2>\n
Maybe when my parents tell me to stop. They worry about my safety. I do, too. I\u2019m afraid of getting sick or having an accident. Some people fall or get caught in rockfall or an avalanche, even if they are not very high on the mountain. I have not had any close friends die because of these things, but it happens every year.<\/p>\n
Right now, the risk is worth it, because I need to make the money for my family\u2014my parents and my brothers and sisters. Eventually, when I get old, I will quit the mountain. But I can\u2019t stop yet.<\/p>\n
Quotes have been edited for length and clarity, as well as to preserve the source\u2019s anonymity.<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Published May 8, 2026 12:28PM Climbing in the Himalaya is like a carefully rehearsed play. Everest is merely the set, and the summit push, the final act. The real work is done behind the stage, by people who vanish into the background and never appear on the playbill. This behind-the-scenes work typically falls to local<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12497","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wild-living"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wildgreenquest.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}