A new expedition has been commissioned to retrieve the remains of the climber famously known as “Green Boots” from Mount Everest, nearly 30 years after the individual perished near the peak.
While the body has long been associated with Indian mountaineer Tsewang Paljor, a recent tender document from Indian officials identifies the remains as his colleague, Dorje Morup, reports The Guardian.
Both men were members of an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team that was struck by a catastrophic blizzard in 1996 during an attempt to scale the mountain from its northern side.
Lying within a limestone cave at an altitude of 8,500 metres, the body is situated in the hazardous “death zone,” where oxygen levels are only a third of those at sea level. Named for his bright lime-coloured Koflach boots, the climber has served as a permanent fixture and navigational point for others on the north-east ridge route. Some mountaineers have even reported seeking cover from the elements within the same rocky alcove.
The recovery operation, outlined in a government tender, requires a specialist team of at least six Sherpas with extensive high-altitude experience to transport the body to Delhi by October.
Experts, including Tshiring Jangbu Sherpa, have highlighted the immense physical challenges of the task, noting that a frozen body clad in heavy gear can weigh as much as 200kg.
The process of moving a corpse across technical, icy terrain is often dangerous, sometimes requiring the amputation of frozen limbs that cannot be bent for transport.
The mission is expected to cost approximately $150,000 and could take up to 40 days to complete. However, Makalu Adventure has cautioned that the June-to-October timeframe coincides with the monsoon season, which brings heavy snowfall that may hinder progress.
Mountaineer Alan Arnette noted the cultural sensitivity of the mission, explaining that the predominantly Buddhist Sherpa people often have religious reservations about handling deceased bodies.
Guy Cotter, director of Adventure Consultants, added that while returning remains provides vital closure for families, such missions must be carefully balanced against the life-threatening risks posed to the recovery teams. Despite occasional rumours that the body had been moved or buried over the last decade, recent climbers confirm that Green Boots remains in his original location.
