Operation to Recover ‘Green Boots’ from Mount Everest: A Technical and Moral Challenge

Indian authorities are gearing up for an operation to retrieve the frozen body of a climber on Mount Everest, known famously as ‘Green Boots,’ a task pending for nearly 30 years after the climber’s death in one of the deadliest incidents on the mountain. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is seeking bids from specialized recovery agencies to carry out this mission targeting the remains on Everest’s northern slope.

A tender document lays out plans for a contracted team to bring the body to Delhi by October. The operation demands high technical expertise—’double the danger of normal climbing,’ according to Tshiring Jangbu Sherpa, founder of Nepal-based Everest Sherpa Expedition. Tshiring, who has summited Everest multiple times, managed expeditions in 2024 to retrieve five bodies from the region.

Sherpa mentioned that recovering Green Boots’ body might require a highly trained team of ten, potentially taking up to a week. In his view, adverse weather necessitates postponement until spring, raising questions on the specified timeline in the tender document.

ITBP has not responded to inquiries about the plans. Green Boots, recognized for bright green footwear, remains a prominent landmark on Everest, located approximately at 27,000 feet altitude. Situated in the ‘death zone,’ above 26,200 feet, climbers face dangerously low oxygen levels. Green Boots is widely believed to be Tsewang Paljor, an ITBP member lost in the 1996 storm depicted in Jon Krakauer’s ‘Into Thin Air.’ Three climbers from his group continued their ascent amid worsening conditions, but none returned. While Green Boots is the only found, documents suggest the body is Dorje Morup, another climber.

In historical context, Francys Arsentiev, an American climber, became notable as ‘Sleeping Beauty’ after her body remained on Everest’s main route for years. In 2007, teams moved her remains from sight, providing a mountain burial rather than retrieval.

Approximately 200 bodies remain on Everest, primarily due to the risk and expense of recovery. The mountaineering community debates between respecting the deceased through retrieval and maintaining safety for living climbers. Some climbers choose to be left if they die on the slopes.

Despite differing views, Tshiring advocates for recovery missions to return the dead to their families. ‘My opinion is we must bring them down,’ he explained. CBS News credits Arshad R. Zargar for contributions to the report.