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South Col Route

5B | TD+/ED1 | V/VI Edit route
The standard Nepal-side route to Everest, first climbed by the 1953 British expedition, ascends the Khumbu Icefall, Western Cwm, Lhotse Face, and Southeast Ridge. It is a high-altitude expedition route with major objective hazards including crevasses, serac fall, avalanche danger, and extreme altitude exposure.

Route Outline

Lukla or roadhead -> trek to Everest Base Camp
Everest Base Camp -> Western Cwm -> Camp I -> Camp II
Camp II -> Lhotse Face -> Camp III -> South Col / Camp IV
South Col -> Southeast Ridge -> Balcony -> South Summit -> Hillary Step area -> summit
Descend the same route to South Col and lower camps

More routes on Mount Everest

North Ridge Route

5B | TD+/ED1 | V/VI
This is the principal Tibetan route to Everest, climbing the Rongbuk Glacier to the North Col and then following the North Ridge and Northeast Ridge to the summit. It is a very serious high-altitude route with long exposure, severe weather, and technical obstacles on the upper ridge, including the famous Steps.
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West Ridge Route

6B | ED2 | VII
The West Ridge is a major, very difficult alpine route on Everest and is far less commonly climbed than the South Col or North Ridge routes. It is a serious objective with complex mixed climbing, route-finding challenges, and significant objective hazards on a remote side of the mountain.
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