Sleeping Beauty on Mount Everest: A Haunting Legacy of the World’s Tallest Graveyard

Not all people who climb Mount Everest have a happy ending. There lie the songs of Sleeping Beauty on Mount Everest, a tragic figure whose fate embodies the harsh realities of high-altitude mountaineering.

Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth, is both a dream and a nightmare for adventurers. Each year, thousands of climbers from around the globe attempt to reach its summit, drawn by the allure of standing atop the world.

However, not all who begin the journey return to their families. Some wait for other climbers to recover and take them down. Let’s talk about a story about the sleeping beauty on Mount Everest.

Who Was the Sleeping Beauty on Mount Everest?

Francys Arsentiev, an American climber, aspired to become the first American woman to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen in 1998. Along with her husband, Sergei Arsentiev, she climbed Mount Everest but could never return to her family.

This is the tragic tale of Francys Arsentiev, who later earned the title of Sleeping Beauty on Mount Everest. While descending to the lower base camps from the summit, the couple was trapped in extreme weather.

Sergei and Francys first met during the Annapurna Expedition in 1991. Sergi moved to the US after the war between Russia and the USA on December 26, 1991. Sergei Arsentiev was a pro-Russian climber who had climbed all the Soviet peaks above 7000 m. He is popularly known as the Snow Leopard in Soviet mountaineering. After tying the knot in 1992, together, they climbed many Russian peaks like Denali’s West Buttress and Elbrus, including the first ascent of a peak 5800 m, which they named Peak Goodwill.

They reached the Everest Base Camp in 1998, and they ascended from the base camp via the North Col. They made their final push on May 22 without oxygen. As they were ascending without oxygen, they moved slowly, being too late to reach the top. They had no other option but to spend another night above 8000 m in the death zone.

What Caused the Tragedy?

At a point, the couple got separated, and Sergei descended to get help from other climbers. Some climbers from the Uzbek Expedition Team reported that they encountered Francys in distress, alive but barely responsive, suffering from the effects of extreme cold, hypothermia, frostbite, and hypoxia. Rescuing and bringing another distressed mountaineer is very difficult above 8,000 m. None of them were able to bring her down due to the limitations of high-altitude rescue.

They claimed, despite her catastrophic state, she was described as calm-looking, with frost-covered skin and an almost serene expression, hence the name, the Sleeping Beauty on Mount Everest. Sergei, after returning to base camp, got an oxygen bottle and moved up to find her, but this poor couple never united. Helplessly, due to extreme weather, frostbite, exhaustion, and altitude sickness, she became too fragile to move and ultimately took her last breath on the lap of Mount Everest.

Sergei’s body was later found lower down the mountain, which clearly shows he could not find assistance from others and lost himself in the ice. Such a tragedy; both of them were succumbing to the cold, but at different locations, unknown to the world.

Why is Francys Arsentiev called the Sleeping Beauty?

For nearly a decade, her body lay on the route to the summit. Her body, known as the Sleeping Beauty on Mount Everest, was a marker in the route to the Everest peak, adorned by the mountaineers. The journey of Sergei in search of help and support for his beloved wife in between the snow alleys of Mount Everest is a portrait of love and glory that one can show to his wife. For every American, this is a matter of pride, glory, and love.

Is it Safe to Climb Mountains Without Oxygen?

Without oxygen, no organism can survive. Every organism in this entire universe needs oxygen to survive. Our atmosphere has a volume level of oxygen that is thick at sea level and goes on decreasing as one rises in altitude. Above 8000 meters, only one-third of the oxygen is available. In addition to the extremely low, blood-chilling temperature, the strong wind and the depleted air cause hypoxia, leading to death within a minute.

With high degrees of preparation and acclimatization, some climbers can develop resistance against the thin air and can attempt and succeed in peak climbing without oxygen. But not all of them succeeds and tragically end their lives far too soon. Many climbers have tried to reach the summit without supplemental oxygen but have perished in the mountains.

Is Sleeping Beauty Still on Mount Everest?

The Death Zone or Rainbow Valley, consists of more than 300 dead bodies. In 2007, an initiative took place to clean the Everest region, called “Tao of Everest,” directed by climbers Cathy O’Dowd and Ian Woodall. Finally, the body of the sleeping beauty on Mount Everest was moved off the main Everest Expedition trail, showing respect to her.

The Harsh Reality of Everest’s Death Zone

Everest’s Death Zone, which begins at around 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), is one of the most inhospitable places on Earth. With oxygen levels reduced to a third of what they are at sea level, human bodies begin to shut down. Climbers suffer from extreme fatigue, confusion, and hallucinations. Without supplemental oxygen, survival is nearly impossible. In this deadly environment, making a mistake often means death, and rescue efforts are nearly impossible due to the treacherous terrain and life-threatening conditions.

Many climbers who perish in the Death Zone remain where they fell, frozen in time. Unlike in lower altitudes, where bodies decompose, Everest’s freezing temperatures preserve them almost perfectly. The result is a mountain littered with the remains of past climbers, some of whom have become grim landmarks along the route to the summit.

The Mystery of the Green Boots on Mount Everest

Rainbow Valley on Mount Everest

One of the most haunting areas on the mountain is the Rainbow Valley on Mount Everest, located just below the summit. The region got its name, Rainbow, from the colorful spots of the jackets and the boots, tents, and sleeping bags of the mountaineers who died during their journey to the peak of the world.

The Rainbow Valley is filled with many dead bodies that are almost impossible to bring down. Each of them carries a unique, tragic story.

Some Famous Bodies on Mount Everest

While Francys Arsentiev’s story is one of the most well-known, she is not the only climber who has lost her life on the mountains. Some of the popular dead bodies include the Green Boots, David Sharp, and George Mallory.

Danger and Ethics of Leaving Bodies on High Mountains

There is an ongoing debate about whether bodies should be removed from Mount Everest or let the mountain hold them for eternity. The corpses remain in their position for centuries, as it is very difficult to retrieve them. Apart from the risk involved, it costs more than 70,000 USD to retrieve a body. In the past, some recoveries have succeeded with proper burial, but not all. Even the person who goes to receive the dead bodies also loses their life.

As a result, many climbers rest forever on the mountain, their bodies acting as grim mile markers for those who follow in their footsteps.

Modern Efforts to Reduce Deaths on Everest

As the world becomes more aware of the risks associated with dead bodies and pollution in the mountains, significant efforts are being taken to clean the mountains. Different national and international agencies are working to increase awareness and use of safety measures to reduce the risk involved in mountaineering. Modern mapping tools and technology, like the use of drones, are being used to bring the garbage where humans cannot do the same manually.

Stricter permit regulations, better weather forecasting, and improved rescue techniques have all contributed to reducing fatalities. Some climbers also undergo intensive training and acclimatization to prepare their bodies for the extreme conditions of high-altitude climbing.

Haunting Stories of the Everest

The tale of Sleeping Beauty on Mount Everest serves as a chilling reminder of the risks that come with high-altitude mountaineering. While Everest continues to captivate climbers with its allure, it remains an unforgiving place where nature holds the final say.

Stories like that of Francys Arsentiev, the first American woman to climb Mount Everest without oxygen, highlight the thin line between triumph and tragedy, reminding us that beneath the glory of summiting the world’s highest peak lies the ever-present danger of the mountain’s icy embrace.

Yet, this doesn’t mean an adventurer should stop dreaming of summiting the Everest. With correct training and the right precautions, you can safely achieve this dream.