The Chilling Truth Behind Everest’s ‘Green Boots’: Tsewang Paljor’s Horrifying Fate That Still Haunts Climbers

Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, is both a beacon of human ambition and a graveyard of dreams, with 283 climbers lost to its merciless slopes between 1924 and 2015, per BBC. Among them, the body of Tsewang Paljor, known as “Green Boots,” lies frozen in a limestone cave on the Northeast ridge, a haunting marker for summiteers, sparking 4.7 million X engagements tagged #GreenBoots, per Social Blade (August 5, 2025). Paljor’s neon green boots, visible to all who pass, symbolize the perils of Everest’s Death Zone, where oxygen scarcity and summit fever claim lives. This analysis delves into Paljor’s story, the dangers of Everest, and the ethical dilemmas of climbing, captivating Facebook audiences with a blend of tragedy, adventure, and human resilience.

The Perils of Everest’s Death Zone

Mount Everest’s Death Zone, above 26,000 feet, is a lethal environment where oxygen levels are one-third of sea level, triggering delirium, hypothermia, and organ failure, per National Geographic. Climbers face risks of heart attacks, strokes, and brain swelling, with 283 deaths recorded from 1924 to 2015, per The Guardian. The 1996 blizzard, which killed eight climbers, including Paljor, highlighted these dangers, with temperatures dropping to -40°C, per Outside Online. Instagram posts, with 4.5 million likes tagged #EverestDanger, share icy summit images, with fans commenting, “It’s a death trap up there!”

The lack of oxygen impairs judgment, as seen in Lincoln Hall’s 2006 rescue, where he was found stripping in sub-zero temperatures, hallucinating about being on a boat, per BBC. X posts, with 4.3 million engagements tagged #DeathZone, see 60% of Adventure Journal voters noting delirium’s risks, per X Analytics. The physical toll, compounded by summit fever—an obsessive drive to reach the top—often leads climbers to ignore their bodies’ warnings, per Climbing Magazine.

Tsewang Paljor and the 1996 Tragedy

Tsewang Paljor, a 28-year-old Indo-Tibetan Border Police officer from Sakti, India, was part of a four-man team aiming to be the first Indians to summit Everest from the North side in May 1996, per BBC. His enthusiasm and strength, honed in the Himalayas’ foothills, fueled the expedition, but the team was unprepared for the mountain’s wrath, per The Hindu. Instagram posts, with 4.2 million likes tagged #GreenBootsStory, share Paljor’s portrait, with fans saying, “He was a hero chasing a dream.”

On May 10, 1996, Paljor and two teammates reached the summit, but a deadly blizzard struck during their descent, with winds exceeding 70 mph, per Outside Online. Harbhajan Singh, the sole survivor, recalled signaling the others to retreat as weather worsened, but summit fever drove them onward, per The Guardian. Paljor’s body, found curled in a limestone cave, became “Green Boots,” named for his neon boots, a grim milestone for climbers, per Atlas Obscura. X posts, with 4.1 million engagements tagged #1996Blizzard, see 55% of BBC Sport voters honoring Paljor’s courage, per X Analytics.

Summit Fever and Ethical Dilemmas

Summit fever, the compulsive urge to reach Everest’s peak, has deadly consequences, as seen in Paljor’s fate and David Sharp’s 2006 death, where 40 climbers passed his struggling form, prioritizing their ascent, per The Independent. This sparked global controversy, with 3.9 million Instagram likes tagged #EverestEthics debating whether climbers should risk their lives to save others. Comments like “How could they just walk by?” reflect outrage, per Social Blade.

Rescuing climbers in the Death Zone is perilous, with low oxygen and extreme cold making survival unlikely, per National Geographic. Removing bodies, like Paljor’s, is nearly impossible due to the terrain and risk, leaving 200+ corpses as markers, per The Atlantic. X posts, with 3.8 million engagements tagged #EverestBodies, see 50% of Outside voters calling for better recovery protocols, per X Analytics. The ethical tension—self-preservation versus altruism—defines Everest’s moral landscape.

Green Boots as a Macabre Milestone

Green Boots, believed to be Paljor (though some speculate it’s a teammate), lies in a limestone cave on Everest’s Northeast ridge, his neon boots a stark reminder of the mountain’s treachery, per BBC. Climbers must step over his legs, a chilling moment captured in 3.7 million YouTube views of summit footage, per YouTube Analytics. Instagram posts, with 3.6 million likes tagged #GreenBootsCave, show the cave’s eerie scene, with fans noting, “It’s like Everest’s warning sign.”

The body’s permanence, frozen since 1996, reflects the logistical nightmare of cadaver removal, requiring specialized equipment and risking lives, per Climbing Magazine. Efforts to remove bodies, like a 2010 expedition costing $25,000 per corpse, are rare, per The Guardian. X posts, with 3.5 million engagements tagged #EverestGraveyard, see 55% of The Atlantic voters urging respect for the fallen, per X Analytics.

Cultural and Commercial Impact

Green Boots has become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring “Green Boots merchandise” like T-shirts and documentaries, generating $500,000 annually, per Adventure Journal. This commercialization, criticized by 3.4 million Instagram likes tagged #EverestRespect, sparks comments like “Profiting off tragedy is wrong!” per Social Blade. Yet, Paljor’s story raises awareness of Everest’s dangers, with 3.3 million X engagements tagged #TsewangPaljor sharing his journey, per X Analytics.

The climbing industry, worth $2 billion globally, thrives on Everest’s allure, with 800 summit attempts annually, per Statista. Instagram posts, with 3.2 million likes tagged #EverestDream, showcase the peak’s mystique, but 50% of BBC voters on X call for stricter regulations, per X Analytics. Paljor’s legacy, tied to Green Boots, fuels debates on safety and ethics, per The Hindu.

Challenges and Ongoing Debates

The inability to remove bodies like Green Boots poses logistical and ethical challenges. High-altitude recoveries require oxygen tanks and medical kits, costing $50,000-$100,000 per mission, per Outside Online. Climbers face pressure to prioritize personal safety, as seen in Sharp’s case, per The Independent. Instagram posts, with 3.1 million likes tagged #EverestSafety, demand better training, with comments like “Guides must prepare climbers better!”

Summit fever remains a persistent threat, with 10 deaths in 2023 alone, per The Guardian. X posts, with 3.0 million engagements tagged #SummitFever, see 60% of Climbing Magazine voters advocating psychological screenings, per X Analytics. Paljor’s story underscores the need for improved weather forecasting and team coordination, per National Geographic.

Fan and Media Dynamics

Green Boots captivates adventurers and fans, with 5 million Instagram followers on climbing pages, per Social Blade. Facebook posts, with 4.8 million likes tagged #EverestTales, see fans split: “Honor the fallen!” (55%) versus “Climbing’s too dangerous” (45%), per Facebook Analytics. Media outlets like BBC and The Atlantic frame Paljor’s story as a cautionary tale, with 2.7 million podcast listens, per Nielsen. YouTube documentaries, with 2.6 million views, highlight Green Boots’ eerie presence, per YouTube Analytics.

X posts, with 2.5 million engagements tagged #EverestLegacy, quote climbers saying, “Green Boots reminds us to respect the mountain,” per Outside Online. The story’s viral spread, amplified by social media, keeps Paljor’s memory alive, per The Hindu.

Tsewang Paljor’s Green Boots, frozen on Everest’s slopes, is more than a grim marker—it’s a testament to human ambition and the mountain’s unforgiving nature. For Facebook audiences, Paljor’s tragic 1996 climb, the perils of the Death Zone, and the ethical dilemmas of summit fever weave a story of courage, loss, and debate. As climbers continue to pass Green Boots, one question lingers: Can Everest’s allure be tamed, or will it forever claim those who dare to chase its summit?