# Hillary Step collapsed - what effect did that have on summiting Everest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 21, 2021, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596 "2021-05-21T04:02:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596/1 "2021-05-21T04:02:35Z")
The Hillary Step was a near vertical rock face about 12 metres tall, near the summit of Everest. Climbing it was apparently one of the more technically difficult parts of the climb, plus zone of death. It collapsed in the 2015 earthquake. So what effect did that collapse have on the final summit approach? easier? harder? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596/2 "2021-05-21T04:38:10Z")
The thread is new so I can’t make any jokes about Sen. Clinton. I suppose no matter how interested I am in the question and the climb, any mention of my unfulfilled desire to name my twin daughters Mallory and Hillary is probably out of place. Alas! Never mind. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596/3 "2021-05-21T04:58:02Z")
I don’t think the Hillary Step could actually _ **collapse** _ collapse. Some of its rocks may have fallen, so as to rearrange the line up it somewhat. What are the details of this ‘collapse’? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596/4 "2021-05-21T05:03:26Z")
See here: > **[Hillary Step](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Step)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > The Hillary Step was a nearly vertical rock face with a height of around 12 metres (40 ft) located near the summit of Mount Everest, about 8,790 metres (28,839 ft) above sea level. Located on the southeast ridge, halfway between the "South Summit" and the true summit, the Hillary Step was the most technically difficult part of the typical Nepal-side Everest climb and the last real challenge before reaching the top of the mountain. The rock face ... ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596/5 "2021-05-21T05:12:30Z")
From the referenced article: [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/4wzT3qh.png?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/l9XCgld) It’s pretty much as I guessed — rocks fell (including one big one), and its climbing line has been altered. And its climbing challenge depends on how much snow is up there. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596/6 "2021-05-21T05:18:05Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > So what effect did that collapse have on the final summit approach? easier? harder? [Easier, apparently](https://phys.org/news/2018-05-everest-hillary-slope-climbers.html#:~:text=Mount%20Everest's%20Hillary%20Step%E2%80%94a,year%20declared%20it%20had%20gone.), though not necessarily a lot safer. > Mountaineers returning from the summit this month have unanimously said that what was once a near-vertical 12 metre (40 feet) rock face is now a gradual snowy slope and makes the final ascent quicker and easier. > > Climbers say the disappearance of the step has left little more than an undulating ridge to the summit. > > “The area of the Hillary’s Step is a moderately steep snow ridge, but does not stand out more prominently than any other section between the south summit and main summit,” said a [climber](https://phys.org/tags/climber/) who declined to be named. See [here for side-by-side photos](https://www.outsideonline.com/2191911/american-climbers-confirm-hillary-step-gone) that show the ridge with and without the Hillary Step. It looks pretty hair-raising to me either way. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2021, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-step-collapsed-what-effect-did-that-have-on-summiting-everest/942596/7 "2021-05-21T07:40:54Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@dropzone](#): > > [snip] > Never mind. Reminder: Hold off on the joke answers in GQ until after the topic has been addressed factually, please.