Test Author,
Nirdosh Shrestha

“Green Boots” is not just a pair of boots – it’s the nickname given to an unidentified climber whose body was found on Mount Everest. For many years, this climber’s body lay near the summit on the mountain’s north side, wearing bright neon-green climbing boots. Climbers did not know his name at first, so they simply referred to him by his striking green boots. It’s a bit like a mysterious character in a story, known only by a feature of his clothing.

Most mountaineers believe that Green Boots was Tsewang Paljor, a young Indian climber. Paljor was part of an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team that attempted to climb Everest in 1996. 

He was 28 years old and full of hope to reach the top of the world. Sadly, he never made it back down. Paljor’s body was left high on the mountain in 1996 during a terrible storm, and over time people came to call him “Green Boots” because of the boots he was wearing. (Some believe it might have been a teammate Dorje Morup instead, but Paljor is the widely accepted identity.)

So when we ask “who is Green Boots?”, we’re talking about this fallen climber – likely Tsewang Paljor – whose body became a silent guardian on Everest’s slopes. For almost 20 years, Green Boots rested in the same spot, curled up as if taking shelter, his green boots visible to all who passed.

How did he get the nickname "Green Boots"?

Green Boots got his nickname because of his green color boots. It’s that simple! When climbers first saw the body, the most noticeable feature was the bright green mountaineering boots on the climber’s feet. These boots were a neon green color, standing out against the white snow and grey rock. Imagine climbing in the cold, and you spot something green glowing in your headlamp’s light – those boots would certainly catch your eye, right?

Over the years, as expedition after expedition climbed the north route of Everest, the body with the green boots became a well-known marker. Climbers started saying, “We just passed Green Boots,” as a way to note their location on the route. The name stuck because it was easier to remember than a long Indian name that many didn’t know at the time. The small limestone cave where he lay even started to be called “Green Boots’ Cave”.

Think of it this way: if you left a bright sign or object on a trail, people might use it as a reference point. In this case, the bright boots were like a sign. They were so unmistakable that everyone began using them to mark a spot on the mountain. That’s how the climber became forever known as “Green Boots” – a name born out of a tragic story and a pair of green shoes.

Is "Green Boots" still on Everest today?

For many years, Green Boots’ body remained exactly where he fell, and climbers could see those green boots on their way up. All climbers on Everest’s north side used to pass by him in that cave at about 8,500 meters altitude. In fact, when snow levels were low, people literally had to step over his legs on the path. It’s sad and eerie, but true.

However, if you climb Everest today, you might not see Green Boots anymore. Around 2014, the body disappeared from sight. A famous Everest adventurer, Noel Hanna, reported in May 2014 that the cave was suddenly empty – Green Boots was gone! This was a surprise to everyone. It’s believed that a Chinese expedition or the Tibet Mountaineering Association moved the body to a less visible location out of respect (and perhaps to avoid distracting or upsetting climbers). In other words, they likely covered him with rocks or snow, or moved him slightly away from the trail.

For a few years, nobody saw Green Boots at his old spot. Then in 2017, some climbers reported seeing a body with green boots again, but now covered with stones. So it’s possible the remains were simply hidden and later revealed again by weather. Is Green Boots still on Everest? Most likely yes – his body is still up there, just not openly visible as before. Remember, at that extreme altitude, bodies tend to stay preserved in the freezing cold.

And it’s very hard to bring bodies down from Everest because it’s so dangerous and costly to do so. In fact, over 340 people have died on Everest in total, and more than 200 of their bodies remain on the mountain to this day. Many are never recovered. Green Boots was one of those unfortunate climbers who remained on the mountain where he died.

(If you’re wondering why they don’t remove all the bodies – it’s because above 8,000 m, the “death zone,” helicopters can’t fly and people can barely carry themselves, let alone a heavy body. It’s sadly common for Everest climbers who pass away to stay on the mountain.)

So, Green Boots is probably still there on Everest, but hidden from view. His legacy, however, lives on in the tales every trekker hears about Everest’s most famous fallen climber.

Where are the green boots on Mount Everest?

Let’s talk about where exactly this all happened. The location of Green Boots (and the cave he rested in) is along Everest’s Northeast Ridge route. This is the path climbers take from the Tibetan (north) side of the mountain. To give you a clearer picture, here are some quick facts about the location of Green Boots’ cave:

• Route Position: It’s on the main Northeast Ridge route of Mount Everest, the trail used by climbers coming up from Tibet (the north side). All north-side expeditions passed this spot.
   

• Altitude: About 27,890 feet (8,500 meters) above sea level. This is very high up – well into the “Death Zone” (above 26,247 feet/8,000 m, where the air is so thin that humans can’t survive for long).
   

• Distance from Summit: Approximately 350 meters below the summit of Everest. That’s very close to the top – only a few hours of climbing from the peak, if all goes well.
   

• Landmark: It sits just below the “First Step,” a famous rocky outcrop on the ridge route. The First Step is the first of three tricky cliff-like steps on the way to the top. Green Boots’ cave is right under that first rocky step.
   

• Appearance: The cave is a small limestone alcove (like a little rocky nook) on the side of the trail. Inside, the ground is often littered with empty oxygen bottles that climbers discarded when resting there. It’s a known resting spot because it provides a tiny bit of shelter from the wind.
   

Mount Everest’s North Face (Tibetan side), showing the steep route near the summit. The Northeast Ridge – where Green Boots’ cave is located – runs along the right skyline of the peak.

If you and I were climbing from the north side, we’d trek up to high Camp 6 (~8,300 m), then push toward the summit. On our way, shortly after leaving camp and passing some difficult sections, we’d come across this little cave around 8,500 m. That’s where Green Boots was found, tucked in that alcove. It’s both a physical location and, now, a piece of Everest history.

How did Green Boots die during the Everest expedition?

Now that you know who Green Boots was and where he ended up, you might wonder: how did this tragedy happen? It’s a sad story of courage and misfortune. Let me tell it like a tale.

The year was 1996, a year that would become infamous on Everest. Tsewang Paljor (our Green Boots) was part of an Indian expedition aiming to be the first from India to reach Everest’s summit from the east/north side. They were a team of six climbers from the ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police), climbing without Sherpa guides, and they were very determined. Paljor and two teammates – Subedar Tsewang Smanla and Lance Naik Dorje Morup – made a push for the summit on May 10, 1996. They radioed their base camp around 3:45 PM Nepali time saying, “We reached the top!”. There’s a bit of debate if they actually got to the true summit or stopped a little short due to poor visibility, but they believed they had conquered Everest.

As the three climbers started to descend from near the summit, a sudden blizzard (a fierce snowstorm) hit the mountain. The weather turned very bad – imagine freezing winds and blowing snow so thick you can hardly see. By that time it was late in the day (evening), which is extremely dangerous on Everest. The team lost radio contact after their summit call. Down below, others in their team at camp spotted two tiny headlamp lights on the ridge in the storm, around the area of the Second Step (~8,570 m). And then... the lights stopped. None of the three climbers made it back to the high camp at 8,300 m.

Paljor (Green Boots) and his friends were caught in the blizzard, ran out of oxygen and energy, and could not find their way back. At that altitude, in a storm, a person can quickly get hypothermia (body freezing) or run out of oxygen to the brain. We don’t know the exact details of Paljor’s final moments, but it appears he became separated or sought shelter. Later, when the storm cleared, climbers found one of the team’s bodies in that little cave – this was Green Boots, lying curled up as if he had crawled in to escape the wind. The other two teammates perished on the ridge as well (their bodies were found nearby the next day).

In simple terms: Green Boots died due to exposure and exhaustion in the Death Zone during the 1996 Everest expedition. The storm was so vicious that it overwhelmed even strong climbers. Paljor likely sat down in the alcove, exhausted and freezing, and never got up again. It’s a heartbreaking end – he was so close to achieving his dream, but Everest is merciless if you don’t descend in time.

Many years later, people still remember how brave but unlucky he was. I sometimes imagine how he must have felt in that moment, huddled in the dark cave with snow swirling outside. It’s a somber thought, isn’t it? But it reminds every climber that Mount Everest can be very dangerous, even for the best.

What was the tragic 1996 Everest expedition?

The story of Green Boots is part of a larger tragedy. In fact, May 10-11, 1996 became known as one of the deadliest events in Everest’s history. Have you heard of the 1996 Everest disaster? If not, let me explain in brief.

During those days, multiple climbing teams were caught by the same sudden storm on different sides of the mountain. On the south side (Nepal side), several climbers from two commercial expeditions were stuck high on the mountain. On the north side (Tibet side) was Paljor’s Indian team. The blizzard struck unexpectedly in the afternoon and raged through the night. Many climbers became lost or ran out of oxygen. Tragically, a total of 8 people died in that storm. Five were from the expeditions on the south side (this includes guides and clients, a story told in the famous book Into Thin Air), and three were Paljor and his two teammates on the north side.

It was a devastating event – at the time, the worst single-day loss of life on Everest. The media around the world reported it, calling it the “1996 Everest tragedy.” Climbers who were on the mountain that day describe it as a nightmare of wind, snow, and confusion. This is the very same storm that took Green Boots’ life.

For context, before 1996, people thought climbing Everest was tough but relatively manageable with experienced guides. After 1996, everyone realized just how unpredictable and deadly Everest could be. Even the most skilled climbers, like Rob Hall and Scott Fischer (leaders on the south side), and our ITBP team on the north, were caught off-guard. Everest demanded respect.

In short, the tragic 1996 Everest expedition refers not just to Paljor’s climb, but to the whole disaster that unfolded on May 10-11, 1996, across the mountain. It’s a somber chapter in mountaineering history when eight climbers lost their lives in one day due to a rogue storm. And Green Boots is one of the enduring symbols of that tragedy.

(Interesting fact: After 1996, safety measures were re-examined, and the story was studied deeply. It taught climbers and organizers many lessons about turnaround times and weather warnings. But still, many people have perished on Everest since – over the years, more than 340 climbers have died on Everest, reminding us how dangerous it can be.)

What is the "Green Boots" Cave on Mount Everest?

The term “Green Boots’ Cave” refers to the very spot where the body was found. So, when climbers say “We’re at Green Boots’ Cave,” they mean that little rocky alcove at 27,890 feet on the Northeast Ridge. But it’s more than just a location – it’s almost a legend. Let’s explore what this cave means:

• A Resting Spot: On the harsh climb in the Death Zone, any small shelter is precious. Green Boots’ cave provided a tiny bit of cover from the wind. Climbers would often stop here to rest and change their oxygen bottles. The floor of the cave was covered in spent oxygen cylinders left behind by previous climbers, which shows how frequently it was used as a break point. It’s chilling to think you might sit down to rest in the exact spot where a climber died.
   

• A Grim Landmark: The cave became an unofficial milepost on the route. Seeing the green boots told climbers exactly where they were – roughly 8500 m up, just below the First Step, nearing the summit push. In fact, about 80% of climbers on the north side would pause at this cave, using it as a waypoint. It’s hard to miss a body in bright boots lying next to you. Many climbers even had to step around or over Green Boots to continue, which is a very sobering experience. Can you imagine stepping over someone who never made it back, as you try to keep your own hopes alive? It certainly made climbers reflect on the risks.
   

• David Sharp’s Incident: Green Boots’ cave is also remembered for another sad event. In 2006, a climber named David Sharp from Britain took shelter in the same cave during his solo summit attempt. He was exhausted and freezing (hypothermic). Over 30 people passed by that day. Many thought David was just the already-known body of Green Boots and didn’t realize he was a live person in trouble. Some climbers did eventually notice but by then it was too late – David Sharp died there, in the same cave, next to where Green Boots lay. This caused huge controversy and soul-searching in the climbing community: Why didn’t more people stop to help? The truth is, in the Death Zone, rescuing someone is extremely difficult – you’re barely surviving yourself. Still, this event made Green Boots’ cave even more famous (or infamous) as a symbol of the tough moral dilemmas on Everest.
   

• Removed from View: As we discussed earlier, by 2014 Chinese authorities removed Green Boots from sight (and also some other bodies along the route, which had nicknames like “Sleeping Beauty” and others). They did this out of respect and to prevent the route from feeling like a graveyard. So the cave became just an empty alcove once more. Climbers could still identify it as “that cave where Green Boots used to be,” and it remains a part of Everest lore. Even if the boots aren’t visible now, the spot is still called Green Boots’ Cave by many. It’s a reminder that an ordinary man – not a legend or a ghost, but a real person – died there.
   

In essence, Green Boots’ Cave is a small cave on Everest that turned into a historical marker. It represents both a physical place on the mountain and a story that every Everest trekker seems to know. It’s important to treat such places with reverence. When I talk to young or new trekkers, I make sure they understand that these stories aren’t just spooky tales – they’re real, and they carry lessons about humility and caution.

Conclusion

The story of Green Boots on Everest is a poignant mix of adventure and tragedy. It’s told around campfires, in base camp tents, and on trekking trails as a cautionary tale. I’ve told it to you in a gentle, storytelling way, because it’s not just about facts – it’s about respecting the mountains and those who climb them.

Green Boots, the climber with the neon boots, went up the mountain with a dream just like any other adventurer. In 1996, he was so close to the top of Mount Everest – but he never came back. His fate was to remain on the mountain, becoming part of Everest’s history. For nearly two decades, his frozen body lay in a quiet cave, a stark reminder to everyone that nature is stronger than us. As trekkers passed by, many whispered a prayer or at least felt a chill, seeing firsthand what can happen when things go wrong up there.

Even though his body was eventually moved out of sight, Green Boots’ legacy lives on. Trekkers and climbers still talk about him. His story teaches us about courage and risk. Climbing Everest (or even trekking its slopes) isn’t like a normal hike – it’s life or death up there. Over 340 climbers have lost their lives trying to reach the summit, and about 200 of them are still on the mountain, preserved by the cold as everlasting monuments. Green Boots was one of the most famous among these, not because he wanted fame, but by a twist of fate and those eye-catching boots.

As you and I finish this story, let’s reflect for a moment. Can you picture the quiet cave high on Everest, with prayer flags fluttering somewhere above and the wind whispering through the rocks? I can almost feel the thin air and the goosebumps. Green Boots’ tale makes me ask questions: Would I be brave enough to attempt such a climb? Is reaching the summit worth the risks? These are questions every climber must answer for themselves.

One thing is certain: Mount Everest demands respect. The mountain is beautiful, but it is also unforgiving. Green Boots’ story, told in simple words here, is ultimately about respecting the power of nature and remembering the humans – heroes in their own way – who dared to challenge the tallest mountain on Earth.

I hope this tale has taught you something valuable (and given you a few shivers too!). Next time you hear about Mount Everest, you might recall the story of Green Boots and share it with a fellow trekker. It’s by sharing these stories that we keep the memory of climbers like Green Boots alive and remind each other to climb wisely and honor those who paved the way, sometimes with the ultimate sacrifice. Safe trekking, and always keep learning from the mountains!