The Happiness Quotient

The investigation into the abandonment of Hillary Dawa Sherpa reveals systemic corruption within Everest’s commercial climbing industry. Evidence of oxygen fraud, staffing failures, and criminal negligence is examined in light of current investigations.

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In this re-cap of the miraculous survival of Hillary Dawa Sherpa on Everest after he was left and presumed deceased, Everest climber Chris Thrall, who last saw Hillary Dawa at the Yellow Band at night, shares the circumstances that took place that night. 

This is an investigation into the silence, and the moral crisis of Hillary Dawa's story. We ask the question the industry refuses to face: what is the true price of a summit?

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NEWS CLIP: "A Nepali Sherpa has been found alive after nearly a week without food or water." The world proclaimed a miracle on Everest after Hillary Dawa Sherpa crawled into Base Camp after disappearing seven days earlier. Some of us immediately began asking questions about the reality of the Everest industry. How is it that a Sherpa went missing for five days and meanwhile the ropes and ladders were pulled, no rescues or searches were called, nothing? Even his family was in their second day of funeral rites.

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On May 29, 1953, the first everest summit was achieved by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, marking a pivotal moment in world history. This video draws fascinating parallels between this incredible climbing feat and other historic human firsts.  We explore these history facts to showcase humanity's relentless pursuit of the impossible on mount everest and beyond, including a look at speed climbers Tyler Andrews record breaking oxygen assisted climb and Karl Egloff's attempt to set the no-oxygen ascent and return to Base Camp, plus a look at the SPCC and the future of Everest. 

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EVEREST SUMMIT: 
Matthew Kleinlein

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On May 20, 2026, Mount Everest saw 278 summits in a single day — the busiest 24 hours in the mountain's history. From Kami Rita’s 32nd summit to Kenton Cool’s 20th, the records were falling fast. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

We follow Polish ski mountaineer Bartek Ziemski as he executes what many call a "perfect act": a no-oxygen, unsupported ascent and ski descent from the summit to Base Camp in under five and a half hours.But while Bartek found a "perfect" window, others found the reality of a crowded mountain. 

We cover the fatalities of Arun Kumar Tiwari and Sandeep Are on their descent, and the heroic work of Sherpas like Ashok Lama, who were pulling climbers from crevasses while the world took selfies at the top.

This is the true cost of the 2026 season.

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Everest 2026 is a pressure cooker. The route to the summit opened May 13th. And the weather window slammed shut the same day. Wind chills of negative 68 degrees Celsius. A jet stream parked directly on the summit. And 492 permitted climbers — plus their support staff — all staring at the same narrow window around May 19th.

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The 2026 Mount Everest season has officially become a "pressure cooker." With a record 492 permits issued—amounting to over $7.3 million in fees alone—the South Side is bracing for unprecedented overcrowding. Following the deadliest year on record in 2023, experts are sounding the alarm: can the mountain handle this surge?

Plus, we have an exceptional update on the Eurasian wigeon named Pemba Tshering who was rescued from the Khumbu Icefall, as well as an Everest wedding!

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EVEREST SUMMIT: 
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Five forty-five this morning. A serac let go. And this is what it looked like. The tourism Times reported that a large serac broke off and a chunk of ice approximately 20 meters below it collapsed onto the path where climbers were moving up the mountain, striking members of a passing group. 

If you would like to learn more about and support an organization dedicated to supporting HIMALAYAN mountain workers, their families and communities, please visit: https://www.thejuniperfund.org

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EVEREST SUMMIT: 
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In a truly unexpected turn of events at Everest Base Camp, a lost Eurasian Wigeon, affectionately named Pemba Tshering, found itself in a life-threatening situation after being blown off course from its home in the Gokyo Lakes. This remarkable animal rescue highlights the fragility of wildlife in extreme environments, but is an apt beginning to an Everest season that almost didn't happen.

The Icefall Doctors of Everest have finally found a passage through the notorious Khumbu Icefall and upward movement has finally begun. But, not without anxiety in Everest Base Camp. 

Here's another update from this strange season on Everest. 

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A body* was discovered in the Khumbu Icefall this week at the base of Mount Everest, just as the 2026 climbing season is struggling to begin. This discovery comes as over 3,000 people are gathered at Everest Base Camp, waiting to ascend the icefall. This tragic event adds to the ongoing discussions about the dangers of mountaineering in the Himalaya, especially with the increasing number of everest bodies being found.

* As of the time of this video being posted there is very, very little information available about the discovery of the human remains on Everest. This channel will be posting more as further information comes in. 

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EVEREST SUMMIT TEAM: 
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