Everest Climbers Use Xenon for Faster Ascents

Everest Climbers Use Xenon for Faster Ascents \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ A British team used xenon gas therapy and new technology to complete one of the fastest Everest climbs on record. The method reduces time on the mountain and environmental waste. Nepalese officials have launched an investigation into the practice.

Quick Looks

• Climbers: British team led by Lukas Furtenbach
• Summit Date: May 21, returned home May 23
• Xenon Use: Administered in Germany pre-expedition
• Altitude: 8,849 meters (29,032 feet)
• Prep Time: Minimal acclimatization needed at Everest base
• Environmental Impact: 75% less waste on the mountain
• Cost Efficiency: Less time off work, lower total expenses
• Controversy: Nepal opens probe into xenon usage
• Permit Rules: No limit on acclimatization days, 90-day permit
• Climbing Season: Ends in late May before monsoons

Deep Look

The future of Everest expeditions may be taking shape—powered not just by physical strength and mental endurance, but also by cutting-edge science and xenon gas. A recent record-speed climb of Mount Everest led by renowned guide Lukas Furtenbach showcased the potential for xenon therapy to revolutionize high-altitude mountaineering, making ascents both faster and more environmentally sustainable.

On May 21, just five days after leaving London, a team of British climbers stood atop the world’s tallest mountain. They returned home by May 23, making the roundtrip—travel included—one of the fastest recorded Everest expeditions in history. Traditionally, climbers spend weeks acclimatizing at Everest base camp, making test runs to lower camps before even attempting a summit.

The rapid timeline was made possible, in part, by months of high-altitude training and a xenon gas treatment administered in Germany just two weeks before the climb. Xenon, a noble gas sometimes used in medical anesthesia and performance recovery, was utilized to prepare climbers’ bodies to withstand the effects of low oxygen levels at extreme altitudes.

Furtenbach, who spoke to the Associated Press from Kathmandu after the expedition, said the goal was to enhance safety—not to cut corners. “The only reason we are working with xenon is to protect climbers from high altitude sickness,” he said. “We see people dying on Everest every year. This might be one step to help prevent that.”

While the treatment was conducted entirely outside Nepal, the news has raised alarms within Nepal’s mountaineering community. The country’s Department of Tourism announced it would launch an investigation into the use of xenon, citing the need to assess whether such methods conform with safety and ethical standards in Himalayan expeditions.

Furtenbach, who has led dozens of high-altitude climbs around the world, insists the gas was used responsibly and never administered inside Nepal. “We can prove that it’s safe,” he said.

Xenon gas isn’t currently regulated by Nepalese authorities, and climbers aren’t required to meet any acclimatization benchmarks. Everest permits cost $11,000 each, valid for up to 90 days, and climbers can technically summit at any point during that window, weather permitting.

The benefits of such speed-oriented expeditions go beyond logistics. Environmental advocates have long raised concerns about the human footprint on Everest, particularly the volume of garbage, used gear, and human waste left behind at base camps and along climbing routes. According to Furtenbach, shorter expeditions could dramatically reduce this burden.

“If people spend one week there compared to eight weeks, it is a 75% reduction of human waste,” he explained. “It’s a huge reduction of garbage on the mountain and of the resources that must be carried up.”

The reduced waste and shorter exposure to severe weather also lower the physical toll on porters, sherpas, and support staff—an often-overlooked element of the Everest climbing industry.

Still, not everyone is on board. Critics argue that medically enhancing acclimatization undermines the spirit of mountaineering and may widen the divide between elite, well-funded climbers and those relying solely on traditional methods.

Yet for Furtenbach and his team, the trade-off is clear: climb smarter, faster, and with less environmental impact. Whether xenon becomes the norm or remains an elite tool for select expeditions, it’s undeniable that Everest—and the ethics of climbing it—is evolving.

As climbing season closes by the end of May and monsoon conditions begin, Nepalese officials will weigh the implications of this new method, balancing safety, innovation, tradition, and conservation.

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