3 min readNew DelhiJun 2, 2026 06:52 PM IST Mount Everest’s highest camp has once again come under scrutiny after a viral video revealed large amounts of waste scattered across the snow-covered site. The footage shows Camp IV — the final stop before climbers make their summit attempt — littered with abandoned tents, discarded oxygen cylinders, torn equipment, and other rubbish left behind by expeditions. Located on the South Col between Mount Everest and Lhotse, Camp IV sits at an altitude of around 26,000 feet. It serves as the last resting point before climbers enter the notorious “Death Zone” on their way to Everest’s 29,032-foot peak. Sharing the video on X, Everest Today, a page dedicated to Everest expeditions, criticised the state of the campsite. “What should be one of the most extraordinary places on the planet has, in many ways, become one of the ugliest faces of Everest’s commercialisation,” the account wrote. “Abandoned tents, empty oxygen bottles, food cans, torn gear, and other waste are scattered across the South Col, turning the world’s highest …