He's been frozen on Everest for 30 years, now 'Green Boots' may finally be coming home

After three decades, the remains of an Indian climber, known as "Green Boots" due to his distinctive footwear, may finally be brought down from Mount Everest. His body has served as a grim landmark for climbers ascending the world's highest peak since his death in 1996.

For 30 years, the deceased climber, identified by his bright green mountaineering boots, has lain frozen beneath an overhanging rock near Everest's summit. These lime-colored boots have been a somber trail marker for countless mountaineers.

India is now seeking a specialized high-altitude recovery team to undertake the complex and perilous mission of retrieving what they believe to be the body of Dorje Morup. Morup is arguably the most recognized among the hundreds of individuals whose bodies remain frozen on the mountain.

There is hope that his remains can soon be returned to his family and friends, who have never abandoned the hope of his return. Morup's wife shared with the BBC, "On some days, before I went to sleep, I would think that there'd be a knock on the door tonight and that when I opened, he would be there." She added, "When he comes home, I will ask him: 'Where were you all these years?'"

Dorje Morup was an avid mountaineer, having successfully scaled numerous peaks, including Stok Kangri, the highest point in the Ladakh range. The night before embarking on a historic Indian expedition to Everest, Morup sat with his wife at their home in Ladakh, an Indian-administered territory within the Himalayas. He promised her he would return a hero, bringing pride to his nation.

"He asked me to take care of the kids and come to the airport to greet him on his return," Konchak Yangskit recounted to the BBC from her home. Morup, a 48-year-old lance naik (lance corporal) in the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the force responsible for guarding much of India's border with China, was well-acquainted with Himalayan trekking. However, Yangskit described a strange premonition that night: "I wondered if I was ever going to see him again."

Morup was one of six climbers on the ITBP expedition aiming to reach Everest's summit, which straddles the border between Nepal and Chinese-governed Tibet. While most climbers opt for the Nepalese ascent, Morup's team sought to make history as the first Indian expedition to conquer the treacherous Chinese side.

Yangskit stated that because she never saw his body, she found it difficult to accept his death. Three of the six expedition members turned back due to a snowstorm, but Morup and two others, Tsewang Smanla and Tsewang Paljor, pressed on towards the 8,849-meter summit. A blizzard struck during their descent, claiming the lives of all three.

Like many of the over 300 individuals who have perished in the Everest region since records began a century ago, their bodies remain on the mountain. Two of the bodies have never been located, but the third, "Green Boots," has been frozen in the snow for three decades at an altitude of 8,500 meters.

For years, "Green Boots" was presumed to be Tsewang Paljor, another member of the expedition. However, recent testimony from surviving members of the 1996 expedition and the location of the climbers' last radio contact have led authorities to believe the remains belong to Morup.

Morup's family proudly displays a certificate issued by the Chinese government confirming his successful ascent of Everest. An anonymous ITBP official, unauthorized to speak to the media, informed BBC News Hindi that Morup's clothing and climbing gear aided in identifying the body in recent years. Since then, efforts have been underway to bring their comrade home for DNA confirmation and to provide his family with a sense of closure. "We never forgot him. It was only a matter of time," the ITBP official stated.

Retrieving bodies from the mountain is a dangerous and arduous undertaking, and until the last decade, it was a rare occurrence. Many bodies, including Morup's, are located in what climbers refer to as Everest's "death zone," where temperatures can plummet to -40C and oxygen levels are roughly one-third of those at sea level.

"The weather and snow conditions are going to be crucial," said Tshiring Jangbu Sherpa, a prominent Nepalese mountaineer involved in other recovery missions. "The north side has fewer crevasses, but it is riskier. If something bad happens from the Nepalese side, you get quickly evacuated by helicopter. But there is no such system from the Chinese side," he told BBC Hindi.

Sherpa sources informed BBC News Nepali that the Chinese side of the peak, where Green Boots' body lies, is steeper and lacks the support infrastructure found on the southern slope, adding another layer of complexity. "It's really tough to get that body down even in popular spring season, let alone the autumn [which has more unpredictable weather]. That's the simple reason it is still there for so many years," explained mountaineering guide Pemba Ongchu Sherpa. "There would need to be 10 to 12 climbers who are capable of making summits, just to fix [support] ropes to reach that point."

Green Boots will also need to be physically carried down to an altitude where a helicopter or possibly yaks can transport the body to an airport, a task requiring significant manpower. Sherpas note that bodies encased in ice-covered climbing gear often weigh several times that of an average man and are frequently frozen in awkward positions, making their descent through challenging terrain even more perilous. The remains may also begin to defrost and decompose at lower altitudes.

The initial phase of the descent with the body would be the most difficult, according to Indian climber Kuntal Joisher, who spoke to BBC Nepali. "It's going to be very, very risky endeavor. It's extremely steep ground with lots of rock. Logistically, this [first] 1000m is going to be a humungous challenge." He emphasized, "The main thing is to not put Sherpa lives at risk for a dead body."

Such recovery missions are incredibly expensive, with experts estimating that even the most straightforward operations cost between $40,000 and $80,000, a sum beyond the means of most families. It is more common for local teams to move deceased individuals to less visible locations on the mountain, as was the case with explorer Francys Arsentiev, dubbed the "Sleeping Beauty of Everest," whose body was moved to a more private resting place in 2007, nearly a decade after her death.

However, the ITBP, which is funding the recovery operation, aims to have Morup's body returned by September and is actively seeking mountain rescue Sherpa groups capable of undertaking the task. Once in India, the body will undergo DNA testing, and if confirmed as Morup, his remains will be given to his family.

For years, Morup's family in Ladakh has grappled with his disappearance. Now around 75, Yangskit struggles to recall even her wedding day, but the days following the tragedy remain vivid in her memory. "I only knew there was a storm on the mountain. Even though we organised cremation prayers at home, my heart refused to believe he had died," she said, tears streaming down her face. "I didn't see his dead body, so it was difficult for me to believe it."

Morup's family remains cautious about the implications of the body's return. Morup's eldest son, Punchok Dorjai, gazes at a framed photograph of his father. All that remains of Morup today are his medals and trophies, a few old photos from his mountain adventures, and, most significantly, a certificate from the Chinese government confirming that at 17:30 on May 10, 1996, Morup reached the summit of Everest.

If the recovery mission is successful, Morup's son Punchok Dorjai informed the BBC that the family plans to hold a funeral for him near the Martyrs Park in Leh, Ladakh's capital. "My father gave his life for the country and he should be remembered as a martyr," Dorjai stated, adding that his teammates who perished deserve the same recognition. The family also intends to proudly preserve a symbol of Morup's legacy at their home, alongside his summit certification: "We are planning to keep the Green Boots."

*Additional reporting by Pradeep Bashyal, BBC News Nepali.*