Mount Everest's highest camp is littered with frozen garbage, and cleanup is likely to take years

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — The highest camp on the world’s tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest’s peak.

The Nepal government-funded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during this year's climbing season.

Ang Babu Sherpa, who led the team of Sherpas, said there could be as much as 40-50 tons (88,000-110,000 pounds) of garbage still at South Col, the last camp before climbers make their attempt on the summit.

“The garbage left there was mostly old tents, some food packaging and gas cartridges, oxygen bottles, tent packs, and ropes used for climbing and tying up tents,” he said, adding that the garbage is in layers and frozen at the 8,000-meter (26,400-foot) altitude where the South Col camp is located.

Since the peak was first conquered in 1953, thousands of climbers have scaled it and many have left behind more than just their footprints.

In recent years, a government requirement that climbers bring back their garbage or lose their deposits, along with increased awareness among climbers about the environment, have significantly reduced the amount of garbage left behind. However, that was not the case in earlier decades.

“Most of the garbage is from older expeditions,” Ang Babu said.

The Sherpas on the team collected garbage and bodies from the higher-attitude areas, while the soldiers worked at lower levels and the base camp area for weeks during the popular spring climbing season, when weather conditions are more favorable.

Ang Babu said the weather was a big challenge for their work in the South Col area, where oxygen levels are about one-third the normal amount, winds can quickly turn to blizzard conditions and temperatures plunge.

“We had to wait for good weather when the sun would melt the ice cover. But waiting a long time in that attitude and conditions is just not possible,” he said. “It's difficult to stay for long with the oxygen level very low.”

Digging out the garbage is also a big task, since it is frozen inside ice and breaking the blocks is not easy.

It took two days to dig out one body near the South Col which was frozen in a standing position deep in the ice, he said. Part way through, the team had to retreat to lower camps because of the deteriorating weather, and then resume after it improved.

Another body was much higher up at 8,400 meters (27,720 feet) and it took 18 hours to drag it to Camp 2, where a helicopter picked it up.

The bodies were flown to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for identification.

Of the 11 tons of garbage removed, three tons of decomposable items were taken to villages near Everest's base and the remaining eight were carried by porters and yaks and then taken by trucks to Kathmandu. There it was sorted for recycling at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste.

“The oldest waste we received was from 1957, and that was rechargeable batteries for torch lights,” said Sushil Khadga of the agency.

Why do climbers leave garbage behind?

"At that high altitude, life is very difficult and oxygen is very low. So climbers and their helpers are more focused on saving themselves," Khadga said.

Sushil Khadga of the Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste, checks an used oxygen cylinder collected en route Mount Everest before it is recycled at the facility, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, June 24, 2024. The highest camp on the world's tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest's peak. (AP Photo/Sanjog Manandhar)

Shoes and other garbage collected en route Mount Everest is piled before it is sorted for recycling at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, June 24, 2024. The highest camp on the world's tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest's peak. (AP Photo/Sanjog Manandhar)

This image provided by the Peak Promotion shows the body of a climber that had been frozen for years before it was removed from the Everest region, Nepal, Monday, May 13, 2024. In the seven decades since Mount Everest was first conquered, thousands of climbers have scaled the peak, and many have left behind more than just their footprints. Tons of trash and several bodies remain on the icy slopes of the world's highest mountain. (Peak Promotion via AP)

Workers segregate the garbage collected en route Mount Everest, at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, June 24, 2024. The Nepal government-funded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during this year's climbing season. (AP Photo/Sanjog Manandhar)

Ang Babu Sherpa, who led the team of Sherpas cleaning the trash from the high altitude camps of Mount Everest speaks to the Associated Press in Kathmandu, Nepal, Thursday, June 20, 2024. Ang Babu said the weather was a big challenge for their work in the South Col area, where oxygen levels are about one-third the normal amount, winds can quickly turn to blizzard conditions and temperatures plunge. (AP Photo/Sanjog Manandhar)

Sacks of garbage collected en route Mount Everest are piled before recycling at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, June 24, 2024. The highest camp on the world's tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest's peak. (AP Photo/Sanjog Manandhar)

This image provided by the Peak Promotion shows a member of the Nepal government-funded team using a spade to remove frozen trash en route the Mount Everest, Nepal, Tuesday, April 27, 2021. In the seven decades since Mount Everest was first conquered, thousands of climbers have scaled the peak, and many have left behind more than just their footprints. Tons of trash and several bodies remain on the icy slopes of the world's highest mountain. (Peak Promotion via AP)

Used oxygen cylinders and beer cans collected en route Mount Everest lie at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, June 24, 2024. The highest camp on the world's tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest's peak. (AP Photo/Sanjog Manandhar)

This image provided by the Peak Promotion shows recovered bodies of climbers being prepared to be airlifted from Everest base camp in Nepal, Wednesday, May 29, 2024. The Nepal government-funded team of soldiers and Sherpas removed 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during this year's climbing season. (Peak Promotion via AP)

Garbage collected en route Mount Everest is piled before it is sorted for recycling at a facility operated by Agni Ventures, an agency that manages recyclable waste, in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, June 24, 2024. The highest camp on the world's tallest mountain is littered with garbage that is going to take years to clean up, according to a Sherpa who led a team that worked to clear trash and dig up dead bodies frozen for years near Mount Everest's peak. (AP Photo/Sanjog Manandhar)

NEW YORK (AP) — Happy to be on track for an AL Division Series matchup against the Yankees, Bobby Witt Jr. streamed YouTube on the train ride from Baltimore to New York to watch some Derek Jeter highlights of postseasons past.

“Just being able to see it,” Witt recalled Friday, “just because of just how the stadium is, how the fans at, just wanted to kind of just take it all in.”

A year removed from a 106-loss season, the wild-card Royals face the AL-best Yankees in a best-of-five series starting Saturday night, a renewal of passion-filled playoffs of 1976-78 and '80.

“This isn't a series, this is war,” said Hall of Famer George Brett, a Royals star of those memorable matchups, tossing in a profanity for emphasis.

Kansas City won its only championships in 1985 and 2015. Witt remembered as 14-year-old watching the Royals — and current teammate Salvador Perez, reach the World Series only to lose to San Francisco in seven games.

“Just to see what that team did and kind of like the underdog story in ways,” he said.

Witt drove in both go-ahead runs in the first-round sweep at Baltimore as the Royals outscored the Orioles 3-1.

New York had a first-round bye. With Aaron Judge and free-agent-to-be Juan Soto together for perhaps their only season, the Yankees play before demanding fans insisting on the team's first title since No. 27 in 2009.

“Thankfully we’re not playing against their tradition,” Royals manager Matt Quartraro said. “We’re playing against the team that we’re facing off against this week.”

Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole (8-5) starts for the Yankees and Michael Wacha (13-8) for the Royals.

“The passion comes through in the noise and then the pageantry of the Stadium. It’s hard not to think about all the great moments of the franchise," Cole said. “It's cold. The sound like fills you from the feet up. It’s just a different sound. It’s wonderful.”

Judge and Witt are the marquee stars. Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs while hitting .322, and Witt topped the major leagues with a .332 average along with 32 homers, 109 RBIs and 31 stolen bases.

Since Judge joined the Yankees, they've lost three times in the ALCS, twice in the ALDS and once in the wild-card game.

“It eats at me every time we don’t finish the job,” he said. “I take a lot of responsibility for that, being on the team, and if we don’t win it all, I feel like it’s my fault.”

Soto, a World Series champion with Washington in 2019, will experience his first playoff game in pinstripes.

“All the guys are talking about is how loud this place is going to be,” he said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to, to see and to hear those fans going crazy.”

Witt's father, Bobby, pitched a hitless eighth inning for Arizona in Game 6 of the 2001 World Series. The Diamondbacks won the first two games at home, lose three straight in the Bronx, then rallied in the desert to win the title.

“Hearing that and seeing his World Series ring was really cool,” Witt Jr. said, “so that’s just motivation for me to kind of do what he did.”

Judge is 1 for 18 against Wacha, a 33-year-old right-hander whose 30.9% changeup use was fourth-highest among pitchers with 150 or more plate appearances. Wacha's four-seam fastball averaged 93.6 mph, part of a six-pitch mix that also includes cutters, sliders, sinkers and curves.

“It’s a tough at-bat but definitely a fun one,” Judge said.

Soto is 2 for 5 against Wacha and Giancarlo Stanton 2 for 17 with a homer.

Anthony Rizzo will miss the series after fracturing the fourth and fifth fingers when hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Ryan Borucki on Sept. 28.

“Gutting through it, I wouldn’t be able to be my best version defensively or offensively,” he said. “I’m confident hopefully in the next round to join them."

Yankees reliever Jake Cousins, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 19 because of a strained right pec muscle, could be activated Saturday.

“He threw in the sim game,” Boone said before Friday's workout. “Stuff was really good.”

Witt wears No. 7 with the Royals, he had a No. 17 jersey at Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas as a tribute to Jeter (No. 2) and Boston's Dustin Pedroia (No. 15).

“Got those two jerseys hanging up on my wall still back in my room at my parents’ house," Witt said. “Just how they played the game hard and just how they just would always rise up to the occasion when needed.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

New York Yankees' DJ LeMahieu takes batting practice during a baseball workout, Friday, Oct 4, 2024, in New York, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha speaks during a news conference Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in New York, ahead of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees,. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole speaks during a baseball news conference Friday, Oct 4, 2024, in New York, ahead of the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone watches his players during a baseball workout, Friday, Oct 4, 2024, in New York, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' DJ LeMahieu prepares to take batting practice during a baseball workout, Friday, Oct 4, 2024, in New York, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. runs from first to third base on a single by Salvador Perez during the third inning in Game 2 of an AL Wild Card Series baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024 in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

The New York Yankees take batting practice during a baseball workout, Friday, Oct 4, 2024, in New York, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The New York Yankees take batting practice during a baseball workout, Friday, Oct 4, 2024, in New York, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. speaks during a news conference Friday, Oct. 4, 2024, in New York, ahead of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees,. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

The New York Yankees warm up during a baseball workout, Friday, Oct 4, 2024, in New York, in preparation for the American League Division Series against the Kansas City Royals. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)