Every climbing season is different on Mount Everest.
The dynamics on the world’s highest peak are shaped by a variety of forces: geopolitics, new technology, changing weather patterns, and of course the global economy. Every year, a handful of storylines help define the climbing season on the mountain.
The 2025 season was no different. Expeditions attempted experimental rapid ascents of the mountain from sea level; ultrarunners Tyler Andrews and Karl Egloff attempted to jog up the mountain in pursuit of speed records; helicopter pilots made risky rescues at 23,000 feet, and the swirling Jet Stream winds forced climbers to wait for weeks.
In his latest video dispatch, our Everest expert Ben Ayers dives into the biggest stories on Everest this year, and explains how they may shape future dynamics on the mountain.