2023 was the deadliest year on record for Mount Everest, with a final confirmed death toll of 18 people. This surpassed the previous record of 17 deaths set during the tragic 2014 season. The high mortality rate was attributed to a combination of factors, including a record number of permits issued by the Nepalese government (479), which led to significant "bottlenecks" in the "Death Zone" above 8,000 meters. Experts also pointed to extreme cold and the effects of climate change, which made the Khumbu Icefall more unstable and the weather windows more unpredictable. Of the 18 fatalities, several were due to exhaustion or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE) during the descent, while others were lost to falls or "serac" collapses in the icefall. This tragic season has prompted the Nepalese authorities to implement stricter regulations in 2026, including mandatory GPS tracking for all climbers and a requirement for participants to have previously summited at least one 7,000-meter peak in Nepal.