Who is Green Boots, the famous body on Mount Everest?

Green Boots is, without a doubt, the most famous dead body on Mount Everest; it is so famous that climbers use it as a checkpoint on the way up. Yesterday, we narrated the tragic story of another famous climber who lost her life while descending the same mountain, Francys Arsentiev, the sleeping beauty of Mount Everest. You can find it on Reddit, Facebook, X, or here.

Note on Identity: For many years, Green Boots was widely believed to be Head Constable Tsewang Paljor. However, in 2026, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police officially confirmed through DNA testing that the body is that of Lance Naik Dorje Morup, another member of the same 1996 ITBP expedition. The story below has been corrected to reflect this confirmation while keeping the original narrative as intact as possible.

This is the tragic story of a then 48-year-old police officer from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police wing who died in the infamous 1996 blizzard on Mount Everest just like most climbers who die from exhaustion on their way from the summit towards camp 4, he found a cave and took refuge from the chilly weather and violent winds, as if taking a nap in foetal position with arms wrapped firmly around his torso while his legs extend onto the pathway, showing off koflach green boots that he wore that fateful day when he was on duty.

He is the famous body, lying right at the entrance to the Rainbow Valley for nearly 20 years on Everest since his death along the popular northern approach in Nepal that is frequently used by Easterners (Chinese, [USSR] Russians, and many Indians) and inspired numerous books/movies like Jon Krakauer’s best-selling book Into Thin Air and, more recently, the big-budget thriller Everest 2015.

Most climbers die after Camp 4, from exhaustion on the way back. The point between this camp and the peak is labelled the Death Zone. Because, with no romanticization, if you can not walk, you will die. Period.

British climber and filmmaker Matt Dickinson captured the first known video footage on Green Boots in May 1996. The video may be seen in the “Summit Fever Brian Blessed Documentary” at minute 42:22. (1996).

The story of “Green Boots” stands out among the countless accounts of those who have lost their lives on Mount Everest through various means. When the guy who is thought to be the person behind the pseudonym, Dorje Morup, set off on his last trek in the spring of 1996, he had no idea that his eventual demise would become a fundamental part of the legend surrounding Everest. Before he became known as Green Boots, he was a skilled climber who had a deep love for the mountains that characterized his home region of Ladakh before receiving his nickname. His early efforts in climbing were set against the backdrop of Asia’s rough landscape, which supplied him with the ideal environment. His climbing CV includes several high peaks, which presented him with the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and strengthened his determination to climb the globe’s highest peak. Climbing was more than just a pastime for Paljor; it was a calling that led him to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), a position that allowed him to combine his professional life with his love of the mountains. Before we continue with this tragic story of a brave young Indian Sherpa whose real name is Dorje Morup but was thought to be Tsewang Paljor, who tragically passed away in 1996, you may have some questions lingering in your mind.

Who is he? Is Green Boots’s body still on Mount Everest?

Yes, his body is still there, 25 years on. At the family’s request, someone buried the body of Green Boots in the snow and stones. But still, his body is still on the mountain; it is now a landmark on Mount Everest.

There are memorials created commemorating Indian climbers and Sherpas, such as “Green Boots,” who lived in the vicinity of Mushroom Rock for many years. During summit night, spotters and climbers can use Mushroom Rock as a landmark on the Ridge to measure how far they have progressed. This is where oxygen is exchanged.

To pay tribute to mountaineers who have passed away while attempting to scale Mount Everest, the Everest Memorial in Thukla acts as a memorial. A powerful reminder of the difficulties and dangers involved in climbing the highest mountain in the world, it stands as a remarkable monument.
A tiny village in the Khumbu area of Nepal, Thukla is sometimes referred to as Dughla. It is situated at an elevation of around 4,620 meters (15,157 feet). Ascenters make their way to Everest Base Camp by way of this path, which is located along the route on the way to Lobuche, which is located above Thukla hamlet.

The tragic story of Dorje Morup, also known as Green Boots

Mount Everest. The tallest mountain on Earth has taken the lives of more than 300 climbers since 1924. Not only does the mountain claim bodies, but it also preserves them. Once the bodies are frozen, they become attached to the mountain and stay there permanently. One of its famous residents is Green Boots, who fell victim to the furious blizzard in Everest’s history in May 1996.

Timeline of events that led to the death of the now-famous Green Boots in 1996

As a person born and raised around Mount Everest and the Himalayan ranges, it was just a normal day for Dorje Morup, Smanla, and Tsewang Paljor before embarking on his expedition on this fateful day of May 10, 1996. What came ahead was unbeknownst to Mr Tsewang Paljor, nor did he know he would become the famous body on Everest popularly known as Green Boots. Below, we have summarised how this tragedy unfolded to the unfortunate expedition team on Everest that day.

1. May 10, 1996:
   • Subedar Tsewang Smanla, Lance Naik Dorje Morup, and Head Constable Tsewang Paljor, part of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) expedition, are caught in a blizzard just short of the summit of Mount Everest.
   • Three members of the team decide to turn back, but Smanla, Morup, and Paljor continue their ascent towards the summit.
2. Around 15:45 Nepal Time:
   • Smanla, Morup, and Paljor radioed their expedition leader that they had reached the summit.
   • They leave offerings of prayer flags, khatas, and pitons at the summit. Smanla decides to spend extra time on religious ceremonies, instructing the other two to move down.
3. After 15:45 Nepal Time:
   • There is no further radio contact with the climbers.
   • Team members at lower camps observe two headlamps moving slightly above the Second Step at 8,570 meters (28,117 feet), but none of the climbers return to the high camp at 8,300 meters (27,231 feet).
4. May 10, 1996 (Evening):
   • A team of Japanese climbers from Fukuoka, unaware of the missing Indians, encounters others on the trail whom they mistake for members of a climbing party from Taiwan.
   • During their descent, they report seeing an unidentifiable object above the Second Step and one person on a fixed rope below the First Step.
   • They exchange greetings with an unidentified man standing nearby.
   • At 16:00, they learn from an Indian in their group that three climbers are missing and offer to join the rescue, but are declined due to bad weather.
5. May 13, 1996:
   • The Fukuoka team sends a second party to the summit, where they see several bodies around the First Step but continue to the summit.
6. After the Expedition:
   • Controversy arises over the actions of the Fukuoka team, with initial claims that they had pledged to help with the search but pressed forward with their summit attempt.
   • The Japanese team denies abandoning or refusing to help the missing climbers, a claim accepted by the Indian-Tibetan Border Police.
   • Captain Kohli of the Indian Mountaineering Federation retracts his claim that the Japanese had reported meeting the Indians on May 10.

How did Green Boots die?

Just like most climbers who die on Mount Everest, it is apparent that the reason why Dorje Morup, who was later popularly known as Green Boots, died of exhaustion, oxygen depletion, and hypothermia is that he went to shield himself from the harsh weather by lying in the cave below the summit of Everest.

Where is Green Boots located?

• Original Location (1996–2014):
  The body was lying in a small limestone alcove/cave on the Northeast Ridge (north side of Everest, Tibet side) at approximately 8,500 meters (27,900 ft), just below the First Step. This is why it became a well-known landmark for climbers on the northern route.
• Current Location (2014–Present):
  In 2014, a Chinese expedition moved the body to a less conspicuous location nearby on the same ridge. It is no longer prominently visible in the original cave but remains in the general area of the Northeast Ridge route in the Death Zone.

Read also: The tragic story of Francys Arsentiev, the sleeping beauty of Mount Everest

Green Boots was actually a Police Officer

The ITBP is responsible for securing India’s long and difficult border with China in high-altitude, rugged terrain. It handles border security, prevents illegal activities, and maintains vigilance in remote areas. Dorje Morup served as a Head Constable in the ITBP. His experience and training as a police officer in high-altitude environments helped prepare him for the extreme challenge of climbing Mount Everest. Commandant Mohinder Singh, the expedition leader, now lives near San Francisco and manages an apartment complex. In hindsight, he described the team as one of the best in the world. He personally selected Paljor for the summit team because of his strength and enthusiasm. Singh recalled that Paljor saw him as a father figure and described him as talkative, childlike in his excitement, highly skilled at rock climbing (comparing him to a monkey), fond of roast chicken, and someone who loved to sing and volunteer for difficult tasks. The three Ladakhi climbers on the summit push — Tsewang Paljor, Tsewang Smanla, and Dorje Morup — had all proven themselves in previous climbs. Singh later noted several critical mistakes made on May 10, 1996. Due to strong winds and oversleeping, the team left Camp VI much later than planned (8:00 AM instead of 3:30 AM). Because of this delay, they focused on fixing ropes higher up the mountain rather than making a direct summit push, partly to avoid having to descend through the dangerous Death Zone in worsening weather.

Dorje Morup and Tsewang Paljor’s Early Life

Dorje Morup and Tsewang Paljor came from the small village of Sakti in Ladakh, home to only about 300 households. Paljor was a quiet, polite, and compassionate middle child among five siblings. As the eldest son in a modest farming family, he felt responsible for supporting them. After completing 10th grade, he dropped out of school and joined the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) in Leh. His mother, Tashi Angmo, was proud of his achievements in climbing other peaks but was deeply worried about Everest. She pleaded with him not to go, fearing for his safety. However, Paljor believed that summiting Everest would bring prosperity and benefits to his family. In contrast, his younger brother, Thinley Namgyal (a monk), saw him as a strong “superhero” and was not worried. He was the last family member to see Paljor alive when he met him in Delhi a few days before the expedition. Thinley recalled that Paljor was excited and showed no fear about going to Tibet.

How the Family Received the News

After the tragedy, two ITBP officers visited Tashi Angmo’s home and informed her that her son was missing following an accident on Everest. They mentioned that search efforts, including a helicopter, had been carried out, but Paljor could not be found. Since his body was never recovered, he was officially declared “missing” rather than deceased. Tashi Angmo struggled with this and performed religious rituals (thimchol) at local monasteries, holding onto hope that he might still return. Her family eventually helped her accept the reality. They held a funeral and attended an ITBP ceremony honouring the three Ladakhi climbers. Tashi Angmo later expressed disappointment with the ITBP, feeling that the support promised to the family was inadequate. They received only a small insurance payout of around $3,690 and a modest monthly pension of about $36.

How old was Green Boots when he died?

Dolje Morup, a.k.a Green Boots, was born on October 1, 1948, and he died at the age of 48. Since Paljor was born in 1968 and died in 1996, he was at a tender age of only 28 years old.

Why did they name him “Green Boots”

Because of the green (Koflach) climbing boots on his feet, he was named “Green Boots.”

Picture of Green Boots

Here is a picture of the body of Green Boots, frozen in a cave on Mount Everest, where he died in a fetal position. This image is also popular on Reddit and other platforms like Facebook and X.com.

Green Boots’ Face

Yes, Green Boots has a name, and here we want to show you that there is a face to his name as well. The picture above shows the passport photo of Dorje Morup, identified by DNA as Green Boots. Below is the passport picture of Tsewang Paljor, previously thought to be Green Boots on Everest.

Green Boots Cave

The Green Boots cave is a frigid cave that can be found near the peak of Mount Everest on the Northeast ridge, standing at an elevation of 8,500 meters (27,900 feet). This cave is situated beside the primary climbing route from the north, positioned around 450 meters (1,480 feet) below the summit and 250 meters (820 feet) above Camp 4.

The cave where he sought refuge is famously referred to as Green Boots Cave. It is a notable landmark for climbers who follow the Northeast ridge route as it indicates their proximity to the summit. Interestingly, David Sharp was also discovered in this cave, initially believed to have passed away. However, upon closer examination, a climber observed steam emanating from his breath. In an attempt to revive him, they exposed him to the sun in the hopes of warming him and assisting his descent from the mountain. Sadly, he did not survive. Nowadays, Green Boots is no longer spotted in his cave as someone has pushed him over the mountain, thus rendering him obsolete as a marker.

Which boots was Dorje Morup wearing on his final Everest climb?

Dorje Morup, also known as “Green Boots,” was famously identified by the lime green Koflach Arctis expedition mountaineering boots he was wearing during his final climb on Mount Everest in 1996, like the ones shown below.

Discovery of Green Boots

It is a well-known fact that some of the people who have died on Everest have been stripped of their clothes and equipment. This happened most likely in 1996, or at least it was first mentioned then. When Green Boots died, climbers usually had rounded the 9/15 couloir, which was steeper than the normal route by 80 meters, but had fewer crevasses. Since the rope was damaged, climbers going through the northeastern couloir had to use the same damaged rope. Given that large amounts of oxygen were present, it would have been possible for a climber descending to bait the following expeditions, but that did not happen.

Climbers noticed that all the ones who tried to climb Mount Everest via the northeastern route had to pass the body of an Indian climber. There were three different descriptions, and it took German climbers to show that the climbers had passed by one and the same body – that of Green Boots. Dorje climbed the mountain on May 10, 1996, as a part of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) team, and on the return trip, he fell victim to “Sudden Death” near a small cave under the mountain’s black rock below the summit. His frozen body stayed on the mountain for more than a decade, receiving the nickname “Green Boots” for the fluorescent green mountaineering boots he wore.

Paljor’s sibling, Thinley, vividly remembers the instance when he stumbled upon the moniker, accompanied by images, in 2011: “While surfing the web, I stumbled upon this peculiar title they bestowed upon him – Green Boots or something along those lines,” he recounts. “This revelation distressed and startled me immensely, and I harbored an intense desire to shield my family from this distressing information.” “To be honest, it truly burdens me to even glance at those pictures online,” he confesses. “I am overwhelmed with a profound sense of powerlessness.”

Identity of Green Boots

In June 2026, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) issued a tender to hire a specialist team to retrieve the remains. The operation is scheduled for the June–September 2026 climbing window to deliver the body to Delhi by October 2026. As of mid-July 2026, there are no reports that the recovery mission has been completed or that the body has been brought down. All recent news and official updates refer to it as a planned or ongoing mission, not a completed one.

Green Boots’ Body to be recovered after Nearly 30 Years on Everest, India Say

List of other famous people who have died on Mount Everest

The famous people who died on Mount Everest are listed in chronological order, with the most well-known individuals at the top of the list. Some of the persons listed below are famous people who died on Mount Everest, while others are just well-known in their field of endeavor. In any case, Mount Everest is mentioned as the official location of death for every person on this list in any public documents. There is information on each famous person who perished on Mount Everest next to their names, including their birthplace and the year they were born.

This list will provide you with all the information you need to respond to the queries “Which famous persons died in Mount Everest?” and “Which celebrities died on Mount Everest?”

Athletes, musicians, famous people, and significant local leaders are on the list of people who have perished on Mount Everest in the past.

• George Mallory – Dec. at 37 (1886-1924)
• Maurice Wilson – Dec. at 36 (1898-1934)
• Andrew Irvine – Dec. at 22 (1902-1924)
• David Sharp – Dec. at 34 (1972-2006)
• Peter Boardman – Dec. at 31 (1950-1982)
• Rob Hall – Dec. at 35 (1961-1996)
• Scott Fischer – Dec. at 40 (1955-1996)
• Joe Tasker – Dec. at 34 (1948-1982)
• Babu Chiri Sherpa – Dec. at 35 (1965-2001)
• Tomas Olsson- Dec. at 30 (1976-2006)
• Francys Arsentiev – Dec. at 40 (1958-1998)
• Karl Gordon Henize – Dec. at 66 (1926-1993)
• Green Boots – May 1996 at 28 (1968-1996)