The Hillary Step was a nearly vertical rock face with a height of around 12 metres (40 ft) located near the summit of Mount Everest, about 8,790 metres (28,839 ft) above sea level. Located on the southeast ridge, halfway between the "South Summit" and the true summit, the Hillary Step was the most technically difficult part of the typical Nepal-side Everest climb and the last real challenge before reaching the top of the mountain. The rock face was destroyed by an earthquake that struck the region in 2015.
Climbing the Hillary Step had the danger of a 3,000-metre (10,000 ft) drop on the right (when going up) and an 2,400-metre (8,000 ft) drop on the left. An unaided climb was rated as a Class 4 rock climb—but in the death zone. One expedition noted that climbing the Hillary Step was "strenuous" but did offer some protection from the elements.
In some climbing seasons after heavy snowfall, the rock face could be bypassed with snow/ice climbing.
Anatoli Boukreev found a body hanging from ropes at the base of the step in 1996, according to his book The Climb.
Reference Information: Wikipedia. Bloggers.
