Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa

^† "Short-roping" is a technique in which one climber assists another (usually done to descend to safety with a climber in distress) using a type of lanyard, or literally a "short rope", connecting the two. In this case, "short-roping" was used to assist a healthy, albeit a weaker, client by pulling the climber up the mountain during the final ascent. In his book Into Thin Air, Krakauer was extremely critical of the use of this technique in such circumstances and he quoted guide Neal Beidleman's assessment of the technique as "looking awkward and quite dangerous" for both climbers involved.

Lopsang Jangbu Sherpa (c. 1971–73 – 25 September 1996) was a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineering guide, climber and porter, best known for his work as the climbing Sirdar for Scott Fischer's Mountain Madness expedition to Everest in Spring 1996, when a freak storm led to the deaths of eight climbers from several expeditions, considered one of the worst disasters in the history of Everest mountaineering. Notwithstanding controversy over his actions during that expedition, Lopsang was well-regarded in the mountaineering community, having summited Everest four times. Lopsang was killed in an avalanche in September 1996, while again on an expedition to climb Everest for what would have been a fifth ascent.

Beyond his work in the course of the ill-fated Spring 1996 Everest expedition, Lopsang was a respected porter and guide with extensive Himalayan mountaineering experience, including:

Lopsang reached the summit of Everest four times in four years, all without supplementary oxygen. During his career, Lopsang had worked as a climber and guide for both Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, two expedition leaders who ultimately died on Everest in the course of the 10 May 1996 tragedy.

By 1996, Lopsang had developed a reputation as a strong climber and capable guide, in part by his experience in helping to guide several successful expeditions with Rob Hall, a significant Himalayan expedition leader. Scott Fischer, another recognised Himalayan expedition leader, had established a new venture, Mountain Madness, and was planning a guided commercial expedition to Everest for spring 1996. Fischer, familiar with Lopsang's work and achievements, hired Lopsang to lead sherpas and assist clients as Sirdar for the Everest expedition.

During the spring and fall 1996 Everest climbing seasons, fifteen climbers died on the mountain, making it the deadliest single year in Everest history. Eight of them died on 11 May alone. The disaster gained wide publicity and raised questions about the commercialisation of Everest.

Lopsang's uncle, Ngawang Topche Sherpa, also working on the 1996 Mountain Madness expedition, fell ill and was evacuated by helicopter from Everest just prior to the fateful summit bid, suffering from a severe case of high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) and tuberculosis complication. Hospitalised, Ngawang remained incapacitated in Kathmandu, never recovered, and eventually died on 6 June.

In the fall of 1996, Lopsang returned to Everest as a guide, working for a Japanese expedition. On 25 September 1996, a large avalanche erupted during the ascent on the southeast ridge route in the area between Camp III at the top of the Lhotse face, and Camp IV at the South Col, the starting point for the final summit push. The avalanche killed Lopsang, sherpa guide Dawa and a French climber, Yves Bouchon.