Lho La

The Lho La (Chinese: 洛拉山坳) is a col on the border between Nepal and Tibet north of the Western Cwm, near Mount Everest.

[4][6] Lho La was also investigated by Bill Tilman and Edmund Wigram on the 1935 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition but, like the 1921 explorers, they also preferred the North Col route for a summit attempt.

[10][11] A British reconnaissance in 1951 assessed the route through the Khumbu Icefall to the Western Cwm, hence by-passing Lho La, and in subsequent years this was the line that was followed, so leading to the South Col and the Southeast Ridge.

[13] After unsuccessful attempts in 1974 and 1978, the first time Everest was climbed via the Lho La was in 1979 when a Yugoslavian team ascended the West Ridge from there (without diverting onto the Hornbein Couloir).

[16][17] Video showing the change in height of the West Rongbuk Glacier, in the area of Lho La, between the years 1921 and 2008 – Breashears, David (January 2009).

Lho La behind where the Khumbu Icefall turns to become the Khumbu glacier. Behind are Changtse and Everest's West Ridge
Sketch map of Everest region, showing Lho La 5 km west of the summit
Everest, Southwest Face. Khumbu Glacier 's Ice Fall is bottom left with Lho La above and the snowfield of the Rongbuk Glacier (middle left) behind the col. The West Ridge slopes diagonally from Lho La over the West Shoulder to the summit.