[11] Lhotse Middle remained, for a long time, the highest unclimbed named point on Earth; its first ascent was made on 23 May 2001 by Eugeny Vinogradsky, Sergei Timofeev, Alexei Bolotov and Petr Kuznetsov of a Russian expedition.

The last part to the summit leads through the narrow "Reiss couloir" until the Lhotse main peak is reached.

Any climber bound for the South Col on Everest must climb this 1,125 m (3,690 ft) wall of glacial blue ice.

High-altitude climbing Sherpas and the lead climbers will set fixed ropes up this wall of ice.

Climbers and porters need to establish a good rhythm of foot placement and pull themselves up the ropes using their jumars.

Two rocky sections called the Yellow Band and the Geneva Spur interrupt the icy ascent on the upper part of the face.

On 19 May 2016, a high-altitude mountain worker, Ang Furba Sherpa, died when he slipped and fell down the Lhotse face.