The enduring mystery surrounding the identity of the climber known as 'Green Boots,' whose body served as a grim landmark on Mount Everest for nearly three decades, has been resolved through DNA testing. The remains have been identified as Dorje Morup, an Indian climber who died in 1996.
Moruip, 47 at the time of his death, was part of a six-member Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) expedition attempting to summit Everest via the north face on May 10, 1996. The expedition was caught in a severe blizzard near the summit, resulting in the deaths of eight climbers in total. Morup, along with fellow climbers Tsewang Paljor and Tsewang Samanla, continued towards the summit while three others turned back. Expedition records indicate they reported reaching the summit, but later accounts suggest they may have been significantly short of the true peak due to poor visibility.
Following their final radio transmission, conditions deteriorated rapidly. Visibility dropped to almost zero, with high winds and plunging temperatures. Members of the expedition below reportedly saw two headlamps moving above the Second Step, approximately 28,000 feet above sea level, the last known sign of the climbers alive. None of the three returned to High Camp.
The body of Morup, preserved by the extreme cold and snow, became known as 'Green Boots' due to his distinctive footwear, which remained visible protruding from the ice. For years, the location served as a macabre landmark and a practical reference point for climbers on the northeast route, situated in the treacherous 'death zone' above 26,000 feet where oxygen is scarce and survival is precarious.
Many had long believed the body belonged to Tsewang Paljor, also 28, but DNA comparisons have now definitively identified the remains as Dorje Morup. The ITBP confirmed the identification ahead of plans to recover the body. Officials are currently seeking a specialist high-altitude rescue team to undertake the dangerous operation from the Tibetan side of the mountain later this summer.
The site, sometimes referred to as 'Green Boots Cave,' was often a place where climbers paused to rest or check their oxygen supplies. The accumulation of discarded oxygen cylinders around the site underscored the perilous nature of the environment. The discovery and identification bring a close to a decades-long chapter of Everest mountaineering lore.