On 10 May 1996, Tsewang Smanla, Tsewang Paljor and Dorje Morup continued above Everest's North Ridge as the weather deteriorated. None returned. One body beneath a limestone overhang became known worldwide as Green Boots.

For decades, that body was associated with Paljor. In 2026, an Indian government recovery notice named Morup instead. This film reconstructs the climb, the disputed identification, and the physical process required to bring a frozen climber down from 8,500 metres.

Sources include the Himalayan Database and Elizabeth Hawley's Seasonal Stories, the Government of India eProcurement notice, The Guardian, Associated Press, Climbing, Outside, The Tribune, PBS Frontline and Himal Southasian. Checked September 2026.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Six Leave Camp
2:24 The Northern Route
4:30 The Summit Attempt
6:26 The Night Above
8:50 A Name Becomes Place
10:34 Six People Down
13:20 The Missing Identification

SOURCES
Government of India eProcurement System, ITBP Phase II retrieval tender status, 2026
The Guardian, Mount Everest, a climber known only as ‘Green Boots’, and the mission to solve a 30-year mystery, 2026
Associated Press, India seeking to recover the body of ‘Green Boots’ on Everest, 2026
Climbing, The Son of ‘Green Boots’ Shares His Story, 2026
Outside France, The life of Dorje Morup, told by his son, 2026
The Tribune, India plans mission to recover Green Boots Lance Naik Dorje Morup, 2026
Himalayan Database, Elizabeth Hawley Seasonal Stories 1985–2014, Spring 1996
Himalayan Database, Everest peak and expedition index, 2026
BBC Future, The tragic tale of Mount Everest’s most famous dead body, 2015
BBC Future, Death in the clouds: Everest’s bodies, 2015
PBS Frontline, Storm Over Everest: Facts and Statistics, 2008
Himal Southasian, Everest controversy on the north side, 1996

PHOTO CREDITS (Wikimedia Commons)
"Hankar Fort & Chortens 06.jpg" by Deepank Ranka, CC BY-SA 4.0
"North Col of Mount Everest.JPG" by ISS Expedition 26 crew, Public domain
"Steve Marolt Skiing Northeast ridge of everest in 2007.jpg" by Ham Mehlman, CC BY-SA 3.0
"Langtang Range from Ramche.jpg" by Rajivkilanashrestha, CC BY-SA 4.0

DOCUMENTARY AND FILM EXCERPTS (short, transformed, used for commentary and illustration)
Behind The First Summit of The World's Tallest Mountain (Full Episode) | Lost on Everest (National Geographic)
TURNING POINT - Mountain Without Mercy (27 April 1997) (judge crater)
Mount Everest Climb · North Side (David Snow)
Green Boots Identified — And He’s Coming Home (Summit Archives)
The Ghosts of Everest: Famous Bodies That Never Left (Epic Adventure Archives)

Stock footage: Storyblocks (illustrative, not the actual events). Narration: synthetic voice.

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