An Arizona resident who had spent years preparing for high-altitude climbs died after reaching the summit of Mount Everest on the morning of May 20, his expedition group reported. Identified by the climbing team Boots and Crampons as Sandeep Are, the man made it to the peak but experienced a rapid decline in health during the descent and did not survive. The sequence of events, as described by his climbing partner, unfolded after a long and demanding push to the top that had consumed more than a month of travel and acclimatization on the mountain.
Are, who was originally from India and later lived in Arizona, was described by those who climbed with him as a skilled and determined mountaineer. His partner on the Everest expedition, Tulasi Reddy, spoke about Are’s abilities and resolve, saying, "He was like super strong. Super strong climber." The pair had spent more than a month together on the journey to Everest’s summit, sharing the extended effort required to summit the world’s highest peak. Those close to Are also noted he had pursued other significant climbs in his life and that his passion for the mountains had been a driving force in his choices and training.
Members of the expedition said Are had spent years preparing for challenging climbs, and his record included ascending several other notable peaks. He also pursued outdoor challenges in Arizona before undertaking Everest; he had completed a rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon, a detail mentioned by his climbing group to underscore his experience in difficult, sustained outdoor efforts. His partner’s sister noted the bond that formed between Reddy and Are over the course of the expedition, saying, "He got very much attached to Sandeep, because he was his teammate and his best friend for this journey to the summit for around 50 days." That attachment reflected both the isolation of extended expeditions and the close teamwork required to move through extreme environments together.
On the morning of May 20, Are reached Everest’s summit under what expedition members described as harsh conditions. He paused at the top to take photographs with the intention of sharing them with family back home, a final act of celebration that is common among climbers who push to the peak despite difficult weather and physical strain. Those summit photos and the brief moments of elation were followed quickly by the onset of a medical issue as he began to descend. A summit image captured during the ascent shows a climber giving a thumbs-up on the mountain’s highest point during what appears to be an ascent; the climbing group later reported that the Arizona climber died after reaching the summit.
A climber in a high-altitude down suit wearing an oxygen mask is treated on the snow near the summit of Mount Everest; the Arizona man was reported by his partner to have been overcome by snow blindness after reaching the peak.
According to Reddy, the problem began when Are was overcome by snow blindness, a condition produced by overexposure to ultraviolet rays reflecting off snow and ice. Reddy recounted trying to persuade Are to descend when symptoms appeared; he said, "I said you need to go down, please." Are responded that he intended to continue, telling Reddy, "No, it’s only an hour until summit. I will do it, I will make it." Those final hours on the mountain saw Are reach his goal, but he also reported intermittent vision problems even while standing at the summit. Reddy described the scene there, saying, "He was happy. It was on and off, 'I can’t see, I can’t see.'" The combination of extreme altitude, harsh environmental exposure and impaired vision created a perilous situation on the descent.
Shortly after leaving the summit, Are’s condition worsened. Expedition members carried him down to Camp II, where he later died, according to the team’s account. The steps taken to move him off the mountain and into a lower camp were part of standard emergency response practices in high-altitude expeditions, but the group’s description indicates that his health deteriorated despite those efforts. The specifics of any medical interventions at Camp II and the exact medical cause of death beyond the account of snow blindness and subsequent decline were not provided by the expedition in their initial statements.
Reddy and others who climbed with Are described him in personal terms, emphasizing the qualities that defined him to teammates and friends. Reddy said Are’s strength and persistence stood out on each expedition they shared. Reflecting on the loss, he said, "It was very difficult for me. He was so kind, we miss him." Those words spoke to the close relationships forged on lengthy climbs and the profound impact of losing a teammate in such a remote and demanding environment. The expedition group and those who knew Are remembered his unwavering passion for the mountains and the determination he brought to every climb he undertook.
The team that organized the trip identified Are and provided the basic timeline of the events that led to his death: a successful summit on the morning of May 20, an onset of snow blindness near the top, a decision to continue to the summit despite impaired vision, and a subsequent decline during descent that ended at Camp II. The expedition’s account establishes the sequence of events but does not elaborate on further medical or logistical details beyond what has been disclosed by Are’s partner and the climbing group. Family members and teammates were cited as recipients of the summit photographs and as those mourning the loss, while the climbing group noted his history of significant climbs and dedication to the sport as defining aspects of his life and achievements.
A man who lived in Arizona but kept roots and connections to India, Are’s final expedition ended at the mountain’s lower camps after a summit that he had long sought. The narrative provided by his climbing partner and the expedition team centers on a brief window of triumph at the summit followed by a rapid and tragic deterioration that ended with Are’s death at Camp II. Those who climbed with him have left a record of his determination, his experience on other peaks, and the personal attachment formed during an extended journey of around 50 days leading up to the summit push.