Who is “Green Boots”?

The body of “Green Boots” inside “Green Boots’ Cave” in the Death Zone of Mount Everest. One of the few photos in which his boots actually appear to be green.

The Everest Disaster of 1996 refers to a blizzard that occurred on May 10th & 11th which led to the loss of eight lives. The blizzard caused the deadliest day and deadliest year on Mount Everest until the 2014 Mt. Everest avalanche which resulted in 16 casualties. The Nepal Earthquake which occured in April 2015 and caused an avalanche on the mountain that killed 19 people is now holds the record for the deadliest day in the mountain’s history. On May 10, 1996 a team of six Indian climbers from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police expedition were attempting to summit when the blizzard began. Just short of the peak, three of the six chose to continue with the summit while the others returned to base camp. Climbers Subedar Tsewang Samanla, Lance Naik (Lance Corporal) Dorje Morup and Head Constable Tsewang Paljor contacted the three team members who had returned to base camp via radio to notify them they had reaced the summit and would be descending shortly. The three men left prayer flags, Khatas (traditional Tibetan Buddhist ceremonial scarfs) and placed pitons (metal spikes used in mountain climbing as anchor points to prevent a fall and aid in climbing) atop the mountain. Samanla, who was the leader of the expedition instructed Dorje Morup and Tsewang Paljor to begin descent as he remained behind to conduct a religious ceremony from the mountains peak.

Tsewang Samanla

Tsewang Paljor

What happened next remains a mystery; All that is certain is that the three men died in the 1996 Everest Disaster. The team did not make any additional radio contact with their team members at base camp and never returned. Evidence suggests they may have never even made it to the actual summit, appearing to have stopped 430 feet (150 meters) short due to confusion from poor visibility.   A team of Japanese climbers their summit may have seen one or more of the Indian climbers but failed to assist them because they were unaware the three climbers had been reported missing. The Japanese team claimed during their descent they saw a person on a fixed rope and a second unidentifiable object which may have also been a human. One team member from the Japanese expedition even greeted another unitentified climber, possibly a missing member of the Indian expedition.   Although the Japanese team aided the unitentified climber in transitioning to their next set of ropes, the climber did not otherwise seem to be in need of assistance. Eventually, a body was discovered under the overhang of a boulder along the Northeast Ridge Route at 27,890 feet (8500 meters), near Camp 6. The corpse was found lying next beside a rucksack with clothing intact but no gloves on.

Oxygen bottles lying next to Green Boot’s body.

Green boots worn by the deceased climber led people to refer to him simly as “Green Boots” and the limestone alcove he was discovered in as “Green Boots Cave”.

Green Boot’s Kolflach boots appear to be more yellow than green in many photographs. This is most likely due to lighting. Over time, the boots may have faded as well.

People have long believed the body in the small cave was that of Tsewang Paljor who had been wearing a pair of green Koflach boots when he was last seen alive.

An article published in the Himalayan Journal in 1997 put forth the theory that the body is actually Dorje Morup and Paljor’s body was never discovered. According to Morup’s team he “refused to put on gloves over his frost-bitten hands” and during the ascent, before the group spilt up, he was already struggling and “was finding difficulty in uncoiling his safety carabiner at anchor points”.
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CAUSE OF DEATH: Boogie Fever

July of 1518 in Strasbourg, Alsace in the Holy Roman Empire, a bizarre plague known as “Dance Fever” broke out, killing many citizens. Also known as the “Dance Epidemic”, it forced the people of Strasbourg to dance, in many cases, to their death. The strange occurrence began when a woman named Frau Troffea began to dance erratically in a narrow street and did not stop for 4-6 days. Slowly, more people joined in and within a week 34 additional Strasbourg residents had caught Boogie Fever. By the month’s end, approximately 400 people were effected with the bizarre affliction. This event was documented in local and religious records, physicians notes and was even repeatedly refered to in various cathedral sermons. There is no questioning whether or not this mysterious event took place in, the only question is “why?“. When nobles of the time turned to physicians for advice, astrological and supernatural events were quickly eliminated as possible causes. Dance Fever was deemed to be a natural disease caused by a condition known as “hot blood”. In the 1500s, “hot blood” was usually treated by a process known as “bleeding” or “bloodletting”. During that period in time, doctors believed withdrawal of “bad blood” could cure or prevent many illnesses. Today, bloodletting is generally viewed as an archaic medical practice, though it is still used occasionally in specific cases. Doctors of the time also prescribed more dancing claiming the only cure was for the afflicted to dance day and night. In accordance, the town of Strasburg designated two guild halls and a grain market for dancing. The city even went so far as to build a new stage and hire musicians to facilitate doctors’ orders. Michigan State University professor, historian and author  of A Time to Dance, a Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of the Dancing Plague of 1518 John Waller believes he has finally solved the mystery of exactly what prompted so many to dance to their deaths. In his book, John Waller theorizes the citizens of Strasburg were suffering stress-induced psychosis. This specific type of psychosis is caused by some type of major stressful or traumatic event such as surviving a natural disaster or experiencing the death of a loved one. In 1518, the region had recently suffered from a severe famine and many perished due to starvation. In addition, the area was plagued with multiple diseases including syphilis and small pox. Many citizens were broke, homeless and reduced to begging in the streets. Living conditions were intolerable to say the least. In light of this it was determined the residents of Strasburg had experienced mass psychological illness in July of 1518 when the Dance Epidemic started. Symptoms of stress-induced psychosis can include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, non-coherent speech or language, disorientation, confusion, changes in eating/sleeping/energy and unusual behavior, among other things. Of course, many died from a heart attack, stroke or exhaustion caused by non-stop dancing; However, John Waller presents the fact that all of them should have died. Frau Troffea, who danced for 4-6 days and night non-stop without food, water or rest and ultimately survived the Dance Epidemic should have died within three days due to dehydration alone. A second theory suggests citizens of Strasbourg may have unknowingly consumed Ergot fungus, an organic version of LSD. This theory is not as strongly supported considering Ergot fungus is far more likely to kill those who ingest it as opposed to send them into a month-long acid trip. Could an event as unbelievable as the Dance Plague have an equally unbelievable explanation? Ancient people believed if the spirit of Saint Vitus, a Sicilian martyred in 303AD was provoked, he would send “Plagues of compulsive dancing”, much like the one which swept through Strasbourg.

Buy John Waller’s book A Time to Dance, a Time to Die: The Extraordinary Story of the Dancing Plague of 1518 

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