One week after the deadliest day ever on Mount Everest, the climbing season on the Nepali side of the mountain is over. Sherpas, clients, and guides are packing up and heading home with no thrills or conquests to speak of—only grief, anger, and dashed dreams.

Falling blocks of ice the size of buildings crushed the 16 Sherpas who died last week. Thirteen bodies were recovered, and three remain entombed on the mountain. More ice collapsed this week when the danger zone was empty of climbers, and some reports blamed fresh avalanches for the final end to the Everest climbing season in Nepal.

"That's ridiculous," responds Adrian Ballinger, leader of the Alpenglow team, speaking from Kathmandu. "I would say only a very