Next week on 60 Minutes, Cecilia Vega makes the perilous trek to Everest Base Camp with a young sherpa who has become the guide for the expedition. The segment follows her journey into the high Himalaya and explores the risks sherpas take to assist climbers.
Leading the trip was a 19‑year‑old sherpa who has already set a record as the youngest person to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks. The story highlights how little margin exists for error on the route: sudden wind, shifting weather and steep, exposed sections turn routine climbing into life‑or‑death decisions. Vega and her crew contend with the physical strain and the psychological challenge of moving forward when fear is present. The sherpa describes how he balances fear and confidence — calming himself and focusing on who he is and what he does.
The piece emphasizes the role sherpas play: carrying loads, fixing ropes, guiding clients through crevasses and objective hazards that claim lives every season. Viewers see both the grandeur of Everest and the human cost behind commercial expeditions. Scott Pelley teases the report as reaching “a new high,” noting the guide’s record accomplishments and the stakes of each step toward Base Camp. The segment promises intimate moments on the trail, candid reflections from guides, and a look at the narrow line between achievement and tragedy on the world’s highest slopes.
