A report variety of mountaineers anticipated on Mount Everest through the present spring climbing season has sparked fears of a visitors jam when groups make their remaining ascent by way of the “death zone” to the summit of the world’s tallest peak.
Overcrowding and high numbers of relatively inexperienced climbers were cited as key factors when nine people died high up on the 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) peak in May, 2019 – during one of the deadliest seasons for years.
Anyone wanting to climb Everest by the end of May, when the weather is usually still favourable, should have obtained a Nepal government permit by the end this month.
So far, Nepal has handed out a record 463 permits to climb Everest between March and May, beating 2021’s 409.
“The challenges with more climbers on the mountain will be potential traffic jams on the climbing route, especially if the weather windows are few and far between,” Garrett Madison of U.S. based mostly Madison Mountaineering firm mentioned in a WhatsApp message from the bottom camp.
“This can lead to climbers running out of oxygen and facing exhaustion/exposure in the ‘death zone’,” he added, referring to altitude above 8,000 metres (26,246 feet) where the air is too thin to survive for long without supplementary oxygen.
The greatest risk of delays occur at the Hillary Step, a steep 12 metre rock face, just 180 metres below the summit, putting it high in the ‘death zone’.
Home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, Nepal is often criticised by some Western climbers for allowing anyone who can pay the $11,000 fee for a permit to climb Everest – a charge the government denies.
“Many of the companies now guiding on the south side of Everest are taking climbers who have not yet developed the experience necessary to safely navigate the difficulties,” mentioned Adrian Ballinger of U.S.-based Alpenglow Expeditions, who has moved his actions to the Chinese aspect.
This 12 months, Chinese nationals have obtained essentially the most permits, with 96, and U.S. climbers have obtained the second most with 87, whereas climbers from India received 40.
A second climbing season runs from September to November however isn’t as standard.
For each climber there may be usually at the least one native sherpa.
Climbing is a key earner for the poor nation, the place about 500,000 persons are employed in tourism, together with climbing, and the variety of permits has been rising steadily.
So far this 12 months, Nepal has granted permits to 1,046 climbers for 24 peaks, incomes the federal government $5.6 million, of which $5 million got here from Everest alone.
Each climber spends at the least $26,700 on an expedition in Nepal, together with on allow charges, gasoline, meals, guides and native journey, mentioned Ang Tshering Sherpa of Nepali expedition organising firm Asian Trekking.
Yubaraj Khatiwada, director at Nepal’s Department of Tourism, rebuffed criticism of the variety of permits awarded, and he mentioned a workforce of medical doctors and authorities officers could be stationed on the Everest base camp for the primary time to handle climbing actions all through the season.
“We are concerned for their safety and are well prepared to cope with the crowd, by spreading summit bids as long as the good weather window provides to ensure the climbing goes smoothly as far as possible,” Khatiwada mentioned.
He mentioned the federal government was contemplating introducing a requirement for climbers to scale at the least one 6,000-metre peak in Nepal earlier than trying Everest.
Lukas Furtenbach of Austria-based Furtenbach Adventures mentioned the upper variety of climbers was not an issue so lengthy as they’re managed properly and the climate holds lengthy sufficient to have extra days to unfold out groups’ makes an attempt on the summit.
“I can only see a risk if people are running out of oxygen. So proper oxygen logistics are crucial,” Furtenbach mentioned.
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