Hundreds of climbers, mountaineers, and officials convened in Kathmandu on Wednesday to address the growing risks of scaling Mount Everest, as warming temperatures and a surge in climbers create new challenges, including the garbage left behind.
Record Crowds on the World's Highest Peak
The "Everest Summiteers Summit" in Nepal's capital was held during what is believed to be the most crowded season ever on Mount Everest. Hundreds of climbers and their Sherpa guides have been scaling the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak in just a few days this month. Nepal issued a record 494 permits for foreign climbers this season, and the number of people who reached the summit is believed to be more than 900, potentially the highest ever during the spring climbing season. The final official count will be released later.
Call for Limits on Permits
Kami Rita Sherpa, a Sherpa guide who recently achieved a record 32 ascents of Everest, warned that the growing number of climbers is causing problems. "Nepal should only allow no more than 250 climbers that are issued permit to climb from the Nepal side," he said. "It will be good if the government was to limit the number." Recent photos from the mountain have shown lines of hundreds of climbers stuck in traffic jams, clipped to fixed ropes, waiting for their chance to reach the summit.
Waste Management Challenges
With hundreds of climbers, their guides, and support workers, some 3,000 people live on Mount Everest during the climbing season, which ends this month. Removing all the waste when tents are dismantled remains a significant challenge. Strict government rules require climbers to remove their garbage, but much is left behind. Climbers emphasize that keeping the mountain pristine should remain a priority. "We should take the rubbish from the mountain and we should protect our Himalayas," said He Jing, a renowned Chinese climber.
Regulations and Experience Requirements
Currently, anyone can apply for a permit by paying $15,000 to the government as a permit fee. However, the Nepalese government is working on new regulations that would require climbers to have prior experience. Nathaniel Douglas, a climber from Seattle, told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference that he sees people who have never climbed a mountain hoping to scale Everest after seeing images on social media. "So they really don't understand what mountaineering is, like what it actually takes to summit Mount Everest and get back down safely," he said.
Warmer Weather Adds Risks
British mountaineer Adriana Brownlee, the youngest woman to climb all 14 highest peaks, noted that the weather on the mountains is getting warmer, increasing risks for climbers. "Every year the (Khumbu) Icefall seems more unstable because of global warming," she said. She explained that water underneath is melting faster, causing seracs—blocks of ice—to fall much more easily due to the movement underneath. A huge serac hanging dangerously over the route just above the base camp forced climbers to delay their climb last month.
