Nepal has issued a large number of permits to climb Everest this season, leading to fears of overcrowding in the “death zone”.
According to Reuters, Nepal has issued a record number of permits to climb Mount Everest this season, despite criticism of traffic jams in the so-called “death” region in recent years.
So far, Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism has approved 463 permits for this year’s climbing season, which runs from March to May. This far exceeds the record number set in 2021 of 409.
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, and revenue from climbing Mount Everest is a big part of the country’s financial plan. It is known that the fee for climbing Mount Everest is more than 10,000 USD. This means that each climbing season will bring millions of dollars to the country.
However, some experts fear that depending on Everest for revenue could come at the expense of safety.
Garrett Madison, president of the Madison climbing company, told Reuters: “The challenge faced by climbers will be more when there is a potential for traffic congestion on the climbing route, especially if the conditions are good weather is scarce and far apart. This can lead to climbers running out of oxygen and facing burnout/exposure in the death zone.”
The “death zone” is part of a climbing route, at an altitude of more than 8,000 meters, where oxygen levels are so low that the body’s cells begin to die and the climber’s judgment is impaired.
In 2019, at least 11 climbers died trying to climb Everest, and most of them were in the “death zone”. It was one of the deadliest years ever on Everest, according to ABC News.
However, the director of Nepal’s tourism board, Yubaraj Khatiwada, said the government was ready for the crowds and prepared to protect the climbers. He told Reuters the government would arrange a team of doctors and staff at the base camp.
“We are concerned for their safety and have been well prepared to deal with the crowds by splitting up the climbs when the weather is favorable to ensure the smoothest climb possible. possible,” Khatiwada said.
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