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Record-breaking ascent on Everest
Nepal saw 274 mountaineers reach the summit of Mount Everest on Wednesday, setting a new single-day record for climbs via the southern route. The achievement follows a delayed start to the spring season after a massive ice blockage obstructed the path.
Late start and ideal conditions
Climbers took advantage of favorable weather, beginning their ascent at 03:00 local time and continuing for 11 hours, according to Khimlal Gautam, an official with Nepal's tourism department. The previous record of 223 climbers was set on May 22, 2019, also from Nepal's side of the mountain.
China has closed the northern route in Tibet to foreign climbers this season, preventing any additional summits from that side. In 2019, 113 climbers reached the peak via the Tibetan route on the same day.
Overcrowding and safety risks
Nearly 500 foreign climbers have been granted permits to scale Everest this year, another record. Experts warn that overcrowding poses significant safety risks, particularly in the so-called "death zone" above 8,000 meters, where climbers rely on supplemental oxygen and are advised not to stay for more than 20 hours.
Images shared on social media this week show long lines of mountaineers navigating the treacherous slopes, highlighting the congestion.
Permit fee increase and industry response
Despite a recent hike in permit fees-from $11,000 to $15,000, the first increase in nearly a decade-tourism to Everest has continued to rise. Expedition organizers acknowledge the risks of overcrowding but argue that proper preparation can mitigate them.
"If teams carry enough oxygen, it is not a big problem. Some mountains in the Alps see thousands of climbers on their summits each day. So 274 is actually not a big number, considering this mountain is 10 times bigger."
Lukas Furtenbach, Furtenbach Adventures
Milestones and tragedies
This season's climbers included both seasoned mountaineers and first-time summiteers, many of whom set new personal or world records. On Sunday, Nepali guide Kami Rita Sherpa, 56, reached the summit for the 32nd time, breaking his own world record. That same day, Lhakpa Sherpa, 52, known as the "Mountain Queen," completed her 11th ascent, the most by any female climber.
Russian climber Rustam Nabiev, 34, a double-leg amputee, also made history by summiting without prosthetics on Thursday.
However, the season has not been without tragedy. Among the casualties was Bijay Ghimere, 35, the first mountaineer from Nepal's marginalized Dalit community to scale Everest, who died from altitude sickness. Phura Gyaljen Sherpa, 21, fell into a crevasse near Camp 3 on Monday, while guide Lakpa Dendi Sherpa, 51, died en route to Base Camp on May 3.
