SouthernWorldwide.com – A record-breaking 274 climbers successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest from the Nepali side in a single day this week. This surge in ascents comes amidst growing concerns from critics about dangerous overcrowding on the world’s tallest peak, particularly for thrill-seekers who pay approximately $15,000 for a chance to conquer it.
This new daily record surpasses the previous Nepali record of 223 climbers, which was set in 2019. Rishi Bhandari, the secretary general of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, confirmed the figures to Reuters on Thursday. He noted that the final count of successful summits might even increase as some climbers have yet to officially report their achievements.
Read more : What Falling Bond Prices Reveal About the US Economy
Nepal has issued a substantial 494 climbing permits for Mount Everest during this season alone. Each of these permits carries a significant cost of $15,000 for the climbers.
The current climbing season has seen all ascents originating solely from the Nepal side of Everest. This is reportedly due to China not issuing permits for expeditions from the Tibetan side this year.
Mountaineering experts have frequently voiced criticism regarding Nepal’s policy of allowing large numbers of climbers on Everest. They warn that such overcrowding can lead to life-threatening bottlenecks, especially in the treacherous “death zone” of the mountain. In this high-altitude region, oxygen levels plummet to dangerously low levels, posing extreme risks to climbers.
In recent years, Nepal has made efforts to address these safety concerns. These measures include the implementation of stricter rules and an increase in climbing fees for permit holders. However, some expedition leaders have defended the high volume of climbers.
Lukas Furtenbach, an expedition organizer with Austria-based Furtenbach Adventures, argued that with adequate oxygen supplies, the high number of climbers is not a major issue. He drew a comparison to mountains in the Alps, such as the Zugspitze, which can see up to 4,000 people on its summit daily. Furtenbach stated that 274 climbers is not an excessive number, especially considering Everest’s immense scale, which is ten times larger than the Alpine peak.
