With a good weather window active, the Himalayan craving for reach the top of Everest, the highest in the world, have increased. However, what before it seemed like a heroic feat, which not everyone was able to achieve,Now, for many, it has become another whim. The long queues in the Nepalese area to climb the mountain multiply. Not in the part of China, where the authorities have restricted passes.
This year it has reached record in the granting of safe-conduct to climb the top. The total is 454 permits to climbers from 61 countries, integrated into a total of 41 expeditions. “This is the largest number of permits issued by the department to climb Mount Everest,” Bigyan Koirala, from the tourism department, admitted to AFP, adding that this number of expedition members is not such, but rather higher. The permits are only granted to foreign citizens, since Nepalis do not require this permit. Therefore, It is estimated that around 900 climbers, including Sherpas, will attempt to reach the summit in the coming weeks.. As a consequence of the requirement imposed on the part of China (to have climbed at least one 8,000-meter summit to obtain the permit) the mass is concentrating in the Nepal area. Hence, the country’s authorities announced on April 24 that about five million dollars will come in.
It is not the first time that something like this has happened, because in 2019 there were already episodes of crowds of people concentrated on the slopes of Everest. With the arrival of the pandemic and the numerous restrictions to be able to travel, this flow of people reduced, which left ‘quiet’ the summit. However, with the ‘return to normality’ it has returned to the past.
Increase in accidents
These long lines have multiplied the number of fatal accidents and disappearances in the mountains. This may be the case of the Nepalese guide Phurba Sherpa, who died while descending from the summit. In addition, the heavy snowfall this winter has increased the risk of avalanches in the area, therefore, there is a greater danger.
World record in arrivals to the top
Pasand Dawa Sherpa reached the top for the 26th time, equaling the record of Kami Rita. The following day, the latter crowned 27th, once again leading the mark. And it was a day ago, when the Nepali he stepped on it for the 28th time (his first time was in 1994).
He Pakistani Sajid Sadpara and Colombian Mateo Isaza They were the first two people to stepping on the summit of Everest this year, making the ascent without oxygen bottles. With this, Sadpara is the first Pakistani to achieve it, while for Isaza it was the second attempt with which he tried to achieve it.