60 years later and you could be stuck in a line to reach the summit. Bottle necks and overcrowding have become a life threat; of all the possible ways, you don’t want to die of overcrowding on Everest!
It has become so easily accessible (about 150 people reach the top on the best days) that mountaineering officials are considering installing a ladder from the Hillary Step to the summit to avoid overcrowding. Climbers will only be able to use the ladder for descents, not ascents. The Hillary Step, one of the final steps before climbers reach the summit, is known for its 40 ft. of nearly sheer vertical rock face at 29,000 ft.
And the Sherpa-climber bond is hanging on by the slightest thread, on a layer of the thinnest ice. The Sherpas make the rules, and why not; it is their home ground and climbing bigass snow covered peaks is what they’re meant to do. With the recent almost fatal scuffle about a month ago, the Nepalese government has finally taken notice.
Everest will always be a difficult one to scale, but getting a permit just got tougher. The other proposed changes include:
- Speed up rescue measures for mountaineers
- Stop unauthorized broadcasting of Everest
- Enforce strict guidelines to prevent pollution in the Khumbu region
- Proper allocation of revenue (more than Rs.270 million annually) in the Khumbu region from royalty collected by issuing climbing permits
- Develop a road up to Surkhe-the lower part of Lukla. Annually, hundreds of tourists get stranded in Lukla, the only gateway to Everest. ($500 for return to Kathmandu through a helicopter)
- Government’s liaison officers in the Everest region to be mobilized to effectively stop ‘unprofessional conduct’ in the Everest region.
- Double health and other insurances of porters, high-altitude Sherpa guides and individuals involved in the rescue mission in the mountain region.
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