CRAZY PEOPLE.
Everest climb: record number of permits issued by Nepal in 2023
Climbing Mount Everest is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most sensational feats a human being can accomplish. Yet, it is becoming something within the reach of many (rich) people, especially Chinese and North Americans.
Considering the fact that the summit can only be reached for a few weeks a year, due to the extreme weather conditions, there is always a lot of chaos and a large number of people who, paying thousands of dollars, attempt to reach the highest point in the world.
This year, however, there could be problems, as Nepal has granted a record number of permits to climb the mountain (yes, you need a special permit). A factor, that of the overcrowding of base camps and summits, which could also lead to dangerous situations for the safety of climbers.
Everest climb: record number of permits issued by Nepal in 2023
Climbing Mount Everest is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most sensational feats a human being can accomplish. Yet, it is becoming something within the reach of many (rich) people, especially Chinese and North Americans. Considering the fact that the summit can only be reached for a few weeks a year, due to the extreme weather conditions, there is always a lot of chaos and a large number of people who, paying thousands of dollars, attempt to reach the highest point in the world. This year, however, there could be problems, as Nepal has granted a record number of permits to climb the mountain (yes, you need a special permit). A factor, that of the overcrowding of base camps and summits, which could also lead to dangerous situations for the safety of climbers.
Di Moving Mountains Trust - Flickr: Western Cwm - 14th May 2011, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedi
Nepal issues record number of permits
There will be 463 climbers for this spring's expeditions to Mount Everest (367 men and 96 women from 65 countries), although experts fear dangerous overcrowding at the summit.
A permit is needed to climb Everest
One piece of information that not everyone knows is that to climb Mount Everest, it is not enough to just turn up on site. Permission to attempt the climb must be granted by Nepal's Department of Tourism. And it is precisely the director of this department, Yubaraj Khatiwada, who spoke to the American broadcaster CNN about the situation.
Everest is usually climbed in may
A second piece of information that perhaps not everyone is aware of is that there are specific, and short, time windows during the year in which it is possible to reach the summit. Most mountaineers try to climb the summit in May. There is a short window of time, usually after mid-May, when temperatures are warmer and the high altitude winds known as jet streams have moved away from the mountains. Some people, however, sometimes attempt it even in autumn.
How to get to Everest
The programme for climbing Everest includes moments of ascent and moments of acclimatisation to the lower atmospheric pressure. The mountaineers, together with staff members and Sherpa guides, take about two weeks to walk to Everest base camp, which is located at an altitude of 17,000 feet (almost 5200 metres). It will then take about two weeks to adapt to the altitude, waiting for good weather conditions before continuing for another four days, reaching other camps and finally climbing to the summit.
What happens in case of overcrowding
Paradoxically, large numbers of people trying to reach the summit cause traffic jams, real queues, with climbers quietly waiting their turn to climb, like in a supermarket. These images, which can be found on the web, are truly absurd and testify, even here, to the phenomenon of mass tourism that is creating problems in large parts of the world. To be in a queue to reach the summit of Everest because there are 'too many people' is something incredible.
Didrik Johnck - Flickr.com
The work of local authorities to solve problems
The more than 460 mountaineers who have received permission to climb this spring will be accompanied by more than 1,500 Nepalese Sherpas and other personnel at base camp and at the top. The Nepalese authorities, for whom tourism is a major source of income, are already working to increase the space available for the camps and also to install as many ropes as possible on the route to avoid possible queues at the summit.
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