Images of people queueing on Mt Everest looking like a front row ticket sales at a rock concert, went viral across the internet. As the images spread so did the debate about permits, death and expertise. A range of professional and legendary climbers have urged the local government to limit the number of Everest climbers in each climbing season to avoid incidents on the world’s highest peak but is that really enough, is it really the problem?
Elia Saikaly a filmmaker stated on Facebook from Everest on 23rd May accompanied by our cover photo: “We raced down the Hillary Step as fast as we could after reaching the top, swapped out our depleted oxygen cylinders, climbed up the south summit expecting a smooth descent and this is what we saw. A very long line-up of climbers all heading for the top at 8.30am. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Half the teams were still on their way up!’
In his latest blog New Zealand’s Guy Cotter (CEO of Adventure Consultants): ‘I’d say most of us recognise that there are issues on Everest. Accidents, overcrowding, a lack of cohesiveness each season with rope fixing when teams who say they will help and don’t turn up, Icefall charges much higher than the quality of work that is completed, inexperienced climbers, teams who provide no support when their team members get sick or have an accident."
So what do we do? As a group of people, it is in our best interest to sort this out – and it isn’t that hard. However, it will take some resolve and some changes to achieve and we will need to establish some standards.
Safety should always be the highest priority. Over the years the quality of the ropes and the fixing on the upper mountain has improved dramatically. We are seeing fewer instances of a 200m coil of Korean rope with only one or two anchors that results in 60 to 100 people hanging on a rope that has a breaking rate of around 400kg!’
On the eve of the 66th anniversary of the first successful summit of Mt Everest, the climbing community is voicing its concern over allowing inexperienced tourists to scale Mt Everest. This coupled with high numbers and an already highrisk factor environment is a recipe for a real disaster.
This story is from the June - July 2019 edition of Adventure Magazine.
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This story is from the June - July 2019 edition of Adventure Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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