Latest news with #climbers
Sky News
5 days ago
- Climate
- Sky News
Mount Everest suffers traffic jams as climbers battle harsh weather - with beginners not helping
Mount Everest has suffered "traffic jams" this month, as climbers battled harsh weather to make it to the summit. Hundreds of climbers and their Sherpa guides signed up to scale the famous mountain in May, struggling against deteriorating weather on the world's highest mountain. Ahead of the end of the climbing season, at the end of May, a large number of climbers made the dash for the 8,849m (29,032ft) peak. Due to the limited windows of good weather near the summit, large numbers of climbers lined up, attached to the single safety rope, which is known as the " Everest traffic jam". An influx of beginner climbers was also said to have contributed to the long queues. "Overall on Everest, weather is the key and it was not same as the forecast, said Pasang Rinji Sherpa. "And secondly, it was crowded because both professionals and beginners were there at the same time." Pasang Rinji has climbed the peak twice. He said that only select or qualified climbers should be allowed to make the push for the peak, to make the experience safer and easier for all. "Right now, there are beginners with no experience or knowledge and professionals at the same time, and this is causing the problem," he said. "There should be basic knowledge for the climbers to use gear properly and be safe while climbing Everest." According to Nepal's Department of Mountaineering, 468 foreign climbers from 57 countries were given permits to climb Everest by the end of May - along with a roughly equal number of Nepalese mountain guides. Six-time Everest summiteer Jenjen Lama said the weather was this year's biggest hurdle. "The weather was very difficult to predict, and the forecast would be great for the following day, but on the day the weather would deteriorate every hour or so," he said. Although several climbers managed to scale the Nepalese mountain, the harsh weather made it too difficult for many. However, famed Sherpa guide Kami Rita reached the Everest summit for the 31st time Tuesday, breaking his own record for the most climbs to the top of the mountain. Queues on Mount Everest are not uncommon, with the mountain's popularity among thrill seekers. Thursday marked the 72nd anniversary of the conquest of Mount Everest by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.
Asharq Al-Awsat
7 days ago
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Nepal Vows to Keep Himalayas Safe and Clean as it Hosts Conference for Everest Climbers
Nepal's government said on Tuesday it has a 'duty to protect' the Himalayas from the risks presented by climate change and the growing numbers of climbers attempting to scale the region's summits, especially Everest. 'The government is strongly committed to support mountaineering in every possible way by keeping climbers safe, by protecting the natural beauty of our peaks and by helping local communities grow alongside the spirit of adventure,' Nepal's tourism minister Badri Prasad Pandey said. He was speaking in Kathmandu at a gathering of about 100 climbers from around the world who have successfully tackled Mount Everest. The one-day conference, dubbed the Everest Summiteers Summit, involved discussions on how to protect climbers and the environment. Attendees expressed concern on the rising numbers of people who crowd Everest to try to scale the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak. Veterans have complained how the mountain is becoming crowded and dirty. Climbers normally spend weeks at base camp to acclimatize to the higher altitude. They make practice runs to the lower camps on Everest before beginning their final attempt on the peak. Nepal's government last year funded a team of soldiers and Sherpas to remove 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during the climbing season. "Today, climate change and global warming are putting this future at risk. That is why we must act with care, with wisdom and with a deep sense of respect,' The Associated Press quoted Pandey as saying. 'These mountains are sacred, and it is our duty to protect them for the generations yet to come.' Nepal doesn't have rules on how many days climbers must spend acclimatizing or making practice climbs. The permits to climb Everest, which cost $11,000 each, are valid for 90 days. Climbing season normally wraps up by the end of May, when the weather deteriorates and monsoon season begins. Mount Everest was conquered in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay. Since then, it has been climbed thousands of times and every year hundreds more attempt to reach the summit. The popularity of the challenge means climbers face increased risks as queues form on the routes to the summit during the short windows of good weather. crowding the narrow and dangerous path to the summit though icy ridges and steep slopes. There is also concern over the levels of experience of some climbers, who put themselves at risk as well as making climbs dangerous for others. 'The biggest issue and concern at the moment is overcrowding,' said Adriana Brownlee, the youngest woman to climb the world's 14 highest peaks. 'We need to make sure that those (people on the mountain) are all experienced in the mountaineering world. So that if they are struggling (or) they are on their own and something happens, they know how to save themselves.' Nepalese climber Purnima Shrestha said attempts to climb Mount Everest has become too commercialized. 'But not all the people there are physical and emotionally ready to climb the peak, that is being disrespectful to Everest,' she said. 'This is the reason why there's all the traffic jams on the way to the peak.'
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Nepal vows to keep Himalayas safe and clean as it hosts conference for Everest climbers
Nepal's government said on Tuesday it has a 'duty to protect' the Himalayas from the risks presented by climate change and the growing numbers of climbers attempting to scale the region's summits, especially Everest. 'The government is strongly committed to support mountaineering in every possible way by keeping climbers safe, by protecting the natural beauty of our peaks and by helping local communities grow alongside the spirit of adventure,' Nepal's tourism minister Badri Prasad Pandey said. He was speaking in Kathmandu at a gathering of about 100 climbers from around the world who have successfully tackled Mount Everest. The one-day conference, dubbed the Everest Summiteers Summit, involved discussions on how to protect climbers and the environment. Attendees expressed concern on the rising numbers of people who crowd Everest to try to scale the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak. Veterans have complained how the mountain is becoming crowded and dirty. Climbers normally spend weeks at base camp to acclimatize to the higher altitude. They make practice runs to the lower camps on Everest before beginning their final attempt on the peak. Nepal's government last year funded a team of soldiers and Sherpas to remove 11 tons (24,000 pounds) of garbage, four dead bodies and a skeleton from Everest during the climbing season. 'Today, climate change and global warming are putting this future at risk. That is why we must act with care, with wisdom and with a deep sense of respect,' Pandey said. 'These mountains are sacred, and it is our duty to protect them for the generations yet to come.' Nepal doesn't have rules on how many days climbers must spend acclimatizing or making practice climbs. The permits to climb Everest, which cost $11,000 each, are valid for 90 days. Climbing season normally wraps up by the end of May, when the weather deteriorates and monsoon season begins. Mount Everest was conquered in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay. Since then it has been climbed thousands of times and every year hundreds more attempt to reach the summit. The popularity of the challenge means climbers face increased risks as queues form on the routes to the summit during the short windows of good weather. crowding the narrow and dangerous path to the summit though icy ridges and steep slopes. There is also concern over the levels of experience of some climbers, who put themselves at risk as well as making climbs dangerous for others. 'The biggest issue and concern at the moment is overcrowding,' said Adriana Brownlee, the youngest woman to climb the world's 14 highest peaks. 'We need to make sure that those (people on the mountain) are all experienced in the mountaineering world. So that if they are struggling (or) they are on their own and something happens, they know how to save themselves.' Nepalese climber Purnima Shrestha said attempts to climb Mount Everest has become too commercialized. 'But not all the people there are physical and emotionally ready to climb the peak, that is being disrespectful to Everest,' she said. 'This is the reason why there's all the traffic jams on the way to the peak.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Six Die in Switzerland Weekend Mountain Accidents
Six people died in Switzerland over the weekend in accidents in the Alps, officials said Sunday. Near the luxury resort of Zermatt, rescuers found the bodies of five people, police said in a statement. A helicopter was sent to survey the area around the Rimpfischhorn mountain after climbers alerted authorities after spotting abandoned skis near the summit on Saturday. "The bodies of five people were quickly found," Swiss police said in a statement. Authorities have opened an investigation into the incident and were working to identify the victims, it said. The Rimpfischhorn is a 4,199-meter (13,776-foot) mountain that lies east of Zermatt, near the Italian border, and is popular with backcountry skiers. Further north, a 29-year-old alpinist was killed in an avalanche on the Morgenhorn in the Bern canton, police said. Two other climbers caught in the avalanche were rescued and hospitalized with light injuries, police said. Outdoor sports are a popular pastime in mountainous Switzerland and accidents are a regular feature of winter. During the current winter season, between October 1, 2024 and May 17, 2025, 15 people have been killed in avalanches in the country, according to the Institute for the Study of Snow and Avalanches. In March 2024, six backcountry skiers died -- five of them members of the same family -- after being caught in a violent storm in the peaks near Zermatt.
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- Climate
- News.com.au
Six die in Switzerland weekend mountain accidents
Six people died in Switzerland over the weekend in accidents in the Alps, officials said Sunday. Near the luxury resort of Zermatt, rescuers found the bodies of five people, police said in a statement. A helicopter was sent to survey the area around the Rimpfischhorn mountain after climbers alerted authorities after spotting abandoned skis near the summit on Saturday. "The bodies of five people were quickly found," Swiss police said in a statement. Authorities have opened an investigation into the incident and were working to identify the victims, it said. The Rimpfischhorn is a 4,199-metre (13,776-foot) mountain that lies east of Zermatt, near the Italian border, and is popular with backcountry skiers. Further north, a 29-year-old alpinist was killed in an avalanche on the Morgenhorn in the Bern canton, police said. Two other climbers caught in the avalanche were rescued and hospitalised with light injuries, police said. Outdoor sports are a popular pastime in mountainous Switzerland and accidents are a regular feature of winter. During the current winter season, between October 1, 2024 and May 17, 2025, 15 people have been killed in avalanches in the country, according to the Institute for the Study of Snow and Avalanches. In March 2024, six backcountry skiers died -- five of them members of the same family -- after being caught in a violent storm in the peaks near Zermatt. vog/yad/jj
