Editorial | Now time for crowd control on Everest

When Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary completed the historic first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953, the notion that so many would try to emulate their feat that eventually they would form a queue at the summit that required crowd management scarcely seemed credible. That day has long since arrived, thanks to new generations of climbers eager to tick scaling Everest off their bucket list. However, the changeable and unforgiving conditions on the world’s highest peak still defy climbers and claim lives. Eleven have perished so far this climbing season.

Ironically, poor crowd management has been partly blamed, on top of lack of experience and preparation among many climbers that pose a risk to themselves and others. Experts say it went wrong after bad conditions delayed the first clear weather window for an assault on the summit until May 19-20, after which most teams waited for the second window from May 22-24, exacerbating crowding.

The Nepalese government issued a record 381 climbing permits this season, meaning about 600 people accompanied by support staff were set to climb. On May 23, more than 250 set out. Photographs of human traffic jams that stranded climbers for hours on a ridge below the summit illustrate a disaster waiting to happen. After they had waited their turn to ascend or descend, they battled exhaustion as their oxygen cylinders ran low.

Next year has been declared Visit Nepal Year, aimed at attracting 2 million tourists. The reality is that Everest brings in tourist dollars and supports a demographic that lives off the mountain, so officials are unlikely to take drastic measures that would affect either. But they could also, at least, address safety issues raised by competitive price-cutting among expedition operators, such as inexperienced guides.