Climbing the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, is a dream for many mountaineers. But from April to May this year, Everest witnessed a deadly surge in fatalities, with 11 climbers dead or missing—the highest casualty count in any single season. In response, the Nepalese government issued new regulations yesterday (14th), requiring all applicants for Everest climbing permits to have high-altitude mountaineering experience and verifiable training certifications, aiming to prevent inexperienced climbers from risking their lives.
During this year’s May Everest climbing season, a total of 11 climbers died or went missing while attempting to summit, leading to severe traffic jams near the peak and even forcing some to step over bodies to move forward. Local mountaineering experts criticized the situation as a result of the Nepalese government’s failure to properly regulate, citing that the government only charges climbers a permit fee of $11,000 (approximately NT$330,000) without adequate oversight, contributing to these tragic deaths.
According to The Guardian, a committee composed of Nepalese government officials, professional mountaineers, and climbing organizations submitted new regulations for Everest ascents to the government. Climbers wishing to scale Everest or other peaks above 8,000 meters must have previously climbed at least one Nepalese mountain exceeding 6,500 meters in altitude, submit medical and physical fitness certificates, and be accompanied by a certified Nepalese guide to obtain a permit. This aims to avoid underqualified climbers and teams bringing only the minimum amount of oxygen, queuing up to refill, which is almost certain to lead to accidents.