A Polish climber who summited the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, from Tibet in May this year “illegally crossed the border” by descending from the southern side in Nepal, greatly angering the Tibet Mountaineering Association. To strengthen management of similar incidents, the Tibet association has decided to halt all foreign climbers’ ascents of Himalayan peaks over 8,000 meters in Tibet this autumn.
The Tibet Autonomous Region Mountaineering Association announced on the 11th that it has temporarily suspended receiving foreign mountaineering teams entering Tibet this autumn. The affected activities include not only climbs on the northern slope of Mount Everest but also ascents of other peaks over 8,000 meters such as Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. Notices about the suspension have been sent out to various foreign mountaineering teams in recent days.
Climbing north and descending south angers the association
Soinam, head of the Tibet Autonomous Region Mountaineering Association, said the reason for the “suspension” is to promptly resolve and improve mountaineering management and services, aiming to provide good conditions for the 2018 climbing season. He stated that commercial mountaineering in Tibet has been ongoing for over 10 years and many aspects need continuous improvement. This suspension is not only about adjusting and improving external reception services, but also involves rectifying internal mechanisms; however, he admitted it is also related to the Polish climber’s “illegal border crossing.”
During this spring’s Everest climbing season, Polish national Janusz Adam Adamski first underwent one month of acclimatization training in Tibet. On May 21, he summited Everest via the northern slope, and on the same day descended from the southern slope located in Nepal. This move angered the Tibet Mountaineering Association. The association believes that although summiting from the northern slope and descending from the southern slope “is his personal life dream, all climbers who summit via the northern route of Everest should descend from the northern side.” To do otherwise, they must first obtain climbing permits from both China and Nepal; otherwise, it is considered illegal.
Holds the title of highest illegal border-crosser
The Tibet Mountaineering Association has decided not to recognize Janusz’s successful 2017 spring summit of Everest via the northern slope, will not issue him a northern slope summit certificate, and has listed him as an unwelcome climber for the next 10 years.
Becoming the world’s “highest illegal border-crosser,” Janusz is not regretful—in fact, he feels great about it. “I’m happy to be the first Pole and the 15th person in the world to cross the Himalayas by traversing Everest.” He stated, “This is the greatest achievement of my life.”