In recent years, as amateur mountaineers have flocked in, ordinary people only need to pay $50,000 to attempt Everest under the arrangement of a "tour company."
As the world’s highest mountain, climbing Mount Everest was once considered an act of bravery by only a select few. But in recent years, with the influx of amateur mountaineers, ordinary people only need to pay $50,000 (approximately 310,000 RMB) to attempt Everest under the arrangement of a "tour company." Over the past 60 years, tens of thousands have "visited" the peak, with several thousand successfully reaching the summit. Trampled by countless tourists, Everest has lost its former aura of inaccessibility and has transformed into a heavily trodden tourist attraction.
Sixty years ago, New Zealander Edmund Hillary became the first person to conquer Everest. For the following decade or two, climbing Everest was still a daring feat reserved for only a handful of professional explorers; but in recent years, hundreds or even thousands of inexperienced, underprepared yet enthusiastic individuals attempt the climb each year. Climbing Mount Everest has become almost a pastime for the wealthy—just pay $50,000, and you can try to scale the world’s highest peak.
Climbing one after another
Hillary and Nepalese guide Tenzing Norgay successfully reached the summit from the southern slope of Everest on May 29, 1953, marking an immortal page in human exploration history. Since Hillary’s successful climb, tens of thousands have attempted Everest, with at least 2,500 returning successfully. The number of summit attempts has risen by the hundreds each year, and in recent years, the number of climbers has soared even higher.
The latest issue of National Geographic Magazine offers an in-depth, illustrated analysis of the overcrowding mystery on Everest. The report states that two major congestion hotspots on Everest include Lhotse Face and Hillary Step. During the peak climbing season from March to June each year, the crowds are immense, with climbers lining up in long queues; on the southeastern ridge's mandatory route—the narrow cliff face of Hillary Step—climbers jostle for space, creating perilous conditions, reigniting concerns about safety and environmental issues on Everest. Reporters on-site witnessed dozens of climbers packed tightly together, advancing toward Camp IV along Lhotse Face, serving as stark evidence of the excessive number of climbers.
Leaving behind bodies and massive waste
Critics point out that too many people attempting to climb Everest simultaneously has led to an accumulation of trash on the Roof of the World. Discarded litter, human waste left behind by hikers, and even the bodies of some unfortunate climbers who perished on the mountain have become unsightly scars embedded in Everest. The overcrowding has inevitably increased the risk of casualties. Reporter Mark Jenkins, who covered the story at the time, said that upon reaching the summit, it was so crowded that “there wasn’t even room to stand.”
Economic motives are the root cause
Critics argue that allowing so many people to climb Everest is not only destructive to the mountain but also irresponsible toward the climbers. One local Nepalese guide mentioned that to solve these problems, the government should issue fewer climbing permits, require certification for local Sherpa guides, limit the size of expedition teams, remove bodies from the mountain, and impose heavy fines on litterbugs. However, some locals claim that guiding paying clients up the mountain has become a sizable and profitable “industry” locally. Stricter management might increase official corruption, but may not necessarily limit climbing activity. Over the past 20 years, climbing has, to some extent, boosted Nepal’s economy, especially during the climbing season. As a result, although there are some regulations for guides, they remain loosely enforced. As long as tourists pay for permits and equipment, they can sign agreements with local travel agencies to be guided up the mountain.
More climbers mean more fatalities
In the past, climbing Everest emphasized teamwork, camaraderie, communication, and trust among team members, but these values have now been diluted; last month, there was even a fistfight between a foreign climber and a Sherpa guide. Since climbing has essentially become a commercial endeavor, with climbers paying significant fees, some are willing to take risks when faced with insufficient time or poor climbing conditions, which is also a source of conflict between climbers and guides. In 1996, one of the worst disasters occurred, resulting in the deaths of 16 climbers, with eight losing their lives on May 11 alone. Last May, a serious climbing accident took place on Everest, with dozens attempting the summit simultaneously, and four tragically dying.