According to Zhang Mingxing, director of the Tibet Mountaineering Sports Management Center, the northern slope of Everest in Tibet is also currently experiencing a peak in climbing activity, with nearly 300 domestic and international mountaineering enthusiasts having gathered in the Himalayan region of Tibet, awaiting the chance to realize their dream of reaching the summit. Zhang Mingxing reminds climbers to place high importance on safety and to fully respect the laws of nature. Zhang Mingxing stated that climbing, especially high-altitude snow mountains, is a high-risk sport that challenges limits, and climbers must approach it scientifically and act within their capabilities. Before climbing, one should have a clear understanding of their physical condition and climbing ability, and it is advisable to adopt a gradual progression approach—meaning having prior experience climbing peaks at 6,000 meters and 7,000 meters before attempting Everest.
It is introduced that climbing is closely tied to weather conditions, and one must fully respect the laws of nature. Zhang Mingxing said that whether one can reach the summit depends on weather conditions, mountain conditions, and team coordination—only when “the right time, the right place, and the right people” all align is it suitable to attempt the summit. If the weather is poor, one must not be overly eager and force a summit attempt. Climbers must not make reaching the summit their sole or absolute goal.
Zhang Mingxing said that with the vigorous development of the commercial mountaineering industry and increasingly strong technical capabilities, commercial mountaineering companies can provide climbers with experienced high-altitude guides and support staff, who can help assess weather conditions, select campsites, and plan climbing routes. However, they cannot guarantee a successful summit. On the contrary, their primary duty is to ensure the safety of climbers, and it must be understood that safety takes priority over reaching the summit.
This head of the Tibet Mountaineering Management Department also reminded climbers to emphasize teamwork during the ascent and to follow the orders of the base camp command. In the event of severe weather or other force majeure factors, one must make scientific judgments and decisive decisions, and descend when necessary. Emotional decision-making must be avoided during the climb, and if feeling unwell, one must promptly descend to a safe area; otherwise, it could lead to danger.
“Knowing when to give up is also a realm of mountaineering,” said Zhang Mingxing.