The world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, has long been a coveted conquest for mountaineers. In the past, only a handful managed to reach the summit, but now, as many as 234 people have scaled it in a single day.
Technological advancements have given rise to a massive Everest tourism industry, enabling numerous climbers to fulfill their “Everest dream.” As a result, the once remote and untouched Everest has become overcrowded, posing serious threats to the local ecology and the safety of climbers.
The Overcrowded Summit
May of this year marked the 50th anniversary of the first American ascent of Everest. To commemorate the occasion, Mark Jenkins, a writer for National Geographic, embarked on his own Everest climb, only to find the path to the world’s highest peak congested.
While resting at Camp III, located 1,692 meters below the summit, Jenkins witnessed a long line of people passing by his tent, forming an endless queue heading toward Everest. Upon reaching an altitude of over 8,200 meters, Jenkins and his Sherpa guide, Phurba Tashi, encountered severe congestion.
Due to the treacherous terrain, climbers had to ascend step by step while holding onto pre-installed ropes. Jenkins and Phurba Tashi found themselves unable to move, as they were tightly packed between a “chain” of climbers, all clutching the same rope and waiting their turn to ascend.
To ensure safety and speed, Jenkins and his team decided to abandon the congested “standard” route and, under Phurba Tashi’s guidance, forged an alternative path. They left the crowded main route and moved onto untouched expanses of ice, spreading out to ascend more safely. For experienced climbers, this was far safer than moving slowly in a crowded group.
Technology Enables Summit Success
Everest was once an unattainable peak. Sixty years ago, New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first to conquer the world’s highest peak. Fifty years ago, only six people successfully reached the summit in an entire year.
Technological progress has brought climbers closer to the world’s highest peak—last spring alone, over 500 people reached the summit. The application of advanced technology has also contributed to the increasing crowds. With more accurate and reliable weather forecasts, more climbers are choosing to attempt the summit during optimal conditions.
The Dangers of Tourism Boom
As climbing Everest is no longer the “exclusive domain” of professional mountaineers, a growing number of amateur enthusiasts are drawn to the challenge, fueling a booming Everest summit tourism industry. However, 90% of today’s Everest aspirants lack basic mountaineering skills. They are customers of commercial summit expedition agencies, paying anywhere from $30,000 to $120,000 to reach the world’s highest peak.
Among the many “tourist” climbers, a significant number do manage to reach the summit, but they often do so at great personal risk. During his climb, Jenkins personally witnessed the bodies of at least three deceased climbers.
Everest’s harsh environment and unpredictable weather are dangerous, but the primary cause of fatalities among climbers is often their own overconfidence.
Without adequate high-altitude training, climbers often struggle to accurately assess their endurance and find it difficult to turn back at critical moments to preserve their lives. An increasing number of climbers lose their lives due to inexperience while attempting to reach the summit.
Crowding is another factor threatening climbers’ lives. On May 19 of last year, the final push to the summit via the Southeast Ridge route—the “Hillary Step”—experienced severe congestion. This 12-meter-high, nearly vertical rock face sits at 8,790 meters above sea level. The bottleneck caused many climbers to be stuck there for over two hours, leading to significant heat loss. That day, 234 people successfully reached the summit, but four lost their lives.