60 years after first ascent, Everest littered with oxygen bottles and human waste.
Hong Kong’s Wen Wei Po reports that May 29 marks the 60th anniversary of the first successful ascent of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest. However, the increasing number of climbers has led to overcrowding, with 50 tons of trash left behind each year, posing a significant threat to the fragile ecosystem of the “roof of the world.”
At an altitude of 8,848 meters, Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Nepalese guide Tenzing Norgay, leading a British expedition, successfully reached the summit from the southern route in Nepal in 1953. According to official data, over 4,400 people have successfully summited in the 60 years since then, including 540 in this climbing season alone—among them a double amputee woman and a woman from Saudi Arabia.
Nepal held a four-day “Everest Diamond Jubilee” celebration, which culminated yesterday with the families of Hillary and Norgay joining prominent mountaineers at a ceremony in Kathmandu’s former royal palace. Queen Elizabeth II also attended a Diamond Jubilee event hosted by the Royal Geographical Society in London.
Large crowds in Kathmandu sang and danced to commemorate the historic feat. Karim Lal, vice president of the Himalaya Foundation, said, “Sixty years ago, the first ascent of Everest opened a new era in mountaineering. Climbing Everest not only boosted Nepal’s tourism but also inspired a spirit of bold exploration.”
With increasingly advanced climbing gear, the number of global summiteers has risen sharply, with success rates increasing from 18% in 1990 to 56% last year. Tourists can pay between $10,000 and $100,000 to summit with a guide. Inexperienced climbers using fixed ropes have caused bottlenecks, with some waiting up to two and a half hours to pass.
A climber from London lamented that Everest has become commercialized. Experienced mountaineer Hoyland remarked that the summit experience felt like visiting a fast-food chain. Although some have suggested limiting the number of summiteers, there are concerns it could hurt the local tourism industry.
Used oxygen bottles, climbing equipment, tents, and even human waste left by climbers have become major pollutants threatening Everest’s environment. A group of volunteers launched the “Save Everest” environmental protection initiative, setting up 15 waste disposal facilities in local villages and clearing 10 tons of trash over the past three years. The volunteers are working with the Nepalese government to require climbers to bring all their gear back down or face a £2,500 fine.
Chinese first summited in 1960
The summit of Everest also bears the footprints of many Chinese. In 1960, a Chinese mountaineering team reached the “roof of the world” via the northern slope for the first time after two months of climbing. In 1988, a joint team of 12 climbers from China, Japan, and Nepal summited simultaneously, opening new channels for international exchange. In the 21st century, rising incomes among Chinese citizens have attracted many amateur enthusiasts to climb Everest, spurring rapid development in domestic mountaineering.