KATHMANDU, May 29: Mount Everest marks 73 years since its first successful ascent. Since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first reached the summit on May 29, 1953, more than 9,000 climbers have stood atop the world’s highest peak. However, the journey has also claimed more than 350 lives.
Today, concerns over overcrowding, increasing waste, and the visible impacts of climate change — from melting snow to increasingly unpredictable weather — have intensified debate around Everest expeditions. While some argue that climbing Everest should be halted altogether, many veteran mountaineers insist the solution lies not in closure, but in stronger management.
“Everest is not something we can lock away in a drawer,” says Purnima Shrestha, who summited the mountain for the sixth time this year. “The mountain itself is not the problem. The real issue is how we have managed climbing activities. That is what needs to be fixed.”
Climbers say the effects of climate change are now impossible to ignore. In the Khumbu Icefall, melting ice has turned sections into flowing streams that are increasingly difficult to cross. Areas around Everest Base Camp, which once required climbers to cut ice for drinking water, have now become muddy pools due to rapid snowmelt. Significant melting has also been reported around Camps II and III.
Unpredictable weather patterns have become another growing concern. Mountaineers say sudden storms and unstable conditions in the high Himalayas have made expeditions more dangerous in recent years. They also believe the narrow “weather windows” for summit attempts are becoming increasingly unreliable.
“I had planned to summit on May 26 this year and had already reached around 8,500 meters,” says Mingma David Sherpa, climber and member of Nepal’s House of Representatives from the Rastriya Swatantra Party. “However, a sudden change in weather forced me to turn back and attempt again the following day.”
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“The traditional seasonal cycles have changed. Snowfall, storms, and rain patterns are no longer predictable, and that naturally affects climbing,” he adds.
Referring to recent extreme weather events — including floods in Dubai and Kathmandu — Sherpa says Everest and the high Himalayas are also experiencing the effects of global climate change.
“This is not just Everest’s problem. It is happening everywhere, and the global community must address it together,” he says.
Kami Rita Sherpa, 56, who set another world record this year with his 32nd Everest ascent, believes Nepal should significantly reduce the number of climbing permits issued each season. This spring alone, the government issued permits for 495 climbers. On May 27, a record 274 climbers reached the summit in a single day. “Not everyone should be allowed to climb Everest,” he says. “The number of permits issued this year could easily be cut in half. When permits are issued too freely, the risks also increase.”
Climbers say Nepal already has a rule requiring Everest aspirants to first climb a peak above 7,000 meters, but enforcement remains weak.
Shrestha believes climbers must approach Everest with greater respect. “People should attempt Everest only when they are physically, mentally, and technically fully prepared. That alone can reduce many risks,” she says.
Kami Rita argues that Everest expeditions should even be suspended for two years, if necessary, to clean up accumulated waste from the past seven decades. He says the government must take the lead in such an effort.
However, lawmaker Mingma David Sherpa says shutting down Everest climbing is neither realistic nor practical. He points to employment opportunities, government revenue, and global fascination with the world’s highest peak. Nepal has recently increased the Everest climbing royalty fee to $15,000 per climber. “We need stricter policies to ensure climbing teams act responsibly and do not leave garbage behind,” he says.
Sherpa also argues that sensationalized coverage of Everest often distorts reality and damages Nepal’s image. “Many international stories about Nepal are linked to Everest. That level of attention is understandable, but reporting should be based on facts and firsthand observation, not exaggeration,” he says.
Lhakpa Futi Sherpa, an Everest climber and executive director of the Nepal Mountain Academy, agrees. “Stories about poisoned food, fake rescues, or extreme garbage may sell headlines, but they do not always reflect reality,” she says. “Yes, there are clear rules for climbing, and those rules must be enforced.”
Climbing Everest has never been easy. It remains a journey defined by danger, endurance, and immense physical and mental challenge. Climbers say it demands courage, confidence, technical skill, and discipline.
After returning from the first successful ascent of Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary famously said: “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
Shrestha says she disagrees with the growing perception that anyone with enough money can climb Everest. “Yes, many records have been set on Everest in recent years. Blind climbers and people with disabilities have also reached the summit. But what matters most is their courage. Their achievements deserve respect and celebration,” she says.
Shrestha herself entered the Guinness World Records in 2024 after summiting Everest three times within 13 days.
Asked what Everest might say if the mountain could speak, she smiles and replies: “Come prepared. Don’t come casually. I am melting, and all of you must work together to protect me.”
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