Everest season begins with fair weather window

The climbing for the season has begun with the suitable climate from Friday, ending the months of waiting at the Base Camp. Hundreds of Everest aspirants are reported walking and acclimatising at the base camp to materialize their dreams of reaching the top of the world.

According to the Ministry, around 670 individuals, including 315 foreigners are in a bid to climb Mt Everest.

Last spring, there were 560 individuals, including 335 foreigners, but only 181 made to the top.

Weathermen have forecast the “fair weather window” from May 18 to 25 for Everest ascent this spring expedition, according to senior mountaineering officials.

The 8,848-m Mount Everest, saw its first spring summit this year on May 10. “As weather was partly fair, eleven rope-fixing Sherpas reached the top at 11:30 am,” said Wongchu Sherpa, president of Everest Summiteers Association.

On May 11, Spanish national David Liano succeeded Everest with his companion high-altitude climbing Sherpa Samden Bhote despite high winds, Sherpa said.

As of Saturday, 113 individuals have scaled the Everest, according to Gyanendra Shrestha, an official of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. “Although there was sporadic climbing as of Friday, Everest will see a beeline of climbers to their way up to the mountain from Saturday onwards,” Shrestha said.

Everest witnessed a “traffic jam” due to small weather of window and bad weather had prevented rope-fixing work, last year.

In addition, Sherpa said there are two separate ropes fixed—one for climbing and another for descending—at the Hillary Step, a 40-ft wall of rock just below the Everest , which is the most difficult climbing section. “Last year, traffic jam occurred as there was only one rope or ladder at the Hillary Step,” Sherpa said.