Overviews
The Nepal Government plans to allow only a limited number of mountaineering expeditions for the Mt. Everest Summit bid.
To limit the Everest Expedition members for the Mt. Everest Summit to a minimum. Spring is the best season for mountaineering expeditions, but the Everest base camp gets overcrowded. During the high time of spring, the base camp will be in full swing and flooded by groups of mountaineers, staff, and porters.
The Base Camp will be like a Scout Jamboree with many colorful tents of different nationalities expeditions to Mt. Everest. The most disastrous moment of the climb to the final summit bid is allowing too many climbers to choose on the same day. It causes a big traffic jam en route to the summit of Mt. Everest, which creates danger with the rise in death tolls due to the long queue amidst cold and extreme altitude. The climbers have to wait impatiently for their turn to step on top roof of the world.
The large number of expeditions at one time certainly creates worse situations for the climbers. As well as to the fragile environment, which leads to the mass destruction of the pristine natural surroundings. Besides the mass volume of trekkers and mountaineers visiting the base camp, it directly affects the landscapes.
The Himalayas are the prime sources of rivers that flow downstream, where all human beings and creatures depend upon the rivers for survival.
The invasion of mountaineers and trekkers will be the prime reason for damaging the environment and polluting the fresh river source, which all living beings need to survive.
Every country is facing dramatic climate change due to global warming created none other than by present modernizations. The change in weather has affected the Himalayas with rapid melting of ice and snow, and the glaciers are receding.
Mt. Everest straddles the borders between Nepal and Tibet, China, and due to climate change and global warming. Both sides of the country must come to a point, allowing only a few groups of mountaineers for the Everest Expeditions every good season of the year.
The norms and policy will be in effect as soon as the Nepal Government makes the final decisions. Around this upcoming season, or from next year soon, due to global warming and the greenhouse effect. The Himalayas and the whole world have been badly affected by too much emission from carbon.
The changes in climate and greenhouse have been created by the people in the name of modernization and for easy living and comfort for human beings.
Various workshops and seminars are held every year by world leaders and environmentalists. But so far, there is no sign of seriousness in working together to make this world free from pollution.
By making this world into a better place, the Himalayas and the natural surroundings around the world are facing drastic changes in climates, due to extreme pollution. It is time for all the world to come together to save the beautiful planet Earth.
The Himalayas, and the world’s highest Mt. Everest where ice, snow, and glaciers are receding at an alarming pace. Mt. Everest and the Base Camp draw more than thousands of trekkers and mountaineers in the best seasons of the year.
The impact made by the movements of the visitors has directly created enormous damage to the fragile environment.
The Nepal Government and the Mountaineering Association are trying their best to reduce the impact on Mt. Everest. The damage
has been made by large numbers of climbers. But the decision and the law have not come into strict practice. Even the Nepal Supreme Court has ordered the Government and related departments to limit the number of climbers.
So far, due to certain norms and policies of the Tourism Department have made a few changes. Safety measures for mountaineers, guides, and high altitude porters, like carrying an electronic rescue chip.
Which will be intact on the climber’s jackets. Which is just to improve safe climbing and provide rescue operations in case of emergencies.
Controlling the mass flow of climbers is truly a big issue and critical issue with the mass influx of mountaineers. Who has booked for the climb well in advance, at least a minimum from 2 to 4 years ahead?
Controlling the flow of Climbers the Areas should be Left Clean
The Everest Base Camp has become one of the most chaotic places on earth. It might take more than decades to bring back to its pristine natural forms, as it were, for thousands of years. The mass flow of mountaineers and trekkers tramples the fragile surroundings of ice, snow, and glaciers.
The Nepal Government must make a fast decision, with a law allowing only a limited number of expeditions each season.
The number of mountaineers for Everest and other peaks is increasing every season of the year. 2019 was the most disastrous, with a massive traffic jam en route to the summit of Mt. Everest, which resulted in nine deaths. The concerned Government Department has been discussing limiting the number of mountaineers for the Everest Expeditions.
The Government officials formed a high-level board with a plan and intention to limit the flow of Everest Expeditions.
The most important subject of limiting the climber was not addressed nor discussed during the board meeting. However, the real issue was changed to technical and logistic support required by the expeditions. As well as allowing only 150 climbers in a day, which is too many.
Last year 2023, about 478 permits were issued for Everest, where 287 people made it to the summit. For 2024, in spring, the Department of Tourism has issued over 400 permits. It included more than 30 other mountains across the Nepal Himalayas.
The Supreme Court has expressed deep concerns about the rapid impact of climate changes in Nepal and the Himalayan regions.
The Nepal Army has been engaged in the cleaning campaign and has come up with a separate unit. For the garbage cleaning around the Everest base camp and further high camps en route to the summit. Including other Himalayan regions of Nepal from Far East to West. Efforts have been made to collect the garbage from the Everest Base Camp. A special task force and an organization called SPCC (Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee) take care of the garbage.
The strict enforcement of mountaineers with garbage management has not been very effective. It is due to negligible checking and monitoring at the base camp and higher up towards the last camp before the summit.
Alternative Base Camp Required for the Climb of Mt Everest
In the early days, the British Expeditions led by Col. John Hunt with two fellow climbers, Tenzing and Hillary. The base camp was at Gorakshep, it is about 6 km, or 3.5 miles, from the existing base camp.
In those days, the glaciers were spread all around Gorakshep, located beneath Mt. Pumori and the famous viewpoint Kalapathar. A rocky ridge at 5,643 m /18,514 feet high offers a close vista of Mt. Everest. Gorakshep, at 5,180 m / 16,995 feet high, was the base camp for the expeditions for the Mt. Everest climb.
As the Khumbu glacier snows receded, leaving behind a wide sandy field. After decades, Gorakshep was established as a small settlement with several lodges built to cater to the trekkers and mountaineers for overnight stops.
The old Everest Base Camp from Gorakshep then shifted towards the eastern end of Khumbu Valley. At an altitude of 5,364 m high, beneath the massive Khumbu Ice Fall, amidst remorseless fields of moraine, ice, and glaciers.
The change of Everest Base Camp to its present location around the 1970. Since then, thousands of trekkers and mountaineers visited the present Everest base camp at the best time of the year.
Due to the mass flow of movement of trekkers, mountaineers, camping staff, porters, and pack animals. The base camp and its pristine surroundings are getting worse every year with the rapid melting of ice and snow.
A tremendous impact has taken place by too many visitors to the Everest base camp. As well as with hundreds of mountaineers camping in these fragile surroundings. The scenario of the pristine base camp has disappeared, on the verge of extinction.
The Nepal Government has projected to move and change the present Everest base camp. Lower towards 200 to 400 m to keep distance from the profound and fragile Khumbu Ice Fall and its Glacier.
The prime reason is to mitigate the risks of the rapid melting of glaciers due to increasing temperatures from various effects. Movement of the mountaineers and visitors, as well as of global warming, as the glaciers are declining.
Nepal’s Tourism ministry announced plans to change the Everest base camp. But it has not come into effect so far, and let’s hope it does happen soon. The present Everest Base Camp is in danger with the fast melting of ice and snow. If the government does not take immediate action by limiting the number of climbers and visitors. Everest Base Camp will turn similar to Gorakshep, with a wide sandy field, as it was the original base camp.
Alternative Seasons to Control the Mass flow of Climbers
One of the best solutions is for Everest base camp and Mt. Everest Climbs. Allowing only a few groups of mountaineering expeditions during the peak season of spring, from March to May. The Government
should encourage the climbers during other seasons of the year also. Like in the autumn times of September to November, as well as in winter times also. When ice and snow get hard from the cold temperatures, make the climb more accessible and safe. The only problem during autumn and wintertime is that it gets dark soon. But it does not make much difference, as the climbing starts early morning before the break of dawn.
Nevertheless, Mt. Everest and the Himalayas always remain cold during all seasons. The other important factor is snowfall, which used to occur during the winter, has changed to other seasons.
Like in the early or late spring and probably during the mid-autumn time, since the last few decades. Due to global warming, the climate has been affected drastically, snowing during other seasons than it should happen in winter.
Few mountaineering expeditions have succeeded in the climb to Mt. Everest Summit. The first winter expeditions were by the Polish, who climbed successfully on February 17th, 1980.
The other winter expeditions were by the Japanese in 1982 and the Korean Expeditions in 1987 and 1996. The cost of climbing royalty is also less during autumn and winter times. Make a welcome sign for the mountaineers, and it is also safe in winter with fewer chances of avalanches. It also controls the mass flow of mountaineers, then during the high times of spring.
Conclusion
The climb to Mt. Everest at present has been like adventure sports. Some mountaineers like to make a record in the most different and unique ways, from the youngest to the oldest climbers. As well as with the speed climbing to the summit and back to base camp in record time.
The other record that mountaineers like to achieve is climbing the world’s 14 highest peaks. As well as climbing several times to gain the highest record, and so on. Even the disabled climbers have reached the summit of Mt. Everest. It proves that Mt. Everest is a premier adrenaline playground for adventurous and veteran climbers.
The Himalayas are regarded, as the abode of God and Goddess and as well as of the mountain spirits. For the Hindus and Buddhist followers, it is time for all the mountaineers to respect and not take it for granted.
The native Sherpa and Nepali always pay respect when they reach the summit. As well holds the prayer ceremony before starting the climb at Everest Base Camp. Mt. Everest and other peaks around the Nepal Himalayas are one of the major economies of the country. As, well as for the Nepali guides, porters, and camping staff, along with the country’s economic value.
The government and concerned department guides, staff, and mountaineers should realize the damage that can create to the environment. By the mass flow of trekkers and mountaineers that visit the Everest base camp.
