Everest: The crowded crown

Seventy-three years after the legendary first ascent by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, Everest faces a problem of plenty.

It was in 1852 that Radhanath Sikdar, the brilliant chief computer of the Survey of India, calculated that Peak XV, situated between Nepal and Tibet, was the highest mountain in the world. The peak was later named Mount Everest after Sir George Everest, the then Surveyor General of India.

It took another 69 years before the first reconnaissance expedition was launched towards this icy giant in 1921. More than three decades later, in 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary finally stood atop the world’s highest peak, creating one of the greatest moments in mountaineering history.

From that historic ascent till 1965, only nineteen climbers from three expeditions had successfully climbed Everest, including nine Indians in the landmark expedition of 1965.

The mountain, however, has changed dramatically over the decades.

Till the closing years of the 20th century, Nepal generally allowed only one expedition through a route during a season, while climbing from Tibet remained difficult because of restricted permissions.

Everest was still a dream reserved for highly trained mountaineers.

But the beginning of the twenty-first century transformed the mountain altogether.

Commercial expedition operators and guided climbs opened Everest to a much wider community. Fixed ropes now secure most difficult sections of the route. Camps are pre-established with logistics, oxygen cylinders and communication systems already in place. Modern ultralight climbing equipment and increasingly accurate weather forecasting further reduced uncertainties.

As a result, Everest became accessible not only to elite climbers but also to ambitious amateurs from across the globe.

For many, standing atop the world’s highest point became a symbol of fame, social recognition and personal achievement. In several cases, successful ascents brought sponsorships and publicity. Consequently, many climbers lacking adequate high-altitude experience and physical conditioning began attempting Everest.

At the same time, Nepal’s economy grew increasingly dependent on tourism, particularly Himalayan expeditions and trekking. Expedition permits, logistics, accommodation and trekking services generate enormous revenue for the country.

This year alone, Nepal issued more than one thousand permits for Everest. A record 1,008 climbers are believed to have reached the summit this season, including 274 on a single day, May 20. Ninety-five Indian climbers received permits this year, with many successfully summiting.

But the season also witnessed tragedy. Two climbers died during descent because of extreme exhaustion.

The route to Everest’s summit, especially above the South Col camp in the “death zone”, is exceptionally narrow. Oxygen levels there are dangerously low, and climbers move along fixed ropes, often only in single file.

The result is traffic congestion at extreme altitude.

Photographs emerging from Everest in recent years often resemble queues outside crowded urban transport hubs rather than scenes from the world’s highest mountain. Climbers are sometimes forced to wait for hours in freezing temperatures while precious bottled oxygen slowly drains away.

The danger becomes even greater during descent, when exhaustion has already weakened the body.

Long delays in the death zone increase the risks of hypoxia, frostbite, collapse and death. The massive human presence also threatens the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, leaving behind waste, discarded oxygen cylinders and environmental damage on the mountain slopes.

The problem worsens because the weather window for summit attempts is usually very short. Every year, meteorological agencies predict only a few suitable days when winds become manageable for summit pushes. Naturally, all expeditions rush to take advantage of the same limited opportunity, leading to dangerous overcrowding.

Colonel Rajneesh Joshi, Principal of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling and an Everest summiteer himself, explains the reasons behind the growing traffic crisis on Everest.

According to him, overcrowding during the short summit weather window creates long queues near crucial sections like the Hillary Step and the summit ridge. Too many climbers attempting the summit simultaneously significantly increases waiting time in the death zone. Inexperienced climbers often move slowly on fixed ropes, creating bottlenecks.

He also points to commercial pressure on expedition operators, many of whom push large groups toward the summit to maximise business success. Since many technical sections permit only single-file movement, even minor delays due to exhaustion, frostbite, or oxygen problems can trigger massive congestion.

The risks, he warns, are severe.

Climbers remain stranded for prolonged periods above 8,000 metres with rapidly depleting oxygen supplies and energy reserves. The congestion substantially increases exposure to hypoxia, frostbite and fatal altitude-related complications.

Experts believe the situation now demands urgent intervention.

Authorities and the international climbing community must introduce stricter regulations on permit numbers and summit scheduling. Prior high-altitude mountaineering experience should become mandatory for Everest aspirants. Expedition companies must be held accountable.

Malay Mukherjee, who summited Everest in 2015, advises early starts to avoid congestion.

Better coordination between teams, staggered summit attempts, efficient rope management and stronger rescue systems are equally necessary.

Above all, Everest needs a return to ethical mountaineering values.

The mountain was once approached with humility, preparation and reverence. Today, commercial ambition often overshadows caution and respect for nature.

(The writer is a veteran mountaineer and adventurer. He participated in the Indian Army’s first expedition to Mt. Everest in 1985.)