Following a Summit-less 2015, This Year Will See Record Attempts to Reach the Peak of Everest · Global Voices
Mount Everest from base camp one. Image from Flickr by <PERSON> CC BY 2.0
Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, challenges adventurers and record seekers every year.
Each year, the determination to trek to the summit of Mt.Everest brings thousands of adventurous travelers to Khumbu pic.twitter.com/u299yDVJGB
— AmiPlanet (@AmiPlanet) January 9, 2016
In 2015, however, Everest remained invincible — no-one could summit the peak for the first time since 1974. The devastating earthquake that killed around 9,000 in Nepal didn’t even spare the highest mountain in the world and its aspiring summiteers.
In its wake, nobody could climb Everest during the seven- to ten-day window of opportunity that presents itself each May, as the quake took down the ladders and pathways that provided safe access. Attempting to climb the mountain at any other time is even more dangerous, as conditions at the top are very harsh, with temperatures of between -32 to -41 degrees centigrade and winds of more than 150 miles per hour.
For the first time in 41 years, nobody reached the summit of Mount Everest. 22 died. Via @SCMP_News @NatGeo pic.twitter.com/fcmkTdVnP4
— <PERSON> (@PatrickMcGee_) December 28, 2015
In spite of the harsh conditions and deaths happening every year during ascents, people never seem to get over the thrill associated with climbing Everest.
Historically, for every 100 climbers who have made it to the summit of mount everest, 4 have died
— <PERSON> (@BeingStupid1) December 30, 2015
Unfazed by earthquake and avalanche, this spring will once again see hordes of mountaineers, adventurers and daredevils rushing to the Everest region seeking to ascend to its peak.
Everest summiteer <PERSON>, in his blog Summits Don’t Matter, wished, for the good of the country, that it were different:
Yes hundreds will probably return next spring to attempt Everest. Some operators will shift to the north, quietly, or in some case loudly, saying it is safer. 849
People with nothing more than a Kilimanjaro summit will claim to have the proper experience – until something goes wrong. Guides will continue to save lives, doing what they do; and the Everest machine will continue even though it is clear it is time to let Nepal recover.
The business of Everest
Since Sir <PERSON> and <PERSON> (Sherpas are an ethnic community from the Himalayas) first made the climb to the top of Everest, 4,093 people have reached the peak an astounding 7,001 times.
Sir <PERSON> and <PERSON> become the the first people to reach summit of Mount Everest (May 1953) pic.twitter.com/NqoL3BRqLN
— Photos of Change (@photosofchange) December 25, 2015
<PERSON>'s son has been critical of “the charade that Everest has become”, catering to the heavy traffic of Western climbers at the expense of the upkeep and integrity of the mountain. Everest may have become a business, but it is one that is still attracting a lot of customers.
One of the worst avalanches in the mountain's history, in 2014, nearly resulted in a Sherpa boycott of their guide services at Everest, after the families of some of the Nepalese killed in the disaster were offered paltry compensation for their deaths. More died in April 2015 due to the avalanche triggered by the Nepal earthquake. Compared with the huge sums of money paid by climbers for the privilege of climbing Everest, Sherpas are paid nominally for their expertise — the lion's share of the money is divided between the tour companies and the Nepalese government.
What is it like to climb the world's tallest mountain?
For those who want to understand how difficult it is to conquer Everest, two-time Everest summiteer <PERSON> shared his moments of glory in pictures. The journey typically starts with landing at the Lukla airport — one of the most dangerous airstrips in the world — then trekking to the village of Namche Bazaar.
A bird’s eye-view of Namche Bazaar. Used with permission.
The hike from Namche Bazaar to the Everest Base Camp (EBC) is breathtaking — and often a once in a lifetime experience. The trek through the Everest region may be harsh, but it is also full of adventure.
A continuous 11-day trek from Lukla takes you to the EBC at around 5,400 metres. 849