Everest Sets 274-Climber Summit Record as Nepal Issues 494 Permits at $15,000 Each
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 21
Everest Sets 274-Climber Summit Record as Nepal Issues 494 Permits at $15,000 Each
8 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 21
274 climbers reached Everest’s summit from the Nepal side in a single day this week, breaking Nepal’s previous record of 223 set in 2019; officials said the final tally could still rise.
494 permits have already been issued for this season, each priced at $15,000, concentrating traffic on Nepal’s route after China reportedly did not open the Tibetan side.
Long queues near the top have renewed warnings that overcrowding can create deadly bottlenecks in Everest’s oxygen-starved “death zone,” a criticism mountaineering experts have leveled at Nepal for years.
Nepal has tightened rules and raised fees in response, but some expedition leaders argue crowding is manageable if teams carry enough oxygen.
With record crowds and new rules, is Everest's 'death zone' now more dangerous than ever?
Are Everest's record-breaking Sherpas becoming the biggest victims of its commercial success?
Has the commercial rush to the summit destroyed the very spirit of climbing Mount Everest?