Kathmandu: This year’s spring expedition season on Mt Sagarmatha, also known as Everest, has commenced as a seven-member Sherpa team from the ATK Expedition Company successfully opened the climbing route by fixing ropes on the peak on Friday.
According to National News Agency Nepal, a similar effort by five Sherpas from ATK Expedition Company saw the ropes fixed on the peaks of Mt Lhotse and Mt Ama Dablam the previous day. The Department of Tourism has confirmed that the climbing season is officially underway with the completion of the route to Everest’s summit. Director of the Department, Leeladhar Awasthi, noted that the initial phase is anticipated to have the highest number of climbers due to favorable weather conditions.
Mountaineer Lakpa Sherpa, Managing Director of ATK Expedition Company, highlighted that the peak climbing activity is expected between May 11 and 14, taking advantage of the favorable weather. This season, world record holder Kami Rita Sherpa aims to surpass his own record by completin
g his 31st ascent of Everest. Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa is on a mission to set a new world record by climbing Everest four times within 20 days. Additionally, Sanu Sherpa, another record holder, plans to break his own achievement by climbing mountains over 8,000 meters for the third time.
The climbers have been granted a 75-day permit for the Everest expedition by the Department of Tourism, with the climb typically lasting around 40 days. According to statistics from the Mountaineering Branch of the Department of Tourism, 421 individuals from 44 mountaineering groups have obtained permits for this season’s Everest climb.