Kathmandu, 20 March: Skilled mountaineers have been deployed to pave the way to the summit and fix the ropes for the Everest expedition. The Mountaineering Association of Nepal has deployed an eight-member climbing team to pave the way for the Everest expedition. The team, led by experienced ‘guide’ Ashok Lama, will pave the way for the Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam mountaineering expeditions this ‘season’.
The association has given its management responsibility to the Etke Expedition Company. Under the leadership of Ashok Lama, Karmagyaljen Sherpa, Pemnurbu Sherpa, Mingdawa Sherpa, Tashi Sherpa, Pasarinji Sherpa, Pastanjen Sherpa and Tashinerbu Sherpa are participating in the work of opening the route to Everest through the same company.
The association has handed over the necessary materials and equipment to the team for the construction of the Everest route. Association General Secretary Rishiram Bhandari said that skilled climbers have gone there to build the route for the spring season’s Everest expedition. “Skilled Sherpa climbers have left for Everest with equipment to build the route and install ropes on Everest and Lhotse,” he said. “With this, the activity of Everest climbing has increased. Most of the employees of the companies that manage large expeditions are deployed in the base camp for management work.”
Lakpa Sherpa, Managing Director of Etke Company, informed that the ropes, climbing equipment, and technical devices have been handed over to the team building the route to the peak of Mount Everest. He expressed confidence that the company will work with all its capabilities to make the Everest climb safe and organized. “A team of skilled professional climbers has been deployed to build the route to Mount Everest and other mountains,” he said. “I am leading the entire team. I will lead the entire team, including the climbing plan, weather information, and other administrative work. The ropes will be hung on time, depending on the weather conditions.” Managing Director Sherpa said that more than 600 climbers are expected to climb Mount Everest as the weather is expected to be favorable this time.
In accordance with the agreement with the Department of Tourism, the Mountaineering Operators Association has been deputing skilled Sherpas to open the route to Everest by selecting a company through a tender for the work of ‘rope fixing’ every year. Such a team will build the route from the second camp of Everest to the peak and fix the ropes. For 2025, Etke Expedition Company has been given the responsibility.
In 2024, Seven Summit Trek was tasked with building a route from Camp II to the summit. In 2023, Imagine Nepal Trek and Expedition Company did rope fixing on Everest. The Everest Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has been deploying ‘Icefall Doctors’ to build a route from the base camp of Everest to Camp II. The SPCC has said that a team of 10 people has been deployed for this season. Both teams will build a safe route for Everest climbers. A skilled climber who builds a route on the Khumbu Icefall is called an ‘Icefall Doctor’.
With the arrival of spring, the necessary preparations for the Everest expedition have begun. Chairman Lama Kaji Sherpa said that the construction and maintenance of the road in the Khumbu Icefall area has been underway under the management of SPCC. According to him, since spring is the most favorable time for mountaineering, an experienced ‘Icefall Doctor’ team has been deployed from Namche to the base camp with the necessary equipment and materials. The team includes eight experienced ‘Icefall Doctors’ including the base camp manager Tshering Tenzing Sherpa. Two separate teams have been formed, led by Angsarki Sherpa and Dawazhangbu Sherpa. The team includes Dabanuru Sherpa, Nimtenji Sherpa, Mingmagyaljen Sherpa, Dawachhiri Sherpa, Lakpasona Sherpa and Tendu Sherpa.
The Khumbu Icefall region is the most dangerous area, where there is a risk of huge ice blocks, avalanches, and avalanches. The team has to build a route to Everest’s second base camp, which involves rigging ropes, placing ladders in dangerous places, and stabilizing unstable snow and ice structures.
It is estimated that it will take about 20 days to build the road to the second base camp. According to the Department of Tourism, 414 people, including 75 women and 339 men from 41 groups, had obtained permits to climb Everest in the spring of 2024. Tourism professionals expect that this year will also be a suitable season for climbing and a significant number of climbers will come.
The climbing activity increased
According to the Department of Tourism, climbers are contacting the department in droves to climb mountains including Everest in the spring. The department is busy with issues such as deputing liaison officers, managing liaison offices at the Everest base camp, etc. As the Everest climbing season is about to begin, businessmen are very excited. The expedition companies that send the most climbers to Everest are preparing to make the climb safe and organized, anticipating an increase in the number of climbers this season, the department has said.
Seven Summit Treks Pvt. Ltd. Chairman Mingma Sherpa said that climbers are coming in droves to climb Mount Everest and other mountains. He mentioned that the highest number of climbers are expected to come to climb Mount Everest this season. “We mountaineering professionals are very excited because there are indications that the highest number of climbers will come to climb Mount Everest this season. Bookings have been made accordingly,” he said.
This time, more than 100 climbers are going to climb Everest through the Seven Summit Company. Last year, around 70 climbers went to climb Everest through the same company. Seven Summit is a company that sends a lot of climbers to Everest. Companies like Satori, Eights Kay Expeditions Pvt. Ltd., Pioneer Adventures, Himalayan Guide Treks, Imagine Nepal Trek &, Tag Nepal, etc. are among the companies that send a large number of climbers to Everest.
Satori Adventures Pvt. Ltd. Managing Director Rishiram Bhandari said that the excitement has begun for climbing Mount Everest. “With the deployment of skilled Sherpa climbers and icefall doctors to build a path to the peak of Mount Everest, the excitement of climbing has begun,” he said. “Now, climbers are leaving for their destinations in droves after completing the climbing permit and other procedures. Expedition companies have intensified preparations for climbing management.” Bhandari expressed confidence that the spring climbing season will be exciting this time. According to him, there are generally four windows for the ‘West Summit Window’, the suitable weather for climbing Mount Everest. It falls in the month of May. (Low wind speed and low snowfall) is called the window.
