‘We Have Failed to Keep the Mountain Clean’: Kamirita Sherpa’s Suggestions for Everest Conservation

‘We Have Failed to Keep the Mountain Clean’: Kamirita Sherpa’s Suggestions for Everest Conservation

Friday marks International Everest Day, commemorating May 29, 1953, when Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary first reached the summit of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest. Following in the footsteps of these historic climbers, over 10,000 people have successfully ascended Everest, according to the tourism department.

This spring season, approximately 495 climbers from Nepal obtained permits to scale Everest, including 105 women. Kamirita Sherpa, 56, from Solukhumbu, who holds the record for the most ascents at 32 times, expresses serious concern over the increasing crowd and waste on the mountain.

While there are occasional calls to reduce the number of climbers or give Everest a temporary rest, Kamirita Sherpa suggests that instead of a full cessation, the number of climbing permits should be limited. He also advocates that all climbers must have prior experience ascending peaks higher than 7,000 meters before attempting Everest.