If Everest climbers top 300, as they did in the last pre-pandemic year, we may see another traffic jam of would-be summiters stuck waiting their turn for hours.
Who said quiet? So far, 222 non-Nepali climbers over 23 teams have obtained permits for Everest in this season. The Department of Tourism expects about 100 more. If so, that would put 2021 close to 2019, when 381 foreigners went to Everest. And judging from Nirmal Purja’s infamous crowd photo at the Hillary Step, almost all the 300+ were clustered around the summit at the same moment.
To avoid a similar melee this year will require some fast teams and more than one good weather window in May.
This week, the first teams arrived at Everest Base Camp, that colorful nylon town set on an austere glacier. Among those arriving are some hoping to become the first in their countries to summit, including Karina Arrué from El Salvador and Yandy Núñez from Cuba.
Simon Ferrier-May, enjoying a moment at a grand piano in Namche Bazaar, hopes to climb Everest without O2. Photo: Simon Ferrier-May
Meanwhile, Simon Ferrier-May of the UK has, like a few of his compatriots, somehow managed to avoid the travel restrictions in his country and joins the prestigious shortlist of those trying to summit Everest without supplementary oxygen. Ferrier-May checked in from Dingboche (4,400m) earlier today. Other no-O2 climbers are Csava Vargas of Hungary, Arjun Vajpai of India, and the pair Sanna Raistakka of Finland and Roeland van Oss from the Netherlands.
This year, a medical team has set up its Quonset-style tent headquarters at EBC for the first time. The ER volunteers, however, have at Base Camp for several seasons. Below, a video about their work from 2016.
Meanwhile, on Dhaulagiri and Annapurna
Both teams attempting the NW Ridge of Dhaulagiri have reached Base Camp. Carla Perez reported that she, Esteban Mena, and Cory Richards are ready to head up to Camp 1. Teams doing Dhaulagiri’s normal route are still elsewhere on acclimatization treks or at Annapurna, as part of Anna-Dhau double-headers.
Seven Summit Treks has shared a video of a windy rope-fixing day en route to Camp 3 on Annapurna.
On Annapurna, the fixed route to Camp 3 is complete. Seven Summit Treks is in charge of fixing the route up Annapurna this year, led by Chhang Dawa Sherpa, assisted by Lakpa Dendi Sherpa and Gesman Tamang.
Shibaz Khan and Abdul Joshi from Pakistan still seem to be climbing ahead of the rest. ExplorersWeb is trying to find out if they are helping the rope-fixers or climbing behind the Sherpa team.
