Some expedition agencies are eyeing early summit push of Mount Everest amid concerns over a storm brewing off the coast of India.
At least two groups will be setting off for summit push on Friday night, a day after a team of rope fixing Sherpa left the base camp for South Col, according to base camp officials.
A team led by multiple record holder Kami Rita Sherpa are hoping to complete fixing ropes to the summit over the weekend. Their first attempt to fix rope earlier this month was obstructed due to bad weather.
“If everything goes as planned, the rope fixing team will reach the top of the mountain by tomorrow evening or next day,” said the officials adding, “Some groups are leaving base camp tonight to camp II before heading for summit push.”
The Indian meteorological department has issued an alert for possible cyclonic storms in some parts of India due to cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal.
For several weeks now, hundreds of climbers and their guides have been making the rounds between base camp and camp II in order to adapt to the thin air. Now, they would be making the summit push after the ropes are laid to the summit. The spring summit push usually lasts until the end of May.
Kami Rita, who has been leading the rope fixing team in recent years, will be looking to improve his world record with the 26th summit of the world’s tallest peak.
Under existing Everest rule Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee fixes the route up to Camp II. The task of fixing the rope to the summit from camp II falls on the Expedition Operators’ Association.
There has been a significant drop in numbers of Everest climbers for the ongoing 2022 climbing season, mainly due to war in Ukraine, Covid19 in China and global economic woes. A total 316 climbers have acquired permits to climb the peak until April 30, more than 25 percent less compared to last year, according to the Department of Tourism.
With a potential drop of nearly 100 climbers this year, Nepal stands to lose up to $1 million in royalties. It also means fewer jobs for mountain guides, support staff and local hotels and tea houses.
Some high profile climbers for this season include a Qatari princess AI Thani, an all-black team led by Philip Henderson, Antonina Samoilova, a lone Ukrainian climber, Vanessa Estol, a former Miss Uruguay and British climber Kenton Cool. The British climber is the non-Sherpa climber to summit Everest the highest number of times, 15 times.
Marc Batarad, also known as Sprinter for his climbing prowess, is looking to climb the world’s tallest peak via a new route.
