Everest: Summits Begin, Concern Over Crowd Control

Expeditions started bagging Everest yesterday, and a buzz has spread through camp.

Teams from International Mountain Guides, Rainier Mountaineering, and Peak Freaks reached the summit of the world's highest peak and now are headed down. Expeditions waiting in camp, excited about what could be a healthy weather window, call each other to track numbers up the mountain. They don't want a mass rush to the summit, which might cause a pile-up with fatal consequences.

The biggest concern on the mountain is coordinating the effort up. Nepal's tourism ministry granted 32 permits to climb Everest (and more for adjoining peaks that share Base Camp). On the south side, roughly 400 climbers are waiting for a crack at the peak, a 15 percent increase over last year. The jump  resulted when China closed the north side of the mountain. How the closure and resulting packed south side will affect climbing depends on the weather, expedition planning, and the mountain's temperament.

Can't wait? Follow expedition teams progress on the mountain on these blogs:

Alpine Ascents
International Mountain Guides
Rainier Moutaineering
Peak Freaks
Everest Team Inspi(red)

--Joe Spring

Comments

[military survival knives]

Thank God people are concerned about crowds summiting and are going to do something about it.