According to Reuters, Mount Everest on the Nepal side set a new record for single-day summits on May 20, with 274 climbers successfully reaching the peak. This marks the highest number ever recorded on the same day via the southern route.
Rishi Bhandari, secretary of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said the figure surpasses the previous record of 223 climbers set on May 22, 2019. He noted that the final total may still rise, as some climbers have not yet reported back from base camp to complete their records.
Mount Everest stands at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) and straddles Nepal and China’s Tibet region, with standard climbing routes on both the southern and northern sides. However, this year’s situation is unusual: Bhandari said China did not issue permits for the north side, effectively closing that route for the season and concentrating all climbing activity on the Nepal side.
Reuters also cited industry sources noting that during a normal climbing season (April to May), around 100 climbers typically attempt the summit from the north side. This year’s absence of that flow has significantly increased pressure on the southern route.
Summit figures still unverified amid congestion and risk concerns
Himal Gautam, an official at Nepal’s tourism department, said preliminary information suggests more than 250 climbers may have summited that day, but final figures must wait until climbers return and submit photos and other proof before summit certificates are issued.
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“We wait for climbers to return, give us photographs and other evidence to prove their ascents and provide them with climbing certificates,” Gautam told Reuters.
Nepal has issued 494 climbing permits this year, each costing around $15,000. With increasing traffic, congestion in the so-called “death zone” near the summit has again become a concern. Oxygen levels in this area are extremely low, and queueing to reach the top can significantly increase risk.
Climbing experts have long criticized Nepal for not sufficiently limiting the number of climbers, warning that high traffic density can create dangerous bottlenecks. Nepalese authorities have acknowledged the rising risks and have attempted to mitigate pressure by raising fees and tightening regulation.
Commercialisation and extreme achievements behind rising records
The Associated Press reported that climbers took advantage of a rare weather window on Wednesday to make a concentrated push for the summit, driving the record-breaking daily total. This figure is also recognised as a single-day record for Nepal’s southern route.
At the same time, several individual records were set this season. Sherpa guide Kami Rita Sherpa reached the summit for the 32nd time, extending his own world record. Pasang Dawa Sherpa completed his 30th ascent this week, while Lakpa Sherpa set a women’s record with her 11th summit.
Due to avalanche risks, this year’s climbing window opened later than usual. By the end of the month, around 494 climbers and an equal number of Sherpa guides are expected to attempt the summit.
Expedition operator Lukas Furtenbach argued that high traffic does not necessarily mean uncontrolled risk. He said congestion can be managed with sufficient oxygen supply and logistics, comparing it to busy Alpine peaks and noting that 274 climbers in a single day is “not extreme” for a mountain of Everest’s scale.
Since its first ascent on May 29, 1953, by New Zealand climber Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay, Mount Everest has become one of the world’s most iconic high-altitude climbing objectives.
Reuters contributed to this report.
