Daily Times

KATHMANDU: Nearly 300 climbers are planning to conquer the world’s highest peak of Mount Qomolangma this spring season, after a halt of two consecutive years.

Altogether 279 climbers from 32 teams have received the climbing permits to date, according to Department of Tourism, the authoritative body to issue climbing permits. The number is likely to increase within the next two weeks as many climbers have been applying to the Department for the permits, leading to a high possibility of the revival of tourism in the quake-ravaged country.

“Among 279 climbers, 247 climbers have already left for the Qomolangma region and the others will be leaving shortly. We are expecting a total of 300 climbers this time,” Gyanendra Shrestha, an official at the Department of Tourism informed Xinhua on Friday. April to May is the major climbing season of the world’s highest peak and other peaks like Mount Lhotse, Annapurna, Makalu and Mount Nuptse in Nepal. This year, the spring expedition holds a special significance for the country’s tourism industry in the wake of the devastating earthquake last year, which killed nearly 9,000 people and left more than half a million homeless.

Qomolangma has not only been a major natural icon of the country but also a major source of revenue for its economy. The Himalayan country that charges 11,000 U.S. dollars per foreign climber earns nearly 3.5 million U.S. dollars from Qomolangma annually. This spring, most of the climbers are from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Belgium, Austria, the UAE and India. Twenty-nine climbers are on an expedition from China alone, including three females climbers.

Nepal’s southern neighbor India is also sending 61 individuals to Qomolangma this year including an all-girls team from the Indian Army National Cadet Corps. The latest development is being supported by the Nepalese government’s decision to extend the climbing permits of 103 different expeditions issued in 2015 by two more years. The decision has encouraged more national and international climbers to scale the 8848 meter peak.

Expeditions to Qomolangma were halted for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015 due to a massive avalanche and a 7.8 magnitude earthquake respectively. Sixteen Sherpa guides were killed on the mountain in the 2014 avalanche and 19 climbers lost their lives in an avalanche triggered by the deadly quake last year. These disasters forced 750 climbers to abandon their dreams of scaling the peak. Though “adventure tourism” is back with a bang in Nepal after a two-year hiatus, some expedition companies who were leading Qomolangma trips have opted to stay out of the commercial business this time after facing severe losses.

Temba Tsheri Sherpa, founder of Dreamers Destination Expedition Pvt. Ltd. told Xinhua, “I have put off all the expeditions for this spring. We have suffered a huge financial loss in the past two years, especially in 2015, due to which I don’t want to take any risks this season.” Dreamers Destination Expedition was leading more than two dozen clients on mountain expeditions including to Qomolangma last year.

Temba Tsheri Sherpa, who became the youngest Qomolangmaclimber at the age of 16 in 2001, said that he is waiting to evaluate the situation and may resume the business from next season. In the wake of the tragic disasters, Nepal, which is highly dependent upon adventure tourism is hopeful that the spring expeditions will be successful. “We are hopeful that the weather will support us this season. After the tragedies of the past two years, we are expecting this season to be successful,” Shrestha the official told Xinhua.

Weather conditions are the most decisive factor for the success or failure of the expeditions. Though minor wind-triggered avalanches were reported in the Khumbu region over the past few days, the weather is perfectly fine, according to the workers at a base camp located at an elevation of 5,364 meters.

Nima Gyalzen Sherpa, a climbing Sherpa who helps clients on expeditions, told Xinhua from a base camp over phone, “The weather seems fine these days. There are 400 to 500 workers at the base camp fixing tents and looking after the overall management. We are feeling positive right now.” Along with Sherpa workers and guides, climbers are stationed in the base camp a few weeks prior to their expeditions to acclimatize to the conditions and reduce the risk of altitude sickness.