Discussion held on new climbing route to Camp I of Everest

KATHMANDU: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey has said that there is a need to explore and study safer alternative routes for climbing Mt Everest.

Participants of a discussion held at the ministry on Friday concluded that the traditional route to Camp 1 via Khumbu Icefall has become extremely complex and dangerous for climbers, making it necessary to identify alternatives.

“Mount Everest is a symbol of our national pride. Every year, thousands of Nepali and foreign climbers attempt the summit. To protect their lives, we must find a safer, environmentally friendly, and long-term solution,” Pandey said in the meeting. He added that the new strategy should not only aim to reduce risks but also focus on making the entire climbing system more organized, disciplined and trustworthy.

During the meeting, renowned French mountaineer Marc Batard and Nepali climber Kaji Sherpa presented detailed information about their ongoing surveys and photographic documentation of alternative routes.

Batard and Sherpa have been working to identify a new route since 2018. One of the new routes explored by the duo avoids the treacherous Khumbu Icefall and goes via the Nuptse ridge before making an abseiling descent to reach Camp 1.