South Asia
Nepal: Everest season kicks off with summit success
Kathmandu, May 14: The 2019 Everest climbing season officially began on Tuesday with eight high-altitude Nepali climbing guides making it to the peak.
They have prepared the path to 8,848-metre peak for hundreds of climbers.
Gyanendra Shrestha, a government official, told the Kathmandu Post from the Everest base camp that eight members of rope fixing team reached the top of Mt Everest at 1:45pm.
Led by Siddhi Bahadur Tamang, Pasdawa Sherpa, Dorji Gyalgen Sherpa, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, Dawa Nurbu Sherpa, Ming Dorje Sherpa, Aang Phurba Sherpa and Sangbu Bhote Lama, became the first Everest summiteers of this season, Shrestha said.
This season, the Department of Tourism has issued Everest climbing permits a record 378 fee-paying climbers.
“Around 20 climbers have lined up to head for the summit on Wednesday,” Shrestha said.
