National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Packed Peak

More than 50 climbers scale Mount Everest on a single day this season, breaking many records

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

On the golden anniversary of the first Everest ascent by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary, 54 climbers set foot on the highest peak of the world on May 16, 2002. This was a record number of climbers scaling the peak of Everest on a single day. The Ministry for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation later put this figure beyond 70.

So, after 50 years and thousands of successful ascents, what makes Everest still attractive? "Because it is still there," to paraphrase the famous quote by George Mallory.

The 8848-meter-high (8850 meter, as fixed by the latest survey) Mount Everest has drawn the attention of humanity since tens of decades. Immediately after Nepal opened up to the outside world in the early 50s, expeditions to the roof of the world grew in volume and variety. It was after the first successful ascent by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary that the allure became more powerful.

Spring is the prime season for Everest expeditioners. This year, a record number of climbers ascended the peak. But that was not alone, in a continuing Everest tradition, a number of old records were broken and new ones set this time also.

Appa Sherpa, the 41-year-old Sherpa guide from Thame in Solukhumbu, became the first human being to scale the Everest for the 12th time. He broke his own and the late Babu Chhiri's record of 11 ascents. He was also the first person to scale the peak this spring season. He first scaled the Mount Everest in 1989 along with New Zealanders.

Upon returning to the capital, Appa Sherpa said he was planning to retire in deference to pressure from his family. "It is not that I climb Everest for setting records. It is my profession, I have to work to raise my family," said Sherpa.

The son of Edmund Hillary and the grandson of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, too, scaled the Everest this season to mark the golden anniversary of the first ascent on May 29, 1953. Tashi Wagchuk Tenzing and Peter Hillary dedicated their ascents to their grandfather and father respectively.

Likewise, Pemba Doma Sherpa, the first Nepalese woman to climb Everest from the northern (Tibetan) side, made the second successful ascent - this time from the southern side.

Similarly, American nationals Phil and Susan Ershler became the first married couple to scale the peak together this season. Japanese climber Tomiyasu Isikawa became the oldest person to tame Everest. He climbed the peak from northern side at the age of 66.

With this year's successful ascents, the total number of climbers who have scaled Everest from the Nepalese (southern) side has reached 1,054. Likewise, 180 persons have lost their lives in the attempt.

Although no exact figure is available, officials believe some 300 people have climbed the Everest from the Tibetan side. Therefore, the total number of human beings to have reached the roof of the world could be 1,350.

This year the world is observing the International Year of Mountains to promote the mountain region as well as to preserve and protect the mountain environment. An International Mountain Museum has been partially opened from this week in Pokhara. The museum aims to become a major tourist attraction by showcasing facts, figures, photographs and other paraphernalia of great mountaineers. The government has also set up the Sagarmatha Award, which was given to Appa Sherpa this year.