Summiteers per climbable altitude m: Blanc 9.09 - Everest .05!
Apr 20, 2004 11: 35 EST
It has been suggested that Everest is becoming too crowded and that climbing should be restricted. If Everest is too crowded then our other favorite mountains are even worse. So, why don't we close them all?!
Before we let emotions get in our way, let’s check some facts. Because as it turns out, Everest sees relatively few climbers when compared to other popular mountains.
To date there have been less than 2000 ascents of Everest. Each year there are less than 200 successful summits, with that number increasing by about 20 every season.
That means for 2004 about 190 people may reach the summit, including native Sherpas who will account for about half that number.
Check the stats below:
Everest, 8,848m.
1999 – 120 summits (62 Sherpas) 58 non-native climbers
2000 – 144 summits (65 Sherpas) 79 non-native climbers
2001 – 181 summits (78 Sherpas) 103 non-native climbers
2002 – 159 summits (72 Sherpas) 87 non-native climbers
2003 – 260 summits (139 Sherpas) 121 non-native climbers (Jubilee Year)
To compare;
Mount McKinley, 6194m.
2000 – 633 summits
2001 – 772 summits
2002 – 645 summits
2003 – 688 summits
Mount Blanc, 4807m
...”gets about 200 summits a day during peak season!” said Kathy Murphy, a top mountain guide at Blanc, in a phone call with ExplorersWeb. That could easily mean over 20,000 summits a year! “There is a gondola that takes climbers to about 2400m; Camp 1 is in the Goutier hut at 3800m.” Because of the fast jump from the gondola some climbers forget about the effects of altitude; it is not uncommon to see climbers fainting, throwing up, or injuring themselves because of this. Blanc does not have a permit system and the average climb takes 2 days.
So how does all this add up? Here goes:
Everest: .05 Summiteers per climbable altitude m.
Denali: .17 Summiteers per climbable altitude m.
Blanc: 9.09 Summiteers per climbable altitude m.
Edmund Hillary said last year; "I have suggested to the Nepal government that they should stop giving permission and give the mountain a rest for a few years." Other climbers have suggested limiting the number of expeditions too; "Everest has become too crowded. It needs a rest now," said Junko Tabei. "Only two or three teams should be allowed in a season to climb Everest." Reinhold Messner has also pleaded for the government to allow only one expedition per route each season.
But the Sherpas who earn their living from Everest expeditions oppose any reduction in climbing permits. "There are thousands of people in the region who solely depend on the trekkers and mountaineers for their income. If they don't come, these people and their families will starve," said Ang Phurba, a Sherpa guide.
If those mountaineering legends are bent on closing Everest because they feel it is ‘too crowded’ then they also should push for closing every other mountain that receives a higher ratio, which means almost every popular peak. Closing Everest to climbers would be a tragedy to aspiring mountaineers and Sherpas. On the other hand, it would ensure that "legendary climbers" remain unique and everlasting in the minds of millions. A surprisingly selfish legacy to leave behind to the new generations!
Image of graph depicting a comparison of each mountain’s summiteers per climbable meter from ExWeb files. The yellow area is for Blanc, the orange area is for Denali and the almost invisible sliver of red is for Everest.
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