This climbing season may close early

By A Staff Reporter Kathmandu, May 21: This year’s spring mountaineering season may end early due to a large number of climbers reaching the peaks of various mountains early. According to the Department of Tourism (DoT), fair weather allowed many climbers to summit the mountains rather quickly and if this pace is maintained, everyone will have reached the top by next week.

As of May 17, a total of 968 people from 74 countries had received permission to scale 27 different mountains. Of them, around 500 have reached the top, according to Bhisma Raj Bhattarai, section officer at the Mountaineering Division of the DoT. 

“This is more than the number of people who had reached the top this last year,” he said, stating that this could lead to an early end to the climbing season. Nepal has collected more than Rs. 480 million in royalties from the climbers thus far.

Meanwhile, Omnika Dangol, senior flight attendant of Himalaya Airlines has completed her ascent of Mount Everest. As per a release issued by the airlines on Friday, Dangol summited the 8848.86-meter peak at 7.30 am on Monday. She returned to Kathmandu on Friday.

Dangol and Himalayan Airlines said that the summit was intended to promote tourism. Dangol had previously climbed Mera, Island and Lobuche peaks.