Over 80 summit Sagarmatha in first week of spring climbing season

BY A STAFF REPORTER,Kathmandu, May 16: More than 80 mountaineers have conquered Sagarmatha, the world’s highest peak, in the first seven days of the 2025 spring climbing season that officially began on May 9. 

According to Himal Gautam, Director at the Department of Tourism, approximately 85 climbers from various countries, including Nepal, summited Mt. Everest via the southeast ridge route by Thursday afternoon, based on reports from the Everest region.  Gautam reached the base camp of Sagarmatha on Thursday afternoon. 

He further said that May 14 marked a historic day for the season, with 60 climbers successfully reaching the summit. 

“Due to bad weather on May 12 and 13, climbers had to remain at Camp IV, located at 7,920 metres, the final staging point before the summit. Once the weather cleared on May 14, the ascent resumed,” he said.

He said that the season kicked off on May 9, and a rope-fixing team of seven Nepali climbers reached the summit on May 11, paving the way for subsequent expeditions.

Liladhar Awasthi, Director at the Department of Tourism, said that the season was progressing steadily. More summit attempts are expected in the coming weeks as larger groups prepare to take advantage of the typical mid-May weather window. “The department has issued permits to 46 teams, comprising 458 individuals. Of them, 84 are women and 374 men,” he said.

He said that the department collected significant revenue in permit fees this spring season, amounting to Rs. 676.2 million for Sagarmatha alone, which contributes to the national treasury. Additionally, they collected a revenue amounting to Rs. 775.5 million from permits provided to 124 teams comprising 1,140 individuals for ascending 27 mountains. Of them, 244 are women and 896 are men.

He said they have also emphasised improved safety protocols and waste management efforts this year, aiming to ensure a more sustainable climbing season on the Himalayan giant. 

The department has set up a temporary camp with four employees at the base camp for monitoring and taking updates, he added. 

Meanwhile, a 45-year-old Filipino climber, Philipp II Santiago, died while resting at Camp IV around 7 pm on Wednesday, May 14, during his summit attempt.

According to the department, this climbing season has also seen other incidents; two Sherpas went missing on 

Mt. Annapurna, and one climber died on each of Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Makalu and Mt. Kanchenjunga this season.