'The mountains are for all people' - Kiwi rubbishes Everest ban

The Nepalese government this week revealed proposals aimed at improving safety and alleviating overcrowding concerns on the famous mountain. Photo / iStock

Plans to ban disabled climbers from attempting to scale Mount Everest have been rubbished by New Zealander Mark Inglis, the first double amputee to reach the world's highest peak.

The Nepalese government this week revealed proposals aimed at improving safety and alleviating overcrowding concerns on the famous mountain.

The proposals include banning novice or disabled climbers, as well as introducing age restrictions on those under 18 or over 75.

Climbers who had not previously scaled a mountain at least 6400m high would be banned; by comparison, New Zealand's highest mountain, Aoraki-Mt Cook, is 3724m.

"Climbing Everest is not a joke ... it is not a matter of discrimination," Nepal's tourism department chief Govinda Karki told the AFP news agency.

"How can you climb without legs? Someone will have to carry you up. We want to make the mountains safer for everyone, so we have to insist on some rules."

But Mr Inglis, who lost both legs to frostbite and in 2006 became the first double amputee to reach the 8848m summit, said disability should not come into new safety considerations.

"The whole concept of restricting disabled - even the use of that word - is just wrong, because it really doesn't matter how many limbs you've got, but how able you are," he said today.

"There are plenty of people out there who are able bodied who will never ever make it up Everest.

"You have to be able to look after yourself on Everest. You can't expect anyone to give you a hand up, whether you're limbless or blind or theoretically able bodied."

The plans come after 18 people were killed in April at Everest's base camp in an avalanche that was triggered by the Nepal earthquake.

In recent years, increasing numbers of novices or "tourist climbers" have caused concern among experienced mountaineers and some of the reputable tour operators.

Mountaineers are the "original anarchists", Mr Inglis said, and regulations are "a red rag to a bull".

"But in some cases, like Everest, the pressure is such that it does need to be regulated," he accepted.

Sam Newton, general manager of the New Zealand Alpine Club, applauded Nepal's efforts to try and reduce congestion and environmental impact, and at the same time enhance safety.

Climbers should have previous mountain experience as "a bare minimum", Mr Newton said.

However, he expressed concern over barriers around disability and age.

"That is a really blunt tool to achieving their aims."

Suze Kelly, of Wanaka-based mountain guiding company Adventure Consultants, was also pleased that safety and overcrowding was being addressed.

But she said the authorities needed to strike a balance on restrictions.

Any attempts at introducing age or disability restrictions on climbers in New Zealand would "create an outcry", Ms Kelly said.

"The mountains are for all people, and with the right approach anyone should be able to go to the mountains."