Low-budget firms and inexperience blamed for deaths on Everest

A bird flies near Mount Everest. Photo / AP

Sherpas and tour operators alike blame an influx of inexperienced climbers and budget tour operators for the rise in fatalities on Everest.

Christopher John Kulish, 61, a lawyer from Colorado, was the 11th to die in two weeks.

He did not show any sign of distress when reaching the peak of the world's highest mountain but died after descending.

With a record number of climbers permitted to ascend Everest this year, bottlenecks have also contributed to greater exhaustion and, in some instances, death.

The Nepalese government granted permission for 381 mountaineers to scale Everest from the southern side during the spring season. About 130 others will attempt to summit from the northern side in Tibet.

Nepal has for the first time said there is a possibility that it will reduce the number of permits given to climbers next year. A government spokesman said: "There are no such plans for now but there is possibility of doing so."

Only around 5000 people have climbed Everest since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first scaled the peak in 1953.

With a permit costing US$11,000 to scale the mountain, the increase in numbers has been attributed to Nepal making money to support its economy which has been hampered by political unrest and the devastating 2015 earthquake.

Adventure tourism also plays a vital part in financially supporting the inhabitants of remote communities in north-east Nepal.

However, in permitting more climbers, the Government has allowed dozens of local companies to emerge that charge cheaper prices but cut corners on safety.

Climbing Everest with a premium international firm can cost up to US$100,000 ($152,800).

"The biggest factor is that many inexperienced climbers are booking with low-budget local operators, who are not providing adequate support such as guide services, oxygen, medicines and leadership to ensure the climbers can ascend and descend safely," said Garrett Madison, a leading mountaineer specialising in Everest summits.

Madison led 29 people to a busy summit on May 23 where climbers say a bottleneck at the top caused people to wait for around 45 minutes in the "death zone".

While the Government says it implements background checks on prospective climbers, such as only allowing those to climb with experience of a summit over 6000m, it has been accused of turning a blind eye to those who don't meet criteria.

"I wouldn't say that people who sign up for Everest aren't fully prepared as they practise for years, but all who are currently attempting the summit are not professional mountaineers," said Krishma Poudel, the manager at Peak Promotions, a company that has organised expeditions for over 25 years.

Her comments were echoed by Temba Tsheri Sherpa, who leads climbs at Asia Voyage.

"The largest number of climbers dying because they have run out of oxygen. There are too many commercial expeditions where you pay less but get less of a service and less experienced guides," he said.