Climbers are hoping to reach the summit of Everest this week for the first time in nearly three years, following two previous seasons marked by serious tragedies on the world’s highest mountain.
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Nepal Mountaineering Department official Gyanendra Shrestha said the group reached the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) summit on Wednesday. Officials say three foreign climbers; two British Kenton Cool, Robert Richard Lucas, and Mexican David Liano Gonzalez along with three Nepalese guides have scaled Mount Everest, the first foreigners to reach the summit in two years.
This year, Nepali authorities are encouraging climbers to return to Everest and other peaks by honouring permits issued in the past two years. In 2015, another avalanche triggered by a 7.8-magnitude quake killed 19 mountaineers at the Everest Base Camp, prompting the cancellation of all trips.
Mt Everest did not see any climbing activity in 2014 due to avalanches which claimed the lives of 19 climbers and porters and in 2015 following the April quake.
A Chinese woman, Wang Jing, had climbed Everest in 2014 after the expeditions were cancelled.
South Col, or Camp 4, is located at a height of about 26,240 feet and is the last pause for climbers before they try to reach the summit, which is 29,035 feet high.
Climbs from the Nepali side over the last two years have been hit by natural disasters.
A new source of friction has emerged this year with complaints about newer, cut-price guiding companies which some claim are threatening safety on the mountain.
At least 289 climbers and their guides are in different high camps waiting for a weather window and jostling to become the first to scale the peak. “It was reported by the rope-fixing team that there is a large accumulation of snow below the Hillary Step and this had made their work hard and slowed the progress”, added NMA president Sherpa. “Much depends on how favourable the weather will be”.
Most of the climbers this year and their guides have been on the mountain since March to acclimatize themselves for the climb.
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For Cool, 42, it was his 12th successful climb of Everest.
