Despite odds, trekkers are climbing Mt Everest again

When the earthquake struck last year and thousands of tonnes of snow and ice and earth came crashing down the mountain, some feared the climbers might never return to Mount Everest. But despite back-to-back Everest disasters — the 2015 earthquake and a massive avalanche the year before — hundreds of mountaineers have come back for a new season. With them, they bring millions of dollars to this poverty-wracked nation. Everest Base Camp has once again turned into a village of bright nylon tents and tea huts. It buzzes with commerce — trekkers on stopovers and mountaineers hoping to reach the 8,850m (29,035ft) summit.
This April 7, 2016 photo shows the Buddhist monastery gate at the entrance to the small mountain village of Tengboche (3,860m). Trekkers can attend daily Buddhist chanting ceremonies in the monastery, though taking photos and videos inside the shrine is strictly prohibited. A trek to Everest Base Camp along mountain paths that hug deep gorges offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience. (Text and image source: AP)

While the numbers of trekkers across Nepal is down about 40 per cent compared to last year, according to the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, the business community still sees that as good news. "This is much more than what we all had expected," said Pemba Sherpa, who runs a guesthouse in the village of Pheriche, about a day's walk from Base Camp. "The climbers and trekkers who have reached here are very happy — satisfied at the condition of the mountain and not scared anymore." He's just hoping this year passes quietly: "If there are any problems this year, then we are all finished. It will all end."
This April 10, 2016 photo shows yellow and orange tents at Everest Base Camp, pitched on the edges of the Khumbu icefall in Nepal. A trek to Everest Base Camp offers renewal and a test of mental and physical limits. Along the way there are sore knees and altitude sickness, but the spectacular landscapes, friendly villagers and moments of tranquility make the journey an unforgettable experience.(Text and image source: AP)

Experience has shown, though, that there's always the possibility of more trouble on Everest. More than 250 people have died on the mountain, which was first summited by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953. "Everest is the same, and the risks that were there are still there," Ang Tshering of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, an umbrella group. "It is not like a football field."
This April 9 photo shows a solar power water heater in the foreground and a Nepali woman in the background, pouring water into a large kettle in the village of Dughla, Nepal. (Text and image source: AP)

The government has issued 289 Everest permits this year to foreign climbers, each of whom paid $11,000 for the chance to reach the summit. They will spend around two months on the mountain, acclimatizing at lower altitudes before making their final attempts to reach the top. "We have nearly as many climbers as came in previous years," said Gyanendra Shrestha, an official at the Mountaineering Department.
This photo shows a Palestinian banner and an Israeli flag displayed on the wall of a dining hall in a lodge in Tengboche, Nepal. Many trekkers hang flags in tea houses to mark their journey and express national pride. (Text and image source: AP)

It's been years since the Everest region was truly isolated. Thousands of Sherpas and other Nepalis work as guides and porters, or do everything from renting out mules to serving hot coffee and home-cooked food in trailside cafes and lodges. "We have no other income except from the tourists," said Bal Krishna Rai, a 15-year-old porter carrying a load in a bamboo basket to Base Camp.
This photo shows trekkers at a rest stop north of the village of Namche Bazaar, Nepal. April falls into the peak season for trekking and the trail is often crowded. (Text and image source: AP)

Many Sherpas hope to work as high-altitude guides, a dangerous but lucrative job that can earn someone up to $7,000 over a few months. Support workers can earn half that amount — still a lot in a country where the average per capita income is $700. Money alone is enough to persuade many Sherpa guides to risk their lives year after year.
This photo shows a Nepali builder at a construction site at a mountain viewing point on the outskirts of Namche Bazaar. (Text and image source: AP)

"I lost many of my friends in the last two years. I am scared, but I don't have another option," said Lakpa Nuru, 25, who was at Everest Base Camp during both recent disasters. Still, he is working again this year, attempting a sixth Everest ascent. "Most of us are here so that we can earn for us or our family. If the foreigners don't come any more, we will all starve."
This photo shows the village of Namche Bazaar, one of the main communities in the Khumbu region surrounding Everest in Nepal. Trekkers often spend an extra day in Namche Bazaar, at an altitude of 3,440m (11,287ft), to acclimatise and stock up on supplies. (Text and image source: AP)

The April 2014 avalanche, which killed 13 Sherpa guides and three other Nepali workers, was an immense blow to the Sherpa community. Nearly all surviving Sherpas refused to continue working that year, demanding, among other things, better working conditions, more insurance and free education for the children of those killed. The government met most of their major demands, including requiring expeditions to insure Sherpas for up to $15,000. But the season was effectively cancelled.
This photo shows a Nepali porter carrying his load north of the village of Namche Bazaar. (AP Photo/Karin Laub)(Text and image source: AP)

Last year, Sherpas had already set up two camps above Base Camp when the earthquake unleashed an avalanche that tore into the tent city, burying climbers and staff. Nineteen people were killed, 61 were injured and the pre-prepared route of ropes and ladders was destroyed. When the Sherpas refused to rebuild the route, the season was scrubbed. There were no successful climbs in 2015.
This photo shows trekkers heading to Everest Base Camp, Nepal. The cone-shaped Pumo Ri peak (23,495ft or 7,161m) is seen in the background. (Text and image source: AP)

During the past two years, the government has enacted a series of policy changes, from stationing officials at Base Camp to creating a welfare fund for the families of the Sherpa dead. The moves were made largely to convince climbers and trekkers to keep coming back to Everest. But, it turns out, it's hard to keep the climbers away — including those with very little experience.
This photo shows a memorial stupa for US mountain climber and guide Scott Fischer, on the outskirts of the village of Dughla, on the path to Everest Base Camp. Fischer was among eight climbers who got killed during an Everest summit attempt when they were caught in a blizzard on May 10-11, 1996. (Text and image source: AP)

Competition has dramatically driven down the cost of a guided climb, he said, with clients who used to pay $65,000 now paying as little as $22,000. Experts believe Everest climbers should be required to have mountaineering experience, and guides — both local and foreign — should have climbing certification: Adding more people with lower standards of experience, equipment, care and management is making the mountain more dangerous.
This photo shows snow-capped peaks in the Himalayas, just north of the village of Lobuche, Nepal, and about a three-hour walk from Everest Base Camp. (Text and image source: AP)