Nepal Extends Permits for Climbing Mount Everest

On May 10th and 11th of 1996, eight people died in blizzard on an attempt to summit Mount Everest. That year, fifteen people in total died during an expedition up the tallest mountain in the world. Writer, Jon Krakauer, who was on the excursion and later on wrote the book “Into Thin Air,” discussing the events that led to this disaster. He brought up issues about the commercialization of climbing Mount Everest (similar to Hollywood’s glamorizing affect on the A.T.) , and how inexperienced alpinists were paying large amounts of money to reach the summit, resulting in a broader conversation about the general safety and morality of climbing Mount Everest.

Over time, as things do, the argument dissipated and people returned in droves to the Nepali base camps, paying thousands of dollars to reach the summit again. However, last year, the avalanche that killed sixteen Nepalese Sherpas, resulted in a re-visitation of the issue of tourism and safety in this part of the world; families and workers protested a return to work in respect for the victims, and questions again were raised as to whether or not this was a worthwhile business to be engaging in.

Well, Nepal’s tourism department just made their decision loud and clear – the climbers that were unable to make ascents as a result of the avalanche will be able to use the purchased permits until 2019. Further, mountaineers actually will have more freedom now, as they can no longer need to follow the requirement of ascending with a team. If any or all of the 442 climbers that were given the five-year permit do wish to summit, they will still have to go with a guide and they’ll have to pay another $1,000 as the director general of the Department of Tourism explained the royalty structure has changed.
While this may seem like a substantial amount to the average person, relative to the total amount paid, it’s essentially chump-change. The minimum amount foreigners spend to climb Mount Everest is right around $30,000 but more often guiding companies charge about $65,000. The climbing permits range from $10,000 to $25,000 per person, depending if it’s an individual or group expedition, and then you have to pay for all the gear, Sherpas, yaks, and other expenses that come up along the way.

This is, needless to say, good for Nepal’s economy, in general. Last year the country made $3.6 million in revenue on Everest permits, which perhaps explains their eagerness to reopen the doors of foreign currency. The subject is likely to remain a contentious one following the recent tragedy last year, as well as other tragedies in the past. Economic boosts through tourism are no doubt enticing, but the question remains: at what other, perhaps more figurative, costs?