Epic Gateway to the Summit: China Opens Its Mount Everest Route

For the first time since the onset of the global pandemic, China has reopened Mount Everest’s northern ascent from Tibet to foreign climbers. Adrian Ballinger, a seasoned mountaineer who has conquered Everest eight times, favours this route for its distinct advantages over the more congested southern ascent from Nepal. This season, through his company Alpenglow Expeditions, Ballinger will guide a group of climbers up the world’s highest peak from the Tibetan side.

The China Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) is responsible for issuing all permits for the Tibetan route, known locally as Qomolangma. Unlike typical government-run operations, there is no formal announcement regarding permit distribution; climbers generally learn about opening seasons based on the CMA’s issuance of price lists for services, including yak rentals, local guides, and transportation from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp.

Climbers not only need a Chinese tourist visa but also a separate permit for Tibet, facilitated by the CTMA. There’s a cap of 300 permits each year for international climbers, and the climbing season is brief, spanning from late April to mid-May. Ballinger and his team plan to start their ascent on April 25, having pre-acclimatized at home to optimise their time on the mountain.

While Nepal’s route remains more popular and widely photographed, its higher traffic levels have led to increased trash, erosion, and waste problems. Historically, the Tibetan route was preferred from 2000 to 2007 due to its safety and lower environmental impact. However, the balance shifted to Nepal after the 2008 season when China, hosting the Summer Olympics, restricted access to the mountain, causing significant disruptions for climbers and businesses.

Now, with the reopening of Tibet’s route to international climbers, there is potential for this trend to reverse. The renewed access is expected to boost tourism in the region, providing a welcome lift to local economies and restoring Tibet’s role as a premier destination for mountaineers worldwide.

A Blast from the Past: Why Tibet Route Closed One Time

In December 2018, the local government in Dingri County, Tibet, posted notices indicating that due to a new national environmental protection law, entry into the core area of the Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve was prohibited for “no unit or individuals.” Qomolangma is the Tibetan name for Mount Everest.

Gesang Droma, the deputy director of China’s Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, said that these restrictions were primarily aimed at regular tourists, while mountaineering, scientific research, and geological disaster research would still be permitted within the reserve.

As a result, tourists were no longer able to access the research base camp and were restricted to areas as far as the Rongbuk Monastery, located at 16,400 feet above sea level. Only individuals with proper permits were allowed to access the base camp, situated just over a mile away, and from there, proceed further onto the mountain. Despite these restrictions, Gesang assured that tourists could still witness the dramatic north face of Everest from the monastery, highlighting the area’s sensitivity to ecological fragility.

The Tibet Autonomous Region Sports Bureau reported that in the previous year’s climbing season, they collected 8.4 metric tons of waste, including garbage and human waste, from the core area. Following this, the People’s Daily announced that for the current year, authorities would limit climbing permits to 300 climbers, and the mountain would only be open during the spring season. Additionally, China implemented a $1,500 per climber rubbish collection fee, requiring each climber to bring down 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) of garbage to hand over to the authorities.

The northern route via Tibet, often perceived as colder and more challenging but less crowded, remained less popular compared to the more commercial southern route through Nepal. In 2017, there were 648 summits of Everest, of which 217 were from the Tibet side. This route, slightly cheaper in terms of permits, was subject to stringent and frequently changing Chinese regulations, including travel restrictions into the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The base camp on the Chinese side, accessible by road, had been a favoured tourist site for domestic visitors, attracting 59,000 visitors in 2014 alone, of which only 7,400 were foreign tourists.

On Nepal’s Side of the Route in 2024

As the 2024 Himalayan mountaineering season commences, another critical initiative is taking shape: the extensive cleanup of Mount Everest. Since the inception of the Mountain Cleanup Campaign in 2019, the Nepali army has reported collecting 110 tons of waste from the mountain through 2023. This year, the army will continue its efforts in partnership with the multinational company Unilever.

A team comprising twelve military personnel, supported by 18 Sherpas, is scheduled to arrive at Everest Base Camp on April 14 to start the cleanup. The army aims to remove an estimated 10 tons of garbage this season and plans to retrieve the bodies of five climbers who tragically lost their lives while attempting to summit Everest. Last year, the mountain claimed the lives of 12 climbers, with five more still missing.

Most attempts to conquer the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak are launched from Nepal, which last year issued a record 478 Everest climbing permits. This figure does not include the Sherpa guides, support staff, and others accompanying the climbers, contributing to significant overcrowding and waste accumulation issues on the mountain.

One of the major environmental challenges has been the management of human waste. In response, the 2024 climbing season introduces a new requirement for all climbers to use government-issued poop bags to transport their waste down from higher camps. Diwas Pokhrel, first vice president of the Everest Summiteers Association, highlighted the gravity of the situation, noting, “Each person produces 250 grams (8.8 ounces) of excrement a day and they will spend two weeks on the higher camps for the summit push.”

Furthermore, this season marks the first implementation of tracking chips for climbers, enhancing safety measures with better capabilities for search and rescue operations.