Inexperienced climbers could be banned from scaling Mount Everest in order to reduce deaths and overcrowding.
Overcrowding has become a huge issue on Everest; pictures have been shared on social media recently of long queues to the summit, and massive amounts of litter left on the mountainside.
Earlier this year there was a 36% increase in climbing fees for foreign climbers on the mountain.
Hotelier and mountain climbing enthusiast John Burke has previously climbed the mountain and told Lunchtime Live that he “would certainly support this”.
“While I believe within a lot of the commercial mountaineering circles there's a good bit of resistance around this, I support it,” he said.
“I believe that Everest isn't one that you just get in, get out and try and bag a summit along the way.
“You should connect with the people, connect with the culture - the Buddhist temples, the Buddhism culture, the amazing Nepalese people, the warmest people on earth, I believe.
“It's not just about standing on the summit for 10 or 25 minutes, in my case, and admiring the view.”
A long queue of mountain climbers line a path on Mount Everest. Image: AP Photo/Rizza Alee, File. May 22, 2019Mr Burke said that it is necessary to impose some level of restrictions on who can climb Everest in order to quell the summer rush.
“The biggest challenge in Everest is there's a very short summer window, say from between five to 12 days in an entire year - some years is as low as five,” he said.
“So, you know, they have to limit the number of people that are going to be there because a lot of people will tend to hit the first summer day or two.”
According to Mr Burke, there are also some guide organisations that “mightn't have the ethics in the right place”, who might take advantage of inexperienced climbers.
Main image: Pokhara mountain as seen through a colourful spray of Nepali prayer flags blowing in the wind. Himalayas, Nepal. Padi Prints / Troy TV Stock / Alamy. 7 April 2016
