Everest 2021: “The Covid situation at EBC is a total shitstorm. I had no clue what I was flying into.”

Nepal issued even more Everest and Lhotse permits smashing the 2019 record. Now at 408 for Everest and 123 for Lhotse but the real headline is from Gina Marie Han-Lee:

I have taken a helicopter out of EBC back to Kathmandu after 1 day. The Covid situation at EBC is a total shitstorm. I had no clue what I was flying into. It felt asinine to even be there. It was a heartbreaking decision but I’m putting my health first. Covid at a high altitude does not sound like something I want to play with. \Will hopefully fly home within the next couple of days and focus on K2 for June. There’s just way too many people at EBC this year. Wishing all of the climbers there to be safe and successful but this girl is getting the hell out of dodge.