Everest 2025: Nepal New Rules- Some Good, Some Not
In an admirable effort to reduce deaths and save lives on Everest, the Nepal government has implemented two additional rules for the upcoming 2025 Spring season. One is a great idea, but the other is not so great. However, the efforts still lag the magnitude of the problems.
Instead of enacting rules to minimize missing climbers and deaths, Nepal adds regulations to aid in body recovery. This is analogous to having a busy traffic intersection where countless crashes occur. The city decided the best action would be to pre-place ambulances and tow trucks instead of enhancing traffic signals.
Remember that 23 of the 26 Everest deaths in 2023 and 2024 were climbing, with companies charging less than the median price. Four of the 26 deaths were classified as “missing” by the Himalayan Database. All were between 8334 and 8848 meters.
Why do I continue to write about this? Please continue reading to see the impact on one family whose grief could have been slightly reduced through more transparent communications and legitimate regulations. #everest2025
Comparing the Routes of Everest – 2025 edition
This another BIg Picture post before my annual coverage of Everest 2025. The season is still a few months away, and I’ll be posting several updates before the season officially begins in early April:
– Everest by the Numbers: 2025 Edition – A deep dive into Everest statistics as compiled by the Himalayan Database (posted December 16, 2024)
– Comparing the Routes of Everest: 2025 Edition – A detailed look at Everest’s commercial, standard and non-standard routes. (posted December 19, 2024)
– How Much Does it Cost to Climb Everest: 2025 Edition – My annual review of what it costs to climb Everest, solo, unsupported and guided.
– Everest 2025: Welcome to Everest 2025 Coverage – an introduction to the Everest 2025 Spring season.
2025 will be my 25th season of all things Everest: 19 times providing coverage, another four seasons of climbing on Everest, and two years attempting Lhotse.
This is an updated post of my annual “Comparing the Routes of Everest ” blog post. For 98% of all Everest climbers, the choice of routes is the Northeast (Tibet) and Southeast (Nepal) Ridges. For today’s commercial clients, all other routes are too dangerous, complicated, and not commercially guided. This post will examine the various routes and explore the most popular commercial through 2024.
Why do I do this? Well, one word: Alzheimer’s. I lost my mom, Ida, and four aunts to this disease, which changed my life forever. You can read more at this link. I hope you enjoy my coverage and donate to any of my selected non-profit partners or your preference as a tangible thank you. Of course, I never benefit financially from your donations. Just click on the button, which is always at the top right sidebar. #everest2025
Everest 2024: Interview with Uphill Athlete’s Founder Steve House
You know you’ve made your name in the climbing world when Reinhold Messner calls you “the best high-altitude climber in the world.” Today, Steve runs one of the most successful broad-based coaching services. Uphill Athlete, founded by Steve House and Scott Johnston in 2014, has become synonymous with all things mountain sports, from trail running and mountaineering to ski racing. I caught up with Steve for a wide-ranging Podcast.
Everest 2024: Interview with Will Cockrell on his new book–Everest, Inc.
In 2024, Everest has become completely commercialized. Shock, right? Well, Will Cockrell’s new book, Everest, Inc: The Renegades and Rogues Who Built an Industry at the Top of the World, tells us how it happened. If you love Everest, despise it or don’t really care, this book has something for everyone. #everest2024
Everest 2024: Interview with Garrett Madison on his “Aconcagua Ambush” and the Upcoming Everest Season
We are getting closer to #Everest2024, and there are some new rules Nepal is proposing. In this with Garrett Madison, founder of Madison Mountaineering, we discuss his recent “Aconcagua Ambush,” where he and his client summited the highest peak in South America, spending only one night on the mountain and used an experimental oxygen system that has promise other high peaks. Also, his thoughts on Nepal’s plan to require all climbers to use WAG bags to remove solid human waste from Everest high camps, the use of helicopters on Everest, and a limit on luxuries at base camp. #everest2024
Comparing the Routes of Everest – 2024 edition
For 98% of all Everest climbers, the choice of routes comes down between the Northeast (Tibet) and Southeast (Nepal) Ridges. For almost everyone, all other routes are too dangerous, too difficult, and not commercially guided. This post will take a look at the various routes and go deep into the most popular commercial ones through 2023. #everest2024
Nepal Increases Fees to Climb Everest
The long-rumored Everest permit fee increase will now happen for the 2025 season. The permit fee for a foreigner will increase from USD $ 11,000 to $15,000. For a Nepali citizen, it will be $568. The increase is still in the proposal phase but appears to be pre-approved. As always, wait to see as Nepal will often float news rules or fees, measure the reaction, and then pull back or never implement the idea if there is bad publicity that may hurt tourism revenue. #everest2024
Podcast with Author, Journalist Billi Bierling of the Himalayan Database
Close followers of mountaineering know the Himalayan Database and Ms. Elizabeth Hawley. Who you may not know is Billi Bierling who worked with Ms. Hawley since 2004 and continues her work today along with a small team in Kathmandu and the US.
Billi, born in the Bavarian Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, is a well-traveled journalist working primarily for Swiss Humanitarian Aid as a communications expert. She also writes mountaineering articles for German and English-speaking magazines, translates or writes books and leads mountain treks and expeditions in Nepal and around the world. And she climbs mountains, big mountains including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Manaslu (fore summit) and Broad Peak – the latter three she summited without the help of supplemental oxygen.
Billi recently published a book, a memoir, Riding my Bike iN Kathmandu.
This in-depth podcast introduces us to Billi, her background in humanitarian work, her book and some of her climbs before discussing the changes we are seeing in the ever-commercialized world of mountaineering, especially in Nepal. Finally, we wrap up discussing the future of the Himalayan Database.
Grab a beverage or take a walk and please enjoy meeting Billi Bierling.
Everest 2023: Cho Oyu Summits and Everest Weather
Peak bagging season continues with summits on Tibet’s 8000ers. Look for some of the Annapurna summiteers to bag Makalu or Dhualagiri, then combo Everest and Lhotse. The weather is the wildcard this year if we see long lines like in 2019.
Big Picture
Teams are now scattered all over the Big Hill, working on their acclimatization, from EBC to Camp 3 just below the Lhotse Face. S spat of bad weather slowed some teams for a couple of days, but nothing serious. However, over on Dhaulagiri, reports from base camp note five feet of snow in the last few days. Carlos Soria must be quite nervous given this is his fourteenth at, and he’s 84 years old.
Everest 2023: Interview with Garrett Madison from Everest Base Camp
The #Everest2023 season is taking shape as teams continue to acclimatize with rotations to Camps 1 and 2, with some tagging Camp 3 at 23,000 feet or 7,000 meters. In this interview with Garrett Madison, founder of Madison Mountaineering from Everest Base Camp, we discuss the record permits, his acclimatization strategy, addressing the human waste problem, the long route through the Icefall and their attempt to summit the difficult and highly technical Nuptse. #everest2023