Everest Base Camp Stays Where It Is As Sherpas Say “Bollox To Climate Change!”

Last year, Nepal’s tourism ministry announced plans to move Mount Everest’s base camp lower down the mountain because global warming was making it unsafe.

However, following opposition from the Sherpa community and other mountaineering operators, the idea has been scrapped.

According to the BBC:

Sherpa leaders told the BBC the move was impractical and that there was no viable alternative location.

As the backbone of the mountaineering industry, the Sherpa’s voice is crucial. Opposition to the move is widespread – more than 95% of attendees rejected the idea at a recent consultation with the mountaineering industry, say tourism ministry officials and the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

Officials told the BBC it means the move has to be shelved, although they maintain a study is still going on.

“I have come across not even a single person in our community who supports the idea of moving the Everest base camp,” said Mingma Sherpa, chair of Khumbu Pasanglhamu, a rural municipality which covers most of the Everest region, including base camp.

“We see no reason for the base camp to be moved in the near future.”

Ang Norbu Sherpa, president of Nepal National Mountain Guides Association, echoed that sentiment to the BBC.

“It has been there for the past 70 years, why should they move it now? And even if they wanted to, where is the study on a viable alternative?”

Nepal’s recently appointed tourism minister, Sudan Kirati, said the issue was not an urgent one.

“I have seen no interest or concern from any quarter on the issue of moving the base camp,” he said.

When government officials last year spoke of the plan, they said the new base camp would be 200m to 400m (656ft to 1312ft) lower than the present one, which sits at an altitude of 5,364m (17,598ft).

The idea was to move it to a place where there would be no glacier, to avoid risks associated with accelerating glacial meltdown due to rising temperatures….

But almost everyone in the mountaineering industry agrees that base camp is getting too crowded.

This season, Nepal issued a record 478 Everest climbing permits, which means there will be over 1,500 people on the mountain, including support staff.

The last record number of permits was 403 in 2021, according to tourism department officials. The government charges $11,000 (£8,900) per climber for Everest and expeditions are a major source of income for the Sherpa community and others dependent on mountain tourism.

“The size of the base camp has doubled over the years, it’s a massive operation,” said Dambar Parajuli, president of Expedition Operators’ Association Nepal.

He added that the growth of the camp is unregulated and poses a threat to the already fragile environment.

“You see deluxe type services like massage parlours or other entertainment services that need massive tents and other structures.

“This is not where you indulge in luxury, and we have strongly suggested the government make strict guidelines on what is allowed and what is not at the base camp.”

Minister Kirati said he was aware of the issues.

“The base camp has become like a tourist market that we see here in Kathmandu.

“This is not acceptable – we are soon going there on an inspection and will stop all that. That is our priority now.”

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