Videos showing long queues and crowds on top of Mount Everest are making rounds on the Internet. Bringing the spotlight back on the issue of overcrowding at Mt Everest, this season has already recorded seven deaths and several missing cases. The viral videos show a traffic jam-like situation on the peak and are deeply concerning.
Long Queues On Mt Everest As Overcrowding Continues At The Summit
A decade back, steep peaks, mental capabilities, and unfavourable weather would have been some of the challenges mountaineers faced while climbing Mt Everest. Now, however, navigating safely through the crowds is probably the biggest at the world’s highest peak! Overcrowding has yet again resulted in long queues and traffic jam-like situations at Mt Everest. This has raised questions about the ethics of mountaineering and the impact of so many people on nature.
This season, seven deaths have been reported at Everest. There have also been multiple dangerous incidents recorded at the summit last week, including an ice collapse at the mountain’s dangerous zone. In another incident, British climber Daniel Paterson and his Nepali Sherpa Pastenji were hit by falling ice while they were climbing down from the mountain. They are still missing.
This overcrowding has raised concerns amongst environmentalists and climbers. They have pointed out how the mountain is not able to handle the large crowds. The low oxygen levels and air pressure at the top of Mt Everest make it a difficult trek and big crowds worsen this situation. This, however, doesn’t seem to deter the people from coming to the summit.
Internet Reacts To The Traffic Jam On Mount Everest
These videos of the queue up Everest and the aftermath of the cornice collapse that killed a couple of people…
There’s something about this that sums up so much of what’s wrong with the world.
😮 pic.twitter.com/S2qv1oBAOG— tern (@1goodtern) May 24, 2024
Netizens are clearly not impressed with the large crowds and long queues on Mt Everest. They have mentioned how being in nature has always been about finding solitude, which clearly lacks in these videos. Here are some comments that you cannot miss out on.
You risk your life to get to the highest point in the world and when you get there … there is a queue!
There is some hidden meaning here!
— Kristoph (@ikristoph) May 24, 2024
Time to ban people from Mount Everest, only allow people with proper,actual
Scientific work to do go up there .— Leon (@CameraLeon) May 24, 2024
It’s dangerous. Not just for them, but the guides and Sherpas who they pay to take them up there
— Kerry McQueeney🌻 (@KerryMcQueeney) May 24, 2024
I love the outdoors. Hiking, climbing, skiing, kayaking, etc. But this is not reasonable or even safe
Part of being outdoors is the solitude & connection with the environment. Paying to be drug to the top of the worlds tallest garbage dump with hundreds in line is not reasonable
— Pragmatic Vegan (@veganpragmatism) May 24, 2024
This is the opposite of the spirit of climbing mountains. I believed climbing mountains was to escape the rat race world below and achieve a unique experience. I climbed two of the seven summits and found out that mountaineering is nothing but processing travellers down a…
— That’s About Enough (@s0Disillusioned) May 24, 2024
Once upon a time, if someone had told me they had climbed Everest, I would have thought they were adventurous and capable. Now, I just think they are stupid sheep that are despoiling the environment.
— Basket of Cats (@Basket_of_Cats) May 24, 2024
This is insane … rush hour … maybe there’s less traffic on K 2 …
— Charlie Pataky (@patakycharlie1) May 24, 2024
Climbing Everest has become as impressive as flying on a budget airline. :(
— Daniel Priestley (@DanielPriestley) May 25, 2024
This is deeply concerning. We understand people’s motivation to reach and see the world from the top but at what cost? Big crowds damage the environment, hamper the ecosystem, and even lead to life-threatening situations in such cases. So, please don’t think of climbing Everest to show the world. Plan your travel in a way that doesn’t harm the local people and the environment. Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments section.
Cover Image Courtesy: Instagram/everester.raj & X/@1goodtern