Mount Everest Crowded: Record 274 Climbers Reach Summit in a Single Day

New Records Set, Including 32 Summits by Sherpa

Fatalities Reported... Debate Over Commercialization Expected to Intensify

In a single day, 274 climbers reached the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, breaking the record for the largest number of ascents in a single day.

People climbing Mount Everest. The photo is not directly related to the article content. Photo by AP Yonhap News.

On May 23 (local time), AP and other media reported that on May 20, 274 mountaineers successfully summited Mount Everest at an altitude of 8,848.86 meters via the Nepalese climbing route. This set a new record for the highest number of climbers reaching the summit in a single day via the southern Nepal route. The previous daily record for this route was 223. However, according to Guinness World Records, the all-time daily maximum for both the Nepal and Tibet routes combined is 354, recorded on May 23, 2019.

As many mountaineers challenge Everest, various records and accidents continue to occur.

This year, China closed the Tibet route departing from its territory, resulting in Nepalese authorities issuing 495 Everest climbing permits. This is the highest number ever, surpassing the previous record of 478 in 2023. Nepalese Sherpas (climbing guides) do not require a separate climbing permit.

On May 17, Kami Rita Sherpa led an international climbing team to the Everest summit, breaking his own record for the most ascents of Everest in history with his 32nd summit. After descending, he remarked that Everest was “much more crowded this year compared to last year,” and emphasized that Nepalese authorities should limit the number of climbers on the mountain. However, climbing agencies, while acknowledging the risk of overcrowding, argue that it is manageable as long as there is sufficient oxygen and preparation.

On the same day, Lhakpa Sherpa, known as the “queen of the mountains,” also reached the summit for the 11th time, setting a new women’s record for the most Everest ascents.

On May 20, British mountaineer Kenton Cool also reached the summit for the 20th time, establishing a new record for the most ascents by a non-Sherpa climber. In early April, Australian climber Oliver Foran, who started from India, reached the summit in just 50 days from sea level, setting a new record for the fastest ascent. He reportedly cycled 1,150 kilometers from the Bay of Bengal coast in India to Nepal before ascending to the summit. The previous record was 67 days, set by the late climber Kim Changho, who passed away while pioneering a new Himalayan route in 2018.

However, there were also accidents last week, including the deaths of two Indian climbers. Vijay Kimire, the first member of India’s marginalized Hindu Dalit community to summit Everest, also died after showing symptoms of altitude sickness. The BBC reported that with record-breaking attempts, overcrowding, and fatal accidents overlapping, the debate surrounding commercial climbing on Everest is likely to intensify once again.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.