Mount Everest overcrowding infographic
Graphic charts every attempt, successful summit, and death on Mount Everest, since 1953.
GN39224EN

ENVIRONMENT

Charting every Everest climb

By Ninian Carter

June 14, 2019 - The Spring climbing season saw Mount Everest become even more overcrowded than any previous year since it was first conquered in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. 2019 saw a record 891 climbers reach the summit, leading to dangerous congestion on the limited routes up to the world’s highest peak.

The crowds on Mount Everest, which have been causing chaos for years, are now becoming a serious health hazard.

In 2019, there were only five days where winds were under 50km/h, compared with 11 days in 2018. The combined effect of more people making the attempt and fewer good climbing days intensified the bottlenecks and created long queues of climbers attempting to scale the mountain.

Many people suffering from altitude sickness could not descend to seek medical attention. In total, there were 11 deaths on Everest this season, making it one of the deadliest in its chequered history.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 14/06/2019; STORY: Graphic News
Advertisement