A strange season on the ‘Big E’ continues. The latest news will affect climbers hoping to summit this fall.
The government of China controls permits and infrastructure on the north side of Mount Everest. This week China announced it will close the mountain because it “witnessed a series of problems including an illegal north-south traverse by a Polish climber.”
The closure should not affect climbers attempting the traditional route from Nepal.
The Himalayan Times reports that Everest and also the peaks of Cho-Oyu and Shishapangma will be closed for climbing in autumn 2017.
Autumn is the secondary season on Mount Everest. Most ascents take place in the spring. The majority of climbers traditionally start in Nepal on the mountain’s south side.
But the route from China, through Tibet, is becoming a more popular choice. Famous recent ascents followed this route, including Kilian Jornet’s two recent speed climbs up the world’s highest peak.
Why Is Mount Everest Closed (Fall 2017)
The Himalayan Times reports China will “close” Everest by not issuing any climbing permits this fall.
A Polish climber, Janusz Adam Adamski, “illegally scaled Mount Everest from the Tibetan side and traversed towards Nepal from the summit,” the paper noted.
Beyond the illegal traverse, officials also point to possible cultural violations. Adamski summited Everest on May 21. He unfurled a Tibetan flag and held up a photo of Dalai Lama on top. The image circulated widely on social media.
Chinese authorities “expressed serious concerns over such ‘malicious’ activities on Mt Everest” and they are looking to stop possible “harm to bilateral relations between [the] two countries” of China and Nepal.
–Read the full report on The Himalayan Times.
