Mount Everest Ban of Unsupported Climbers Won’t Affect 2025 Season

Guide services for Mount Everest and other Nepalese 8,000m peaks have confirmed that new measures that make a Sherpa guide compulsory will not kick in before September at the earliest. Unsupported (or “solo”) climbers can now proceed as planned for the 2025 season. This is a relief, as climbers plan far in advance for any expedition to this area and likely have paid deposits. The Nepalese government issued the ban only 2 months ago.

This article first appeared on ExplorersWeb.

Mount Everest Price Hikes and Bans

The ban on solo climbers wasn’t the only surprise. Nepal also announced a steep price hike for Mount Everest permits.

Nepal announced last year that permit fees on Everest will increase by 36%, from $11,000 to $15,000. This was plenty of time for local stakeholders to adapt. However, 2 months ago, the government stated that new fees were just a part of a larger set of measures. These included banning solo climbers, meaning those who decline the assistance of a Sherpa.

Climbers did not receive these changes well. Several had already planned and only paid for base camp logistics on Everest and other 8,000m peaks. From there, they would proceed on their own. This style was the norm 2 decades ago, but now it is increasingly less common. Alpinists searching for solitude and self-sufficiency avoid the 8,000ers and turn to unclimbed routes on smaller, lonelier mountains.

Authorities label these self-sufficient climbers on the normal route as “solo” climbers. They benefit from the fixed ropes and established trails but otherwise climb on their own and bring all they need up and down the mountain themselves. In nearly every case, these climbers don’t use supplementary oxygen.

Solo Attempts on Mount Everest, Makalu, Annapurna

Examples of planned unsupported, solo climbs include climbers currently on Annapurna, Vasilliy Pivtsov’s group on Makalu, and most noticeably, the Everest speed climbers Tyler Andrews of the U.S. and Karl Egloff of Ecuador.

Vadim Druelle of France will attempt Annapurna in one push alone. He told ExplorersWeb that he was not even aware of any pending regulation about solo climbers and has no intention of changing the approach he has previously employed on Kangchenjunga, Nanga Parbat, and elsewhere.

Druelle climbs at his own pace, carrying his own gear, and usually sets off for the summit several hours after the big groups. He deliberately climbs through the night in order to avoid crowds.

Vassiliy Pivtsov of Kazakhstan and his two partners are also comfortable climbing Makalu without Sherpa support beyond Base Camp.

American Tyler Andrews, attempting a Fastest Known Time on Everest, will have his regular partner Chris Fisher roped up with him in the Khumbu Icefall. Otherwise, he will proceed at his own brisk pace. He aims to summit Everest in under 20 hours.

“We have made sure that everything in our climb is completely legal and according to the rules,” Andrews said. “We have been assured everything is okay.”

Oxygen Isn’t the Only Assistance

Nepal allows No-O2 climbing, but the need for a supporting guide spoils climbing a peak by one’s own means. Beyond no supplementary oxygen, this means climbing without a guide who does use O2 and who may carry an emergency oxygen bottle in case a client needs it.

As explained in a previous story, a climber going without bottled gas but with a Sherpa by his side tackles a significantly toned-down challenge. Sherpas look after clients in several ways, from carrying everything to preparing food, unpacking the sleeping bag, adjusting crampons, and even emptying the client’s pee bottle.

Most guiding companies support banning unassisted climbers, especially those totally on their own.

“Solo climbers are the ones who most likely face accidents at high altitudes,” Lakpa Sherpa of 8K Expeditions told ExplorersWeb recently. “Many lack proper planning, and often, solo climbers have to wait for the rope-fixing team [to finish its work], which can create tension and lead to dangerous situations.”

Other outfitters do not permit no-O2 climbers on their teams unless they agree to have a Sherpa with an emergency bottle of oxygen accompany them.

Conversely, some outfitters are happy to provide base camp-only logistics, especially to entire teams, such as the Kazakhs on Makalu.

Unanswered Questions Remain

The regulations raised many still-unanswered questions: What happens if the independent climber is a professional mountain guide? What if a Sherpa decides to climb an 8,000m peak on his own? Will the measures affect those attempting climbs off the normal route, like the South Face of Cho Oyu, or those who come in the off-season, such as Jost Kobusch on Everest?

The new regulations state that climbers must have at least one Sherpa guide per two climbers, a low rate considering that those who really want help on an 8,000er will actually demand a 1:1 rate, that is, a personal Sherpa. Certain clients, especially on Everest, may even have two Sherpas tending to them.

Nepal will not enforce the new measures until September. The test peak will be Manaslu, where 99% of climbers receive support. Solo climbing attempts may involve other peaks, such as Dhaulagiri, but it is too early to say. Nowadays, few attempt the other 8,000m peaks in Nepal in autumn, including Mount Everest.

Spring has always been the busiest season in the Himalayas, so next spring will be the first real test of these regulations. For now, unsupported climbers can stick to their original plans.

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