Nepal has issued a record 492 permits to climb Everest this season, a figure that raises alarms about overcrowding at the summit. The already narrow climbing window could collapse if the weather worsens, leaving hundreds of climbers stranded in the death zone. Added to this is the instability of the ice and Chinese restrictions in Tibet, which have diverted all traffic to the Nepalese side.
Drones and sensors: technology against chaos at altitude 🚁
To manage this human avalanche, expedition agencies are integrating real-time monitoring technology. Drones equipped with thermal cameras fly over the Khumbu Icefall to detect unstable crevasses, while GPS sensors in the guides' suits allow tracking the position of each team. However, the effectiveness of these systems depends on coordination that, in practice, clashes with the commercial logic of local operators.
Queue to die: the new extreme mountain sport ⛰️
With 492 permits, the summit of Everest looks more like a rock festival than a sacred peak. Climbers will queue for hours, torn between hypoxia and patience, while sherpas try to untangle fixed ropes. If the weather turns nasty, the climbing window will close like an elevator door at rush hour, leaving everyone wondering if they paid $11,000 for vertical tourism or an express survival class.