KATHMANDU: As fresh snow continues to blanket Mt Everest region, icefall doctors are struggling to keep the treacherous icefall route intact.

Their efforts aim at facilitating this season’s sole Everest aspirant Japanese mountaineer. Doing so, on the other hand, will help the Sherpa mountaineers who have specialised in fixing icefall routes earn a few thousand US dollars, which they intend to spend in rebuilding their houses flattened by the devastating April earthquake and its aftershocks.

Each of them hopes to earn about US$ 3,5000 after working for about two months in this season, said leading icefall doctor Ang Kami Sherpa.

Climbing activities in Manaslu region have also been affected due to snow and wind. According to climbers, over 106 mountaineers along with their support staff and guides have camped at the base camp after acclimatising in the world’s eighth highest peak.

“We had a good acclimatisation round on Manaslu but the mountain showed her true face: lots of snow, thunder, hot weather, wind, everything,” noted climber Arnold Coster, “ We suspect a period of really bad weather now and hangout in base camp for a couple of days.”

“We have been resting at base camp waiting for a fair weather. We will go for another rotation and a summit bid in a few days,” Colombian climber cum photographer Claudia Camila Lopez told THT Online.

Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has issued climbing permits for 265 mountaineers representing different 42 expeditions while it has been reviewing 10 more permit files for the autumn season.

Worldwide mountaineers would try to climb different 25 peaks including Mt Aichyn (6,055m), Mt Makalu I (8,463m) and Mt Lhotse (8,516m), Gyanendra Shresha, an official at DoT said.