KATHMANDU, MARCH 24

The Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation today issued the season's first climbing permit to attempt to scale the world's highest peak in the spring season.

After handing over the season's first Everest climbing permit to a 15-member international team from Imagine Nepal Treks, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati conveyed his best wishes to the team for the success and requested the team leader to help bring more tourists in the country.

Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, Managing Director at Imagine Nepal Treks, said that Imagine Nepal team has obtained the first permit from the minister to climb the world's highest peak this season marking the platinum jubilee of Everest ascent. 'The team led by Liu Mihe comprises climbers from the United States, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and China,' he said. Leader Liu is the first Chinese climber to have scaled Mt Manaslu real summit in 2021.

With the country preparing to mark the 70th anniversary of the successful ascent of Mt Everest this year, Imagine Nepal Treks has also been assigned to fix summit routes on Mt Everest and Mt Lhotse this season, he added. 'Our team will leave for the base camp to start fixing ropes above Camp II as soon as SPCC completes its rope-fixing task up to Camp II,' Sherpa, who is also an IFMGA guide, said.

IFMGA guide Dawa Gyalje Sherpa will lead the rope-fixing team while it also plans to bring the old ropes back from the mountain, according to Sherpa. 'Our team takes the initiative to clean the route bringing old ropes down and replacing them with new ropes. This was never done before so the rocky section on Everest is getting covered with old ropes,' he added.

Lamakaji Sherpa, chairman at Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, said that a team of icefall doctors assigned to open a climbing route up to Camp II from the Base Camp will reach Camp I in a day or two. 'They have already set up ropes and ladders in the treacherous section and are heading towards Camp II,' Sherpa said over phone from Namche Bazaar.

This season, the SPCC team includes Tshering Tenzing Sherpa (Base Camp Manager), eight icefall doctors - Ang Sarki Sherpa, Chhewang Nuru Sherpa, Dawa Jangbu Sherpa, Dawa Nuru Sherpa, Mingma Temba Sherpa, Pemba Tshering Sherpa, Sonam Tshering Sherpa, and Tenzing Dorjee Sherpa, two kitchen staff (Nawang Thaten Sherpa and Wangdi Gelbu Sherpa) and one garbage management staff -Sanjiv Tamang.