KATHMANDU, MAY 13 Mount Everest's climbing route for the Spring 2026 season is now open after a rope-fixing team completed operations to the summit on May 13, even as the death toll across Nepal's spring climbing season reached five and permit revenue from the world's highest peak alone crossed Rs 10 billion. An 11-member guide team led by Mingma Dorchi Sherpa reached the 8,848.86-metre summit at approximately 10:25 AM on Wednesday, completing rope-fixing operations from Camp II to the summit. Eight Icefall Doctors, Ang Sarki Sherpa, Dawa Jangbu Sherpa, Tendu Sherpa, Ngima Tenji Sherpa, Phura Chheten Sherpa, Dawa Chhirri Sherpa, Sonam Geljen Sherpa, and Mingma Gyaljen Sherpa, had separately completed route preparation and trail-opening work from Base Camp to Camp II. The Department of Tourism, under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, had authorised the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) to manage Icefall route operations and EOAN to lead rope-fixing above Camp II for Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse. The guide team hoisted the flags of the Government of Nepal, the Department of Tourism, and EOAN at the summit, formally declaring the route open.

The full summit fixing team comprised Mingma Dorchi Sherpa, Pasang Tashi Sherpa, Lopsang Bhutia, Ming Nurbu Sherpa, Chhomba Tenji Sherpa, Guru Bhote, Pam Dorjee Sherpa, Mingma Tenje Sherpa, Ming Temba Sherpa, Dendi Sherpa, and Pasang Nurbu Sherpa. 'Despite extremely difficult weather conditions, high-altitude risks, and challenging mountain conditions, the Nepali Sherpa community has once again demonstrated its courage, professionalism, dedication, and commitment to mountaineering before the world,' said Rishi Bhandari, General Secretary of EOAN. The opening came after weeks of delay. An unstable hanging serac in the Khumbu Icefall had blocked the route well past the point it normally opens, typically the first week of April, compressing the summit window for the nearly 490 climbers who had been waiting after acclimatisation rotations in the Khumbu region. With the route now open, summit bids are underway across the mountain. The season has not been without tragedy, however. The death toll across Nepal's spring climbing season has reached five, three on Everest and one each on Makalu and Makalu II. The most recent Everest fatality was Phura Gyaljen Sherpa, 21, of Thame, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality-5, Solukhumbu, who fell into a crevasse near Camp III on Monday night and died on the spot while part of a large team moving toward the South Col for summit pushes. He was a member of Kaitu Expeditions. Earlier, Bijay Ghimire Bishwakarma, a veteran climber and YouTuber from Solu Dudhkunda Municipality, Solukhumbu, and the first person from the Dalit community to summit Everest, died of suspected cardiac arrest in the Khumbu Icefall on May 10 while ascending from Base Camp. The first Everest death of the season was Lakpa Dendi Sherpa, 52, of Gudel, Solukhumbu, who died on May 4 after falling while hiking from Gorakshep to Everest Base Camp as part of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Everest Expedition 2026. On the permit front, the Department of Tourism has issued 492 climbing permits for Everest this spring, the highest ever recorded for the world's tallest peak, surpassing the previous record of 479 set in 2023. This is also the first season Nepal has charged the higher fee of USD 15,000 per climber, up from USD 11,000. Royalty data up to May 7 shows Everest alone has generated Rs 1.019 billion from 468 climbers across 48 teams. Across all 30 permitted peaks, total royalty revenue stands at Rs 1.189 billion from 133 teams and 1,108 climbers. Updated