EVEREST BASE CAMP, MAY 16
Stakeholders have expressed extreme worries over the rapid degradation of the current Everest base camp, where over 2,000 people are now camping for this year's spring climbing season.
During the study and workshop on an alternative Everest base camp, hosted by the Expedition Operators Association Nepal and supported by the Nepal Tourism Board, the Nepal Forum of Science Journalists mobilized a team of national and international journalists and experts to the Everest region from May 2nd to May 13th to discuss the current status of the Everest base camp.
"Stakeholders expressed their serious concerns over the dilapidated condition of Everest base camp at the height of 5,364m while their opinions have been divided on the possibility of its relocation," said, Chhatra Karki, Team Lead of the Himalayan Climate Boot Camp–2024.
"Glaciers are melting so fast due to global warming and this trend has severely impacted the existing topography of the Everest base camp," Antoine Erout, senior French glaciologist, said.
Jamling Tenzing, son of legendary climber Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, shared that shifting the base camp could not be the solution to this pertinent crisis. "Managing crowd at the Everest base camp as well as limiting the number of Everest aspirants each year should be discussed upon," he said, adding that the crisis will even prolong as the current EBC was used as the Advance Base Camp for all visiting members.
"Real adventure or mountaineering is almost gone," the Jamling added, suggesting the government and stakeholders should seriously work on the management and protection of the Everest environment.
Lama Kazi Sherpa, Chairperson at Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee also observed that the issue of shifting the base camp from current location is irrelevant but proper management and monitoring from the government side are needed. "There are other ways to tackle the problems which need to be studied," he said.
Similarly, senior tourism entrepreneur Lhakpa Sonam Sherpa, who scaled Mt Everest last season, had opined that unmanaged tents, human faeces and urine are the biggest threat to the Khumbu glacier. "If we don't move the base camp from the current location, it will disappear in a decade," Sherpa said. According to him, piling of faeces and urine at the EBC for years poses a big threat to the Everest environment as well as to downstream residents who consume water from Dudhkoshi River.
Khim Lal Gautam, chief at the Expedition Monitoring and Facilitation Field Office at the Everest Base Camp, however, said that the current EBC should be immediately shifted to new and nearby locations. "It's not only a crisis resulting from global warming but also a man-made one," he said, adding that if the base camp couldn't be moved from the current location, it might disappear in a decade or more.
Every season, expedition operators dig out snow at the base camp to place their luxury tents.
"Digging holes in the glacier to set up tents every year is also causing harm to the base camp," admits Lakpa Tenji Sherpa, a climber, who is making his third attempt to Everest this season. "Regulation and monitoring from the government and concerned stakeholders is a must to save Everest status.
Recently, renowned American climber Conrad Anker also suggested a carrying capacity study which could be a way forward for managing the crowd on Mt Everest. Tshering Penjo Sherpa of Sagarmatha National Park Buffer zone management council said that lack of government's presence for effective monitoring of climbing activities at the base camp also adds to the problem. "Shifting of the EBC from the current location is not a solution as there is much more to do for its management," Anker said. Unmanaged helicopter flight above the base camp is another serious issue, which has adversely impacted the cryosphere, according to stakeholders.
According to NFSJ, during the study, more than 150 persons, including climbers, experts, community members, and government officials, shared their opinions on the challenges faced by the base camp and surrounding glaciers on Mount Everest. This season, more than 500 climbers, including 416 for Mount Everest, along with their support staff and guides, have been stationed at the base camp.
