The job is done. Today at around 5 p.m. local time, the seven-member fixed rope team of the operator 8K Expeditions reached the summit of Mount Everest at 8,849 meters. Tsering Pemba Sherpa, Ashok Lama, Pem Nurbu Sherpa, Tashi Sherpa, Karma Gyaljen Sherpa, Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa and Pas Tenzi Sherpa secured the route to the highest point with ropes, the company announced. The route is now officially open on Everest.
First summit wave of the season expected
This season, Expedition Operators Association Nepal (EOA) had commissioned 8K Expeditions to fix the ropes on both Mount Everest and the neighboring Lhotse from the common Camp 2 at 6,400 meters to the two summits. As reported, yesterday, Thursday, the rope-fixing on Lhotse reached the highest point at 8,516 meters, thus ensuring the first summit success of the season on the fourth highest mountain on earth. It took a day longer on Everest because the team had to bring a member – probably suffering from high altitude sickness – down from the South Summit at 8,749 meters to Camp 4 on the South Col at just under 8,000 meters.
Now that the ropes are fixed up to the highest point, the first summit wave of the season is expected shortly. This spring, the Tourism Ministry in Kathmandu has issued 456 Everest permits for climbers from 57 countries. That is 35 permits more than in 2024.
