A video of climbers waiting in long queues for their turn to ascend and descend the world’s tallest peak,
are going viral on social media, Fox Weather reported.
A user, Rajan Dwivedi, shared the video on Instagram with caption, “Mt. Everest is not a joke and in fact, quite a serious climb.”
Dwivedi showed video from May 20 where he was waiting in a single climbing lane with dozens of climbers all trying to make the summit.
“”This video captured shows what we face on one rope line and negotiating interchanges during the traffic for upstream and downstream!” he said.” he remarked.
At over 29,000 feet above sea level, Mt. Everest looms near the jet stream. Dwivedi explained that climbers must wait for favorable weather patterns when the jet stream retreats from the mountain. Otherwise, wind speeds atop the summit can reach a staggering 100-240 mph.
Dwivedi recounted his own harrowing descent experience, describing it as a nightmarish and exhausting ordeal, compounded by the presence of a massive line of climbers ascending to take advantage of the brief weather window.
The overcrowding on Everest has become a problem for years but the world’s biggest mountain has become an increasing concern to officials in recent years.
Everest’s popularity hasn’t waned, despite frequents accidents and deaths on the mountain.
The season is at its peak at the moment – with hundreds of climbers jammed side by side along the Hillary Step, The New York Post reported.
This came few days after five people were found dead and three others have gone missing since the beginning of this climbing season, New York Times reported.
High above the clouds on earth’s highest peak, climbers are making the arduous trek up Mount Everest.
The narrow window of the spring summit season, which usually lasts from April to May, is the best time to climb. The weather is clearer and less windy but that is no guarantee of safety: At least five people have died and three others have gone missing since the beginning of this climbing season, officials said.
The popularity of the climb has prompted concerns in recent years that overcrowding, competition and inadequate vetting of rookie climbers are making it even more dangerous.