Watch | Trekkers queuing up on Mt Everest goes viral sparking concerns, fears

A recent video showing long queues of climbers at the summit of Mount Everest has gone viral, raising widespread concerns and fears. According to the New York Post, the climbers were stranded following an incident on Tuesday where a British climber and his Sherpa died, struck by falling ice as they descended from the summit.

An Indian climber, Rajan Dwivedi, shared a clip on Instagram on May 20, depicting a long queue of climbers in a single line attempting to reach the summit. Dwivedi emphasized in his post, “Mt. Everest is not a joke and in fact, quite a serious climb.”

Dwivedi elaborated further, detailing three particularly challenging sections: 1) Khumbu Icefalls, 2) Camp 3 to Camp 4, and 3) Camp 4 to the Summit, where climbers spend the entire night in the death zone amidst frigid air. “Approximately 500 climbers, many of whom are amateurs and inexperienced, attempt the climb each year for its glory. Probably 250-300 succeed, but many end up with frostbite, snow blindness, and various injuries that aren’t recorded in any database,” Dwivedi stated.

The video he shared highlights the long wait on a single rope line, with climbers negotiating interchanges amid traffic moving both upstream and downstream. “The main reason is the weather window, which climbers must navigate to avoid the fierce jet streams that can range from 100-240 mph. For me, descending was a nightmare and exhausting as huge lines of climbers were ascending to maximize the weather window,” added Dwivedi.

Massimo, another climber, shared a similar video on X, noting that the causes of these jams are linked to short weather windows, the timing of rope fixes, and the presence of slow, inexperienced climbers.

Environmentalists and seasoned climbers have expressed increasing concern about the overcrowding on Everest. Despite numerous accidents and fatalities, hundreds continue to prepare for the challenge of summiting the world’s highest peak.

The tragedy of the British climber, Mar Paterson (39), and his Nepali Sherpa, Pastenji (23), who collapsed while descending the Hillary Step, underscores the severe risks associated with climbing Everest.