Scores of climbers were headed for the summit of Mount Everest on Friday in what is expected to another busy weekend on the top of the world.
Last weekend, four climbers died on their way down from the summit amid a traffic jam of more than 200 people scrambling to conquer the world’s highest peak as the weather worsened. A similar crowd is expected this weekend, but there have been no reports of climbers in trouble and the weather is good.
Gyanendra Shrestha, an official with Nepal’s Tourism Ministry, said he had reports that 82 climbers reached the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) summit on Friday morning.
The deaths last weekend raised concerns about overcrowding above the highest trail on the mountain. The area above the South Col is nicknamed the “death zone” because of the steep, icy slope, treacherous conditions and low oxygen level.
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