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Record number of climbers on Everest exposed an unusual queue near the summit, with a wait of up to three hours at the Hillary Step, 274 climbers reaching the top in a single day, criticism of licenses granted by Nepal, and new concerns about safety, lack of oxygen, abandoned waste, and environmental impacts at Camp 4
Mount Everest faced international pressure again after setting a new record of climbers at the summit in just one day. According to the Nepal Expedition Operators Association, 274 climbers reached the top from the south side of the mountain, surpassing the mark of 223 recorded in May 2019.
Images posted on social media showed long lines of mountaineers advancing near the highest point on the planet. As a result, the so-called “human congestion” on Everest reignited discussions about safety, lack of oxygen, climbing licenses, and environmental impacts.
According to the Daily Mail, videos recorded hundreds of people waiting to cross the Hillary Step, a rock formation about 12 meters high. The section is located at approximately 8,790 meters altitude, within the so-called Death Zone, where oxygen is insufficient for long periods of survival.
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Reports from climbers seen by the British newspaper indicate that some groups faced up to three hours of waiting to pass the location. Thus, the combination of extreme altitude, slow passage, and large flow of people heightened the alert among mountaineering experts.
Record on Everest increases criticism over climbing permits
The simultaneous advance of hundreds of climbers occurred amid recurring criticism against Nepal’s policy of granting too many permits for the mountain. According to experts consulted by the Daily Mail, the presence of several people near the summit can increase risks in areas with low oxygen.
Almost 500 climbers received permission to attempt to reach the top of Everest in 2026. Since September 2025, the climbing license has cost US$ 15,000, about R$ 75,000.
The previous amount was US$ 11,000, approximately R$ 55,000. The change marked the first increase in almost a decade, but it did not end the debate over overcrowding on the mountain.
Operators say queues can be controlled with preparation
Expedition operators claim that delays do not automatically make climbing unfeasible. To Reuters, Austrian Lukas Furtenbach, from Furtenbach Adventures**, said that well-prepared teams can handle waits near the summit.
According to him, proper planning and sufficient oxygen supply help groups face delays caused by queues. The risk, however, remains high because the stretch is in one of the most severe areas of the climb.
Trash at Camp 4 raises environmental alert on Everest
The record number of visitors also brought the environmental issue back to the forefront. Recent images showed Camp 4, considered the highest on the planet, covered with abandoned tents, empty cylinders, and packaging.
Located at the South Col, between Everest and Lhotse, the space serves as the last stop before attempting to reach the summit.
On social media, profiles specializing in mountaineering criticized the situation. For these profiles, one of the most extraordinary places on the planet has come to symbolize the effects of excessive commercial exploitation of the mountain.
Cleaning the region remains a difficult task. After all, extreme altitude, intense cold, and sudden changes in weather make any operation more risky.
In 2024, a team composed of Nepalese soldiers and sherpas removed 11 tons of trash from Everest. The group also recovered four bodies of climbers, reinforcing the seriousness of human and environmental challenges on the mountain.
The new record of 274 climbers at the summit not only exposed an unusual line at the top of the world. It also highlighted the growing pressure on safety, high-altitude tourism, and environmental preservation on Everest.
To what extent can extreme tourism on Everest still grow without turning the top of the world into an even greater risk for climbers and the mountain itself?
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