KATHMANDU, March 11 (Xinhua) -- A team of icefall doctors has moved from Namche Bazaar to Mt. Qomolangma Base Camp (EBC) to fix climbing routes for the spring expedition on Wednesday.
The nine-member team consists of six icefall doctors, two kitchen staff and a garbage monitoring member. "The team will reach the base camp on the fifth day after their movement," said Kapindra Rai, program officer at Sagarmatha Pollution Control, Committee (SPCC).
According to Rai, the fixing of the route can take a minimum of 12 days to a maximum of 20 days depending on the weather and the location. "The team will first examine the site and then start working as the weather there is unpredictable," he added.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal has contracted the SPCC to fix the climbing route through Khumbu Icefall annually.
The route between base camp and Camp II is used to climb Mount Qomolangma. The trained icefall doctors open the route by fixing ropes and aluminum ladders. The Department of Tourism has started permitting climbers for the spring season which is considered the main climbing season given the appropriate weather in the mountain.
As approved by the government, each foreign member of the expedition needs to pay US dollar 600 for using the route during the spring climbing season. "We don't charge Sherpas who climb the mountains as helpers," Rai told Xinhua on Wednesday, "Even Nepali climbers are exempt from the charge."
Nima Dorjee Tamang, owner at an expedition company, said that the number of expedition teams this year has significantly decreased.
"Many bookings have either been postponed or cancelled," he said, adding that the number of climbers from China and Europe have dropped this year with the spread of the coronavirus.
"Almost 80% of expeditions have been cancelled but we are yet to see the final result," Tamang said, "Expeditions from the Chinese side will not take place so we might receive some additions this year."
