A record-high number of climbers successfully scaled the world’s highest peak, breaking the previous record set in 2019. On Wednesday, 274 climbers summited Mount Everest in Nepal, breaking the previous single-day record of 223 from May 22, 2019. Long waiting lists and good weather contributed to the high number of climbers this season, which runs from late April to the end of May. Nepal issued nearly 500 climbing permits this year. After a giant ice block blocked the route in April, a path was cleared on May 13, allowing the many waiting climbers to finally attempt the summit. Low oxygen levels in the mountain’s “death zone,” which refers to altitudes above 26,247 feet, require climbers to carry oxygen tanks to keep breathing. An ascent of the mountain with extra oxygen tanks carried on the backs of sherpas can cost between $70,000 and $96,000 per person. Accidents in the death zone are not uncommon, and overcrowding on the trail can increase the risk of death.
Read it at The U.S. Sun
