Nepal ready for more Everest climbers after China set limits

This picture taken on May 21, 2018 shows discarded climbing equipment and rubbish scattered around Camp 4 of Mount Everest.  Decades of commercial mountaineering have turned Mount Everest into the world’s highest rubbish dump as an increasing number of big-spending climbers pay little attention to the ugly footprint they leave behind. / AFP PHOTO  

KATHMANDU, Nepal — Nepal is expecting more climbers to try to scale Mount Everest in coming weeks after China said it would limit attempts from the northern side.

Danduraj Ghimire of Nepal’s Tourism Department said Tuesday it expected to get more climbers than usual to apply for climbing permits during the spring climbing season that begins later this week.

Some 563 climbers scaled the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak from the southern side in Nepal in 2018.

The spring climbing season, when weather conditions are best on the world’s highest peak, begins March 1 and ends May 31.

China said in January it would cut the number of climbers by one-third this year as part of plans for a major cleanup on the mountain that straddles the border between the countries. / gsg