Three 8000ers at a glance: Mount Everest, Lhotse, Makalu (from l. to r.)

The much-discussed new rules for expeditions in Nepal are in effect. According to Dinesh Bhattarai, General Director of the Ministry of Tourism, the amendment of the mountaineering rules was published today in the government  gazette. “The Department of Tourism can now issue certificates to the Sherpa summiters,” Bhattarai told the newspaper “The Himalayan Times”, referring to the only new rule that in advance had been met with approval by all sides.

500 Sherpas can request certificates

After the spring season 2016, the coveted certificates were for the first time denied to local climbers. The reason given at that time: Within the meaning of the law Climbing Sherpas who fix ropes on the route or support clients up to the summit were no expedition members and therefore did not receive any certificates. It was a slap in the face of the Sherpas, without whose support most climbers of commercial expeditions would never have a chance to scale an eight-thousander. About 500 Sherpas can now request their summit certificates, which mean more to them than just a piece of paper. The certificates are considered as proof of performance, as a kind of self-promotion.

Solos forbidden

From now on, also the controversial regulations are obviously in force: Neither blind climbers nor double amputees will receive permits for all mountains higher than 6,600 meters – these fall under the responsibility of the government . Solo ascents will be forbidden. Every mountaineer is obliged to climb with a guide.

Everest, Lhotse, Makalu (from l. to r.)

The time has come. According to reports of the newspapers “Kathmandu Post”  and “The Himalayan Times”, the government of Nepal has adopted some new rules for expeditions – “to improve the safety of the climbers”, as Tourism Secretary Maheswor Neupane said. The new rules apply to all mountains above 6,600 meters – these fall under the responsibility of the government – and will be in force already in the spring season 2018.

No more permits for double amputees and blind climbers

In future neither blind climbers nor double amputees are to receive permits for the highest mountains in the country. “Besides, we have also adopted a strict provision to check the medical certificate of the climbers to determine whether they are physically fit to climb the mountains,” Neupane said. It will be interesting how these checks will be operated.

Missing experience

Andy Holzer on the Rongbuk Glacier near Everest (in 2015)

In recent years, the Nepalese government has repeatedly said that it wanted to keep blind and physically disabled people away from Everest and other very high mountains. “I think very few climbers on Everest are prepared so exactly for their very special challenge Everest as the disabled adventurers with their personal teams are or need to be”, the blind Austrian climber Andy Holzer wrote to me already in 2015. “The real problem is more the climbers who put on their crampons for the first time on Everest and are quite surprised about it.” Last spring, Holzer scaled Everest in his third attempt: as the first blind man from the Tibetan north side.

No solo climbs anymore

Another now adopted amendment will probably also cause a heated debate. According to the new rules every mountaineer will be obliged to climb with a mountain guide. “From now on, foreign climbers will be banned from making a solo attempt on Mt Everest,” Tourism Secretary Neupane said. Supposedly, the government expects this provision to increase employment opportunities for Nepalese guides.

Not one bit safer

So much is certain: These rules will not make Everest or any other crowded eight-thousander one bit safer. Blind or physically handicapped mountaineers are only a tiny minority among the summit aspirants on Mount Everest, as well as those who want to climb the 8850-meter-high mountain solo. The much more important question of mountaineering skills does not seem to be taken into account in the new regulations. After all, in the first reports on the amended expedition rules there was no mention of new minimum requirements for all (!) Everest climbers – such as having climbed at least one seven-thousander or another eight-thousander before.

Min Bahadur Sherchan

Why does a 85-year-old need to climb Mount Everest? For world peace. For environmental protection. For the self-confidence of old people. As an inspiration for the young. All these alleged reasons had to serve when, earlier this week, Min Bahadur Sherchan officially announced in Kathmandu that he would try to reach the 8850-meter-summit this spring. The real and only issue is to regain the Everest age record from Yuichiro Miura. In 2013, the Japanese, then aged 80, had replaced Sherchan as “Everest Methuselah”. For five years, the Nepalese had previously led the record list after standing on the highest mountain on earth at the age of 76 years and 340 days.

Old with “young courage”

Record holder Yuichiro Miura

Already shortly after Miura’s summit success, towards the end of the Everest spring season 2013, and then 2015 too, Min Bahadur had tried to get back the record. In 2013, however, the Nepalese had fallen above Everest Base Camp and suffered a rib injury. In addition, no weather window had opened at this late stage of season. Two years later, the devastating earthquake in Nepal with almost 9,000 deaths had led to the cancellation of all activities on Everest. Now the oldie is determined to do it again. “I may be old in terms of age but I still have a young courage,” Sherchan said. “I will reach the summit of Everest, whatever may come.”

Ex-Gurkha not in the Ghurka expedition

Sherchan after his Everest summit success in 2008

A strong team of six Sherpas including some Everest summiters is to help the senior up to the highest point. The expedition had been made possible by a donation campaign that had been launched by Nepalese people living in Great Britain. Earlier this year, British media reported that Sherchan, who had been a soldier in the Gurkha regiment of the British army as a young man, would be a member of the Gurkha Everest expedition 2017. It turned out to be a media hoax. “He is not part of the British Army Gurkha team. His venture is a separate private attempt,” the organizers of the British expedition wrote to me.

Still no age limit for old people

It is also due to the chronic drowsiness of the Nepali government that Sherchan is allowed to climb Everest this spring. Once again, the responsible people in Kathmandu have not managed to amend the “Mountaineering Expedition Regulation”, which is in force since 2002. Last year’s draft  included a ban on mountaineers older than 75 years. Perhaps the rule will be introduced when Min Bahadur Sherchan will have brought back the age record to Nepal.