Target: Khadak Raj Paudel, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation for Nepal
Goal: Advocate for stricter climbing guidelines to protect people scaling Mount Everest.
A miracle on the mountain unfolded when a Mount Everest guide who had been presumed dead was rescued roughly a week after he had gone missing. Hillary Dawa Sherpa was spotted by a cleaning crew as he made his way down the treacherous trek: exhausted, injured, and dehydrated. The guide had become separated from his client 6,000 feet above the massive mountain’s base. He had reportedly spent a chunk of his harrowing journey in a crevice. When Sherpa returned home, his family – who had been preparing for his funeral – was elated. Then their questions began.
The family believes rescue efforts were significantly delayed because Sherpa was a native of the region and not a wealthy tourist. But their complaints against the Department of Tourism also shine a spotlight on a longer-held criticism. While the Nepalese government has introduced restrictions about the experience level of Mount Everest hikers and climbers and have also raised fees, they have not set any type of restrictions on the overall number of trekkers allowed on the life-endangering mountain. Other major mountaineering regions around the world have implemented such protocols due to concerns about safety, about overcrowding, and about environmental impacts. But despite pushback from Nepal’s Army and its Supreme Court, tourism special interests have blockaded climbing limitations. In fact, the mountain recently came off one of its busiest climbing seasons on record.
Sign the petition below to demand government officials take stock of the latest near-tragedy and stop brushing off needed reforms.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Paudel,
A 2019 “traffic jam” of Mount Everest climbers claimed nine lives. Hundreds of people have died on this mountain, and Hillary Dawa Sherpa very nearly became its latest statistic. But each of these individuals is more than a statistic, and their deaths should mean something. The Sherpa family has already questioned the lack of care seemingly given to locating their loved one, and the government’s recent actions do signal a prioritization of profit over human lives.
Advocates, military personnel, and this nation’s own highest court have laid out the dangers of overcrowding, especially with ever-rising environmental factors deepening concerns. What was the response? You increased climbing fees and mandated local guides…one of the very same guides who nearly lost his life. But these minor actions do not address the main and major problem: this unforgiving mountain simply cannot safely support so many human beings.
Other mountaineering tourism areas have taken note, and they have revised their guidelines accordingly. They have successfully managed to balance sacrificing money with sacrificing lives. Follow their lead and commit to making Mount Everest a one-in-a-lifetime experience rather than an end-of-a-lifetime experience.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Lloyd Smith
