Despite his worries about the trash, Madison, who owns a Seattle-based mountaineering company, said climbing in Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, had a bright future.
“I think Nepal is the Switzerland of Asia in its potential to develop mountaineering,” he said, adding that the country had better emergency helicopter services for climbers than Pakistan and the Tibet region, where the six other highest peaks are located.
This month, as well as Everest, Madison climbed Lhotse, the world’s fourth tallest peak at 8,516 metresm, and the Nuptse peak, at 7,855m, completing the rare “triple crown” of climbing all three in one season.
Mountain climbing generates big income for Nepal, which issued a record 478 permits for Everest this March to May season, each costing US$11,000.
While hundreds of people climbed the mountain this season, 12 of them died and five were missing on its slopes.
Source: CNA
