70 years after its conquest, Everest still attracts

A traffic jam above the clouds. On the slopes of Everest, more than 8,000 meters above sea level, queues are common. The roof of the world is a victim of its own success. In 1953, the highest mountains in the Himalayas are still unexplored. New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Tensing Norgay will climb Everest.

The Disneyland of the mountains

Since then, Everest has become an El Dorado for climbers. “It’s a bit like the Disneyland of the mountains. We are not necessarily motivated by this kind of peak, it kills the dream of Everest as a virgin mountain“, regrets the mountaineer Bernard Roche. Waste is piling up, but it is impossible for Nepal to stop the experiment, which brings in over 3 million euros in revenue. The country has implemented a visa system to attempt the ascent. More than 11,000 people have managed to reach the summit.