China Restricts Everest Climbs from the North Side: A Campaign to Clean the World’s Highest Peak
Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, attracts approximately 800 climbers each year. However, China has announced it will cut the number of climbers from the north side by one-third this year. This is part of a campaign to clear garbage and bodies from the legendary mountain.
According to state media, the total number of climbers permitted to attempt the 8,850-meter summit this year will be limited to under 300, with restrictions during the spring climbing season. The clean-up campaign includes removing the bodies of unfortunate explorers along with the waste left behind by climbers.
1. The Border That Separates Two Countries
The route to the summit of Everest follows the border between China and Nepal. Each year, about 60,000 climbers and tourists visit the north side of Everest—which China calls Mount Qomolangma, after its Tibetan name.
China has established stations to store, recycle, and destroy waste on the mountain, including items such as cans, plastic bags, heating equipment, tents, and oxygen canisters.
2. The Scale of the Waste Problem
In the summer of 2025, Chinese authorities stated that they had cleared 8.5 tons of waste from Everest, most of which was human feces. On the Nepal side (the south side), expedition organizers have begun distributing large trash bags to participants so they can collect waste, which is then flown down by helicopter to collection points below.
3. The “Death Zone” and Human Toll
The challenging mountain claims many lives each year, often in the “Death Zone” above 8,000 meters, where the air is too thin to sustain life. In reality, once a climber enters the “Death Zone,” the human body is essentially dying slowly.
In 2017, 648 climbers successfully summited Everest, while 6 people were confirmed dead on the mountain.
4. Concerns About Overcrowding
According to The Telegraph, the large number of people intending to climb Everest has raised concerns about overcrowding and the associated risks.
Primary Sources:
State media reports on the Everest clean-up campaign
The Telegraph — Overcrowding concerns on Everest
Nepal Mountaineering Association — Climbing statistics and safety records
Himalayan Database — Everest mortality records