Veteran Pasang Dawa Sherpa urges experience-based permits for Everest as climate change reshapes the Mountain

In an exclusive interview with ANI, Pasang Dawa drew attention to how climate change is altering the Himalaya's weather patterns and terrain, amplifying risks for climbers and local communities alike, even as calls intensify to cap the number of Everest permits for safety and sustainability.

"In the last season, in September and October, there was heavy snowfall which had impacted the daily life of the people in the Khumbu region and the high Himalaya passes. In the past, there used to be snowfall during winter, but at the time it occurred during the off season- September/ October which impacted our clients as well as the climbers like us; it has created a fear that it would rake up the challenges while going through the passes," Pasang told ANI.

"At such times, we are fearful. In the past as well, it might be the year 1996, there was heavy snowfall around September-October, which invited devastation and avalanches, which indeed has increased the fear," he added.

The 49-year-old climber reached the summit twice this year. Born in Pangboche, a Sherpa village perched at roughly 4,000 meters beneath Everest's southern flank, Pasang Dawa entered the mountaineering trade at a young age of 21, assisting expedition teams before becoming one of the Himalaya's most accomplished guides.

Over the years, he has witnessed and experienced changes in the route of the world's tallest peak, which is commonly attributed to climate change.

"In the Khumbu Icefall, about 5 or 6 years back the route used to open from the Rolang side but now it is open from the Nuptse; the climbing route has changed. From the Nuptse as well, the route is open to the summit, which is called the field; after the field, the route that leads to the summit is the same which had been used for the summit for a long time," Pasang said.

Studies of the Mount Everest region show significant declines in snow cover during winter and post-monsoon seasons over recent decades, linked to atmospheric warming, changing precipitation, and feedback from reduced surface albedo.

Snow in Everest is thinning over 80 times faster than the 2,000 years it took to form the ice, according to the study conducted by researchers led by the US-based University of Maine.

As the Earth's average temperature rises, climbers say that the rate at which glaciers are melting in the Himalayan region is increasing, the time and amount of snowfall are changing, and the pattern of rainfall is rapidly changing. The Himalayan region is considered a highly sensitive area to climate change.

While the weather used to be relatively stable a few decades ago, there are now rapid fluctuations in the weather. The weather that appears normal in the morning can become bad within a few hours. Especially in the Khumbu Icefall region, the instability of the ice structure is increasing, which may add more challenges to climbing in the future. He states that due to the lack of snow, ice melts quickly, and the problem of more crevasses and cracks opening up is being observed.

This has increased the risk of accidents and casualties on Everest as the number of permits has continued to rise year-by-year. Traffic along Mount Everest increased this year, with the year 2026 recorded as the year with record-high permit and royalty collection. Nearly 500 permits were issued this year for Everest alone.

"I cannot say the number that should be specified for the summit of Everest, but focus should be given more to the experienced and qualified climbers who have previously climbed the mountains. Many of the climbers who have already summited the mountains in Europe, such as Elbrus, Denali, and Mount Kilimanjaro, come here to climb Everest. It might be good that permits are given to them on the basis of their (climbing) experience," Pasang Dawa told ANI.

"This would further make the expedition easy. Most of the climbers who come to summit Everest are experienced ones who have summited Elbrus, Denali, and Mount Kilimanjaro. If the climbers have already summited other peaks before Everest, it would further ease the climbing," he added.

The record number of climbers came to Nepal despite the increased revenue as well as the ongoing crisis in East Asia, which has soared flight fares.

Nepal, since last September, has hiked the royalty of the 8000ers (peaks over 8,000 meters). The Sixth amendment of the mountaineering regulation released on February 3, 2025, also bars climbers from solo expeditions on all the 8000ers peaks. The amendment in Rule 6 of the previous regulation has been amended to bar climbers from going on solo expeditions of the 8000ers.

The recently adopted changes also have formally publicised the hike in royalty fee for the foreign climbers attempting to summit Mount Everest from the standard south route in spring to 15000 USD per person.

The spring season expedition, which sees a high influx of climbers in the Himalayan Nation from the month of March to May, previously used to be 11,000 USD. The new regulation also has increased the climbing royalty for the autumn season, running from September to November, to 7,500 USD from the existing 5,500 USD.

Similarly, the Winter expedition, which runs from December to February and the monsoon from June to August, has also been revised to 3,750 USD from 2,750 USD.

The updated provision also incorporates the revised fees for other 8000ers. The royalty of the spring expedition has increased by nearly twofold from 1800 to 3000 USD. The autumn fee now stands at 1500 USD from the existing 900 USD, while the winter and monsoon expedition has become dearer as it has been revised from 450 USD to 750 USD.

In regard to Nepali climbers, the royalty for the normal route in the spring season has doubled from NRs. 75,000 to 150,000. Nepal in the year 2015 had revised the royalty fee by switching from a group-based system to a uniform fee of $11,000 per climber for Everest's spring season via the normal route.

The cost for an expedition rises further when the weather is not favourable, as it normally lasts for only two weeks in a year. Close to 7,000 mountaineers have climbed Everest from the Nepal side since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealander Edmund Percival Hillary first set foot atop the world's highest peak in May 1953. (ANI)