By Gurkha Insight • Nepal Now • Aug 26, 2025 19:28 PM • 7 views
On the slopes of Mount Everest, the silence is often broken not by the wind, but by a chilling, and now all too familiar, task. This year, the Nepalese Army concluded its 55-day cleanup operation, a gruelling mission that was as much a recovery effort as it was a fight against waste. They returned from the high altitudes with 11 tonnes of garbage—a mountain of refuse from a mountain of dreams—and, more somberly, four bodies and a skeleton. For decades, Everest has been a graveyard and a dump site, its treacherous paths littered with the remnants of past expeditions. The military's annual campaign, which began in 2019, has already pulled 119 tonnes of waste and 14 bodies from its icy grasp. But the scale of the problem is staggering; an estimated 50+ tonnes of waste and over 200 frozen bodies still lie scattered across the slopes, a grim testament to the mountain's unforgiving nature. This year's mission wasn't just about hauling trash. It was a sign of a new, more serious approach. The Nepalese government is trying to turn the tide against the "highest garbage dump" with practical new rules. They've introduced mandatory tracking devices to help with rescues and, in a sign of the sheer scale of the problem, "poo bags" to ensure human waste is brought off the mountain. There's even talk of a new team of mountain rangers, a permanent force to enforce these rules. Even with these efforts, the human cost of climbing remains a painful reality. This past spring saw fewer permits issued, a sign of global economic pressures. Yet, tragedy still struck. The heartbreaking loss of British mountaineer Daniel Paterson and his Sherpa guide, Pastenji Sherpa, served as a stark reminder that even with fewer people on the mountain, its dangers remain. The recovery efforts for the two were ultimately deemed too perilous to continue. Now, the Nepal Supreme Court has stepped in, demanding a limit on climbing permits. This has sparked a crucial national debate, with tourism officials acknowledging the need for a "scientific study to determine Everest’s perfect number." It’s a moment of reckoning for Nepal, as it grapples with the immense challenge of balancing a vital adventure tourism industry with the desperate need for sustainability. The Army’s cleanup is a heroic effort, but it's clear the long, difficult journey to preserve the Himalayas has only just begun. For more updates on Nepal’s mountaineering policies, follow GurkhaInsight.com.
