Nepal Earthquake Ends Everest Climbing Season Abruptly

Apr 29, 2015 10:39 PM EDT

(Photo : Reuters) Sherpas sit at the base camp after a Mount Everest expedition was cancelled in Solukhumbu district April 27, 2014. There was fury among the roughly 400 sherpas at base camp after the April 18 accident on the perilous Khumbu icefall, the single deadliest disaster on the world's highest mountain. Chanting, pumping their fists and threatening violence, a group of young sherpas forced an expedition boycott that now looks almost certain, for the first time, to write off a whole season for hundreds of would-be summiteers. The sherpa backlash, which had simmered for years as a cut-throat business expanded, could deal a blow to the commercial expedition industry that took off in the mid-1990s - pushing costs for climbers even higher. To match Insight NEPAL-EVEREST/ REUTERS/Phurba Tenjing Sherpa (NEPAL - Tags: TRAVEL SPORT BUSINESS)

Even if there were no injured climbers during the powerful Saturday Nepal earthquake that shook and devastated Nepal, China abruptly ended the climbing season for Mount Everest. That means spring climbing the world's tallest peak from China's side is over.

The hundreds of climbers and Sherpas who were on their way up when the tremor hit the area have packed their equipment, reports Associated Press. Rather than conquer again Everest, the focus of the Sherpas, who guide mountaineers, is to return to Khumbu and help fellow Nepalese affected by the quake, said Adrian Ballinger, climbing guide with Alpenglow Expeditions.

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Ballinger explains, "China believes Sherpas should be able to go home and begin rebuilding." He disclosed that nine of their 12 Sherpas lost their homes. But while their houses sustained a lot of damage, the families of the Sherpas are okay, Ballinger said, reports Mashable.

He said that the China Tibet Mountaineering Association asked its 25 teams, composed of about 300 climbers, to return to base camp to discuss if they would still continue with their quest. But China has decided to disallow climbing from their side in the meantime.

But in a blog posted on Wednesday, Russell Brice, leader of the Himalayan Experience Limited team, said they are considering going up Everest. He said the Himex team would remain in the base camp for the next few days and decide if they would go on or not.

He said the Nepal Mountaineering Association and the Ministry of Tourism, after a meeting on Wednesday, gave the group permission to fly their things to Camp 1 once the choppers are done with the rescue operations.

U.S. climbers, however, find the idea of insisting on climbing Everest at this point improper. "Ethically, it's neither climbing the route and neither is it very respectful to the suffering of the Nepalese who need heli support immediately," said Peter Athans, a veteran mountain guide from Bainbridge Island, Washington.

He was critical of the choppers' use to evacuate climbers since they have enough supplies in Camp 1 to stay for a longer period, while the helicopters were needed more to help the quake victims.

TagsNepal, Nepal Earthquake, 2015 Nepal Earthquake, earthquakes, Nepal baby rescued, Mount Everest