- A 30-metre-tall glacier block, known as a serac, is obstructing the route to Mount Everest, located nearly 600 metres below Camp 1 on the Nepalese side.
- Specialist Sherpas, known as icefall doctors, have been unable to find a way around the obstruction, causing significant delays in fixing the climbing route.
- The delay is compressing the climbing window, which typically closes by the end of May, leading to concerns about dangerous overcrowding on the mountain.
- Nepal's Department of Tourism is considering airlifting rope-fixing teams directly to Camp 2 to open the upper route while waiting for the lower obstruction to clear naturally.
- Despite increased permit fees and past issues with overcrowding, Nepal has issued 367 climbing permits for Everest this spring, with demand remaining high.
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