KATHMANDU: Late on Friday, a team of ten Nepali climbers successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest via its southern approach, marking the first summit of the season and paving the way for other climbers aiming to reach the top. This annual tradition involves a team from one of Nepal's expedition-organizing companies leading the way for paying clients to follow suit.

Chhang Dawa Sherpa from Seven Summit Treks, which led the team, confirmed the success of the rope-fixing expedition, with the team reaching the summit at 8:15 pm local time. The achievement was acknowledged by a statement from Nepal's tourism department at the Everest base camp. As the first climbers of the season, they have set the stage for others to make their attempts.

Khim Lal Gautam, head of the base camp field office, mentioned that numerous other teams are already en route, with many positioned at Camp 2, anticipating the optimal weather conditions for their ascent. A favorable weather window has been forecasted until May 14, potentially facilitating over a hundred summits during this period.

Nepal's spring climbing season, which spans from April to early June, has attracted 414 mountaineers this year, each accompanied by a Nepali guide. With more than 800 climbers expected to tread the same path to the peak, the expedition season promises to be bustling. Additionally, China has reopened the Tibetan route to foreigners for the first time since its closure in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing additional access to the mountain.