As the 2024 Everest climbing season draws to a close, so does its first major Everest controversy. Local authorities in the Khumbu region have removed the unpopular billboard that had replaced the traditional, graffiti-covered rock that greeted trekkers and climbers at Everest Base Camp since March.
The billboard showcased the camp’s altitude and featured a photo of mountaineering legends Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. However, it was installed directly in front of the cherished stone marked “EBC,” which had long been the iconic photo spot for those arriving at the base camp.
The Everest Chronicle reported that the decision to take down the billboard followed widespread criticism from climbers, trekkers, and social media users. Many visitors were disappointed because they wanted to take photos with the original stone, while others simply felt the new billboard was an unnecessary and intrusive addition to the natural landscape. Interestingly, these critics seemed to overlook the presence of hundreds of tents scattered across the Khumbu Glacier.
Moreover, the billboard’s removal was only a matter of time since it was precariously positioned on the constantly shifting glacier, making its eventual collapse inevitable.
End of the Everest Season
The Everest climbing season officially wraps up in the first week of June, but the monsoon rains are already approaching. The Icefall Doctors will determine the exact closing date when they remove the ladders and ropes from the Khumbu Icefall. This could happen as early as this week, once the last climbers return to Base Camp.
Currently, Everest is nearly deserted. Only a few staff members are left to dismantle the camps, and there are just two remaining climbing teams. One team is Elite Exped, led by Nirmal Purja. The other team is a private client group outfitted by 8K Expeditions led by Sanu Sherpa and supported by two other sherpas. According to Lakpa Sherpa, the head of 8K, the team tried to reach the summit today but had to turn back at the Balcony, as reported by ExplorersWeb.
