Everest season sees historic permit surge, testing Nepal’s crowd-control plans

Nepal has issued 492 Everest permits and collected record royalty revenue, but delayed route fixing and a narrow weather window raise fears of overcrowding and safety risks on the world’s tallest peak.

Nepal has recorded its highest-ever number of Everest climbing permits this spring, with 492 fee-paying climbers receiving permission to scale the world’s tallest mountain, the Department of Tourism said on Friday.