36 in Nepal make final push to Qomolongma summit

KATHMANDU - Around 36 mountaineers started making the final push towards the summit of Qomolangma from Nepali side Thursday night following good weather forecasts. This is the first summit attempt of the spring 2012 season. A large number of climbing teams are planning to make summit bids on Saturday.

According to eKantipur.com report, among the mountaineers headed for the top are 14 foreigners including 11 Chileans besides 22 Nepalis consisting of 10 rope fixing Sherpas and 12 climbing guides, said Ang Tshering Sherpa, immediate past president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association. "As of Friday morning, we have been told that they have reached a height of 8,700 m," Sherpa said.

The Industry Division of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has issued climbing permits to 32 teams consisting of 337 climbers (325 foreigners) for this spring. Of the climbers who received permits, 49 are women.

The royalty for climbing Qomolangma ranges from $15,000 to $70,000 per expedition, depending on the number of expedition members (maximum seven) and the route. For an expedition having a maximum of 15 members, a fee of 10,000 dollars per person is charged.

More than 3,000 climbers have scaled Qomolangma since it was first conquered by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Sherpa in 1953, according to official data.