Revision History

On May 20, 2026, a record 274 climbers summited Mount Everest from the Nepali side in a single day, shattering the previous record of 223 set in 2019. The milestone intensifies a long-running debate between those who see commercial mountaineering as an economic lifeline for one of Asia's poorest nations and critics who warn that unchecked crowding is increasing risk in the death zone while burying the mountain in waste.