New record set as 274 climbers scale Everest's south side in single day

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A record 274 climbers scaled Everest's south side on Wednesday, setting a new high.
Rishi Bhandari credited good weather and many climbers waiting to ascend for the record achievement.

KATHMANDU, Nepal — A record 274 climbers scaled Mount Everest on Wednesday, the highest number to reach the summit from the mountain's south side in a single day, a Nepali hiking official said.

That's nearly 50 more than the previous high of 223 set on May 22, 2019, though the overall number was higher that day because some climbers reached the summit from the mountain's northern side in Tibet. China issued no permits to climb the north face this year, according to reports.

Rishi Bhandari, secretary general of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal, confirmed the figure to CNN, crediting good weather conditions and the large number of climbers waiting to ascend the 29,029-foot peak. Strong winds are forecast for later in the week, Bhandari said

Overcrowding has been a growing problem on Everest for years, with one infamous 2019 photo taken by climber Nirmal Purja showing a long line of climbers huddling on an exposed ridge waiting to reach the summit. He told CNN, at the time, that there were roughly 320 people in the queue to the top in an area known as the "death zone."

The world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, has a key window in spring for alpinists hoping to reach the summit, usually occurring in mid-to-late May. Harsh winter winds ease during this time, allowing for climbers to better push for the top.

This year, the annual spring climbing season got underway after a blockage of the route to the summit caused disruptions for hundreds of hopeful climbers.

Glacial ice impeding the path kept alpinists stuck at base camp as specialized high-altitude workers known as "icefall doctors" worked for weeks to remove the large frozen block, known as a serac.

The route was eventually unblocked on May 13, but the delay sparked fears of overcrowding on the mountain, due to the buildup of climbers and the shorter window for them to reach the summit.

Nepal has issued nearly 500 permits to climb the mountain this year.

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