China Bans Tourists From Everest Base Camp Because They Leave Too Much Trash

When we think of people climbing Mount Everest, we tend to think of the glorious side of things – the amazing feat of climbing the tallest mountain in the world, defying the elements and the odds in order to achieve the ultimate mountaineering glory.

What we probably don’t give much consideration to is the mountains of trash that end up strewn across base camp, left behind by the thousands of tourists who were crazy enough to travel there and attempt to reach the summit.

Well, just because most of us can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. As it turns out, the piles of trash down below have got so bad on Mount Everest that the Chinese government has banned tourists from the base camp in Tibet.

For the time being, only visitors with special climbing permits will be allowed to go to the base camp at 17,060 feet, the BBC reports.

Non-climbing tourists are still able to visit areas around the Rongpo monastery about 600 feet farther down the mountain, but the authorities are keen to cut the numbers who reach base camp right down, in order to address the problem of waste and pollution in the area. Given that China is one of the most polluted countries on Earth, this is really saying something.

The news was first announced back in December on an official website in Tibet, the BBC said. It didn’t become widespread knowledge across the world until claims were made on social media saying the camp was going to be closed permanently.

China’s state news agency Xinhua cited officials as saying that this rumour was not true. A new camp for visitors will be set up about a mile from the original one, Channel News Asia reported.

The mountain has seen more and more trash pile up over the years as thousands of tourists and climbers have made the trek to the world’s highest peak. The Chinese Mountaineering Association says 40,000 people visited its base camp in 2015, the most recent year with figures, according to the BBC.

With all of those people taking along various supplies including food, clothing, and tools, it’s perhaps not surprising that the waste began to pile up to the point where it became a real problem in the area. 

The mountaineering association said that a whopping 370 tons of rubbish was removed from areas below the Chinese base camp last year. It’s not just at base camp, either – apparently, more than 9 tons of trash was removed from areas higher than 17,000 feet.

In a further effort to help with cleanup, the Chinese authorities have limited the number of climbers from its side of Everest to 300, and restricted the climbing season to spring only.

Another grim consequence of attempting to climb Everest is that many people don’t make it back alive. This is also something that authorities in the area need to address, and it’s been reported that attempts will be made this year to remove the bodies of mountaineers who have died on Everest above 26,000 feet.

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