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.

The record turnout comes amid mounting concerns over crowd management, as delayed route preparation and a potentially narrow summit window raise fears of congestion high on the mountain.

The government has also earned a historic Rs1.07 billion in royalty revenue this season from Everest alone.

The jump in revenue follows Nepal’s decision to raise Everest royalty fees for foreign climbers using the standard South Col route to $15,000 from $11,000, effective September 1, 2025—a 36 percent increase. For Nepali climbers, the spring permit fee doubled from Rs75,000 to Rs150,000.

The previous highest number of permits was issued in spring 2023, when 478 climbers received permission to attempt Everest. The figure dropped to 422 in 2024 before rising to 468 in 2025.

Expedition operators say this year’s surge has largely been driven by China’s closure of Everest from the Tibetan side.

Mountaineering expert Ang Tshiring Sherpa said careful coordination would now be critical to prevent dangerous overcrowding.

“If the weather behaves well, managing around 200 climbers a day is possible,” he said. “Everything depends on the weather.”

The concern stems from delays in route fixing above base camp. According to officials stationed at Everest Base Camp, route preparation had reached Camp IV by Friday evening and may take another week before climbers are allowed to begin summit pushes.

Since Wednesday, however, fixing work has been temporarily halted because of strong winds.

“Every season, we struggle to identify the most reliable weather source when we’re on a big mountain,” Mingma G, managing director of Imagine Nepal, wrote on Facebook.

“Over the past few days, it seemed all forecasts were aligning, but the storms on Wednesday and Thursday made it clear which weather reports to trust for the 2026 Everest Expedition.”

He said the fixing team had been forced to retreat from Camp III on Thursday, although forecasts for May 8 and 9 appeared favourable for establishing Camp IV at the South Col.

According to Guinness World Records, the highest number of people to summit Everest in a single day was 354 on May 23, 2019, from both the Nepal and Tibet sides.

From Nepal alone, 223 climbers reached the summit on May 22 that year, followed by 212 on May 23, according to the Department of Tourism.

The 2019 season became emblematic of Everest overcrowding after climber Nirmal “Nims” Purja photographed a long queue of mountaineers near the Hillary Step, with hundreds trapped in a bottleneck on the narrow ridge leading to the summit.

The congestion was blamed on a brief weather window on May 22-23 that forced hundreds of climbers to make summit bids simultaneously. At least three climbers died during the rush.

Following criticism over overcrowding and pollution, Nepal’s Supreme Court in 2024 ordered the government to regulate expedition numbers on Everest.

A division bench of justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Sushma Lata Mathema directed authorities to determine climber limits based on the mountain’s carrying capacity and safety considerations.

The ruling followed growing concern over traffic jams and mounting waste on Everest, often described as the “world’s highest garbage dump”.

“This is a historic high,” said Himal Gautam, spokesperson for the Department of Tourism.

“Despite delays in route preparation, the number of climbers remains manageable.”

He said government agencies, expedition operators and team leaders at base camp had already coordinated measures to reduce congestion during summit pushes.

The 2026 spring season began with a major obstacle in the Khumbu Icefall, where a massive unstable serac blocked the route below Camp I and delayed operations for weeks.

According to a report by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), the serac measured approximately 55 metres long, 37 metres wide and 28 metres high. Multiple cracks made the ice structure highly unstable and complicated route selection.

The danger became evident when part of the serac collapsed onto the route early Tuesday morning, injuring four people heading towards Camp II for acclimatisation.

Sherpa guide Pemba Tenduk and Indian climber Nimish Kumar Singh were seriously injured and later airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment at HAMS Hospital.

Both were partially buried under snow and debris before nearby Sherpas rescued them. Videos circulating on social media showed rescuers digging frantically with limited equipment, as snow shovels were not immediately available.

After a 19-day delay, the route through the icefall was finally opened on April 28, bringing relief to hundreds of climbers and guides stranded at base camp.

Despite the breakthrough, authorities warn that risks remain high. The SPCC has enforced stricter movement protocols in hazardous sections, especially around the so-called “rockfall point”.

Climbers have been instructed to move quickly through dangerous areas, minimise loads, cross ladders one at a time and remain clipped to safety lines at all times.

Gyanendra Shrestha, the government representative at Everest Base Camp, said the first major summit window is expected between May 18 and 22.

Ang Tshiring Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said the government should consider extending the climbing season into mid-June because route preparation had already been delayed by nearly three weeks.

Veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita Sherpa is attempting his 32nd ascent of Everest, extending his own world record. British climber Kenton Cool is aiming for his 20th summit, which would mark the highest number of Everest ascents by a non-Sherpa climber.

Among the more unusual expeditions this season, Australian climber Oliver Foran has begun a “sea-to-summit” journey, cycling 1,150 kilometres from India’s coastline before trekking to Everest Base Camp. The challenge echoes the historic 1990 expedition of Tim Macartney-Snape, who first climbed Everest from sea level.

Foran is partnering with the Australian organisation Youturn to raise $200,000 for youth mental health services.

In another high-profile attempt, a 36-year-old American endurance runner plans to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen and at record speed.

Meanwhile, Neelam Poudel, a transwoman, is also preparing for an Everest ascent this season.