Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,848 metres, draws adventurers from all over. But the mountain on the Nepal-China border is fast becoming a dangerous place to visit even for the hardened mountaineer. The inherent ( existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute) risks were this month highlighted with a photograph by Nirmal Purja, a Gorkha ex-soldier. The image, which went viral and altered the manner in which people worldwide imagine what it is to scale Mt. Everest, showed a long queue awaiting a final tilt ( move or cause to move into a sloping position) at the summit, with all the dangers such a wait holds. This season, at least 10 climbers have died or gone missing, including four Indians.

Experts have been calling for Nepal to restrict the number of permits. It awarded a record 381 for this spring, each fetching ( go for and then bring back (someone or something) for someone) $11,000 (climbing from the Tibet side is more expensive). On Wednesday, 200 climbers ascended ( go up or climb)  the summit, a new record for a single day. Last year, 807 managed to reach the summit. In 2012, the United Nations estimated that there were more than 26,000 visitors to the Everest region, and this figure has grown manifold ( having many different forms or elements) since then. Nepal officials argue that permits are not issued recklessly ( without regard to the danger or the consequences of one’s actions; rashly), and that jams such as this year’s near the summit are on account of spells of bad weather, which result in mountaineers being compelled to summit within a narrow time-frame.

Waiting in sub-zero temperatures at the rarefied (of air, especially that at high altitudes) of lower pressure than usual; thin ) altitude can be fatal ( leading to failure or disaster)  — this season’s deaths were mostly due to frostbite ( injury to body tissues caused by exposure to extreme cold, typically affecting the nose, fingers, or toes and often resulting in gangrene), exhaustion, dehydration and lack of oxygen.This year’s drama has caught the public imagination, as happened in 1996 when eight persons died in a single day amid ( surrounded by; in the middle of) an unexpected storm — events of and around that day were the subject of Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book, Into Thin Air.

The adventure industry that is built around the human desire to scale the peak has meant many amateurs ( a person who is incompetent or inept at a particular activity) take up the challenge, confident that support teams and specialised equipment will make up for their lack of adequate mountaineering experience. The fallout is that in case of a disaster not only are some of them unable to manage, but they hold up others, putting them in harm’s way. The commercial operations have led to the Everest being called the world’s highest garbage dump as many climbers discard non-critical gear and fail to clean up the mess.

It is unlikely, however, that this season’s tragedies will deter future summiteers, as the hypnotic ( exerting a compelling or soporific effect)  lure (tempt (a person or animal) to do something or to go somewhere, especially by offering some form of reward)  remains intact (not damaged or impaired in any way; complete). As George Mallory, the English mountaineer who perished ( die, especially in a violent or sudden way) in the attempt to scale Everest, reportedly said of its pull, “Because it’s there.” But the authorities must learn from this year’s tragedies and work out an optimum number of climbers and strengthen safety measures.