Nepalese officials, concerned about the number of wayward climbers attempting Mount Everest and either getting lost or needing rescue, and the cost of those rescues, will now require visitors to have GPS tags sewn into their clothes.
The tags, which will cost about $10 to $15 to rent, will make search and rescue easier, according to Rakesh Gurung, Nepal’s tourism director, as well as saving thousands of dollars. Mountain tourism is a key part of Nepal’s economy, so restricting climbers is not on its agenda, although it has banned solo climbs and set the price for a permit at $15,000.
Last year’s spring climbing season was the second-deadliest in Nepal’s history; there were 18 deaths among 677 climbers. Rescues are especially difficult at extremely high altitudes where even rescuers may run out of oxygen if they have to spend extended time searching for a climber.
Image: Daniel Oberhaus/Wikimedia Commons
If anyone wants to read about how difficult it is to rescue people from Everest, I suggest they read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, which details events of one of the deadliest days on Mt. Everest. Besides the thin air and extreme weather, a big problem with rescues is that helicopters can’t land anywhere on the mountain because of the thin air.