CrowdcontrolscouldsoonbecomeanimportantskillforclimbersonMountEverestasimportantasphysicalstrengthorwatchingtheweather.Inasingledaylastweeknearly40peoplereachedthetopoftheworld---arecord.Reportsfrombasecampspokeofqueuesatdangerousridgesandcrowdsaspeoplepassedeachotherinthefinaldashforthe8848meterstop.
MoretraditionalmountaineersteaseaboutthecircusatmospheresurroundingEverestinrecentyearsandtherearewarningsthatthecrowdsaremakingthemountainmoredangerous.In199614diedonthemountainwhenthemembersofseveralgroupsweretrappedathighaltitudesbysuddensnowstorms.BadweatherinearlyMayledtothisyear’sjamonthesummitridgebutthelossluckilywaslight.JustfourclimbersdiedincludingaNepaliSherpawhohadmade11previoussuccessfulclimbing.
Traditionalistsarealsoworriedaboutthegrowingtendencyofclimberstosetrecordsandachieve“firsts”ratherthansimplyclimbthemountain.Thisyear’scropofmountaineersincludedtheoldestman64-year-oldShermanBullfromConnecticutandtheyoungest16-year-oldTembaTsheriSherpaofNepal.AnAmericanwithonlyonearmwasonthemountainthisyear;anIndianwithnolegsalsotriedbutfailed.ErikWeihennieyeranAmericanbecamethefirstblindpersontoreachthetopoftheworld.Hisfellowclimbersstayedinfrontofhimonthewayupdescribingthetypeoflandandringingbells.
Nepal(尼泊尔)viewsMountEverestassomethingofacashcow.Thegovernmentchargesjourneysaminimumof$70000.ThatisprobablywhyofficialsinKatmanduareignoringconcernsaboutovercrowdingandtalkingaboutevenmoreclimberscomingnextyear.Butacelebrationofthe48thanniversaryofthefirstconquestofEverestbySirEdmundHillaryandSherpaTenzingNorgaywascancelledafterviolentstrikes.Tumultuous(动乱的)Nepalipoliticsitseemscouldbejustthecrowd-controlmeasurethatEverestneeds.
【小题1】Whatistheproblemthattheclimbershavetofaceinrecentyears?