Kanchha Sherpa sure didn’t look 91 in that picture. He is right though, but the Nepalese government will most likely not restrict permits as they want the tourism money. The North side is much more regulated by China. This article is a year old, but to my knowledge China has not changed the rules. Of course China does not depend on the tourism dollars, so they do not have the incentive to oversell climbing permits.
A more controlled experience
“There is a heavier presence of authorities, rules such as no diesel generators (only solar panels), strict waste management, and 5G in Base Camp,” Ballinger said. Only official, electric vehicles can access Base Camp.
“On the route itself, the rope-fixing is done by a professional, government-assigned team, so we avoid the mix of teams and the politics that implies,” he explained. “Disreputable companies are not allowed to operate in China. Some have been kicked out over the past few years.” Ballinger gave no names.
China was especially strict in 2019 when it decided that Nepali operators would not receive permits. This causes near-panic in Nepal’s thriving expedition industry.
Subsequent conversations at a political level took place, and the measures were somehow softened. But the exact terms never became clear, because the pandemic struck at the beginning of 2020, closing China until now.
Some suggest that China will open, but not to everyone. Overall, this uncertainty is one of the reasons why Nepalis are so keen to open a route on Cho Oyu from Nepal. However, it is proving a tougher nut to crack than expected.
More North Side features
“China does not allow over 300 climbers on the mountain, which definitely means less crowding,” Ballinger said.
Also, Chinese climbers cannot apply for Everest until they have completed another 8,000’er. “That is a regulation I would love to see extended to foreign climbers as well,” Ballinger says. Alpenglow itself does not require a previous 8,000m summit from its clients.
https://explorersweb.com/everest-north-side/