A team of climbing Sherpas reached the south summit of Mt Everest this morning to open a climbing route to the summit point, according to the expedition organiser.

According to Iswari Paudel, Managing Director at Himalayan Guides Nepal (HGN) Pvt Ltd, climbing Sherpas include Pasang Tenjing  Sherpa, Pasdawa Sherpa, Lakpa Dendi Sherpa, Jen Jen Lama, Siddi Bahadur Tamang, Pemba Chhiri  Sherpa, Tenzing Gyaljen Sherpa and Datuk Bhote reached above 8,000 m to attempt to open a route to the top of the world.

“If weather allows, the experienced mountaineering guides will reach the summit point at 8,848 m later in the afternoon opening the climbing route to Mt Everest summit,” Poudel said. The eight-member guide team comprising local Sherpas reached the south summit at around 8:00 am, he informed.

More than 240 climbers along with their high altitude workers are all set to attempt to stand atop the Mt Everest once the rope fixing team opens the route.

Expedition Operator Association Nepal has assigned HGN to fix the ropes on Mount Everest this season. Sherpas struggled hard to open the summit route as bad weather had caused a delay to proceed with rope fixing work last week, Paudel added.

More than 500 climbers including 247 expedition members have already completed accimatisation rotations to make final summit pushes on Mt Everest, liaison officer Gyanendra Shrestha said.

The Himalayan Times