Could Climate Change Make Mount Everest Unclimbable?
Meanwhile, Nepal asks world to help measure the peak's exact height Changes on the planet are affecting the world's tallest mountain, casting doubt on its climbability and even its height. Sherpas are wondering whether warmer climates will render Mount Everest too dangerous to summit, and geologic changes in the Himalayas have raised uncertainties about its altitude, according to separate reports. You might think a warmer climate would render Everest easier to climb - fewer treacherous glaciers and snowbanks and so forth - but the opposite is true. Rockslides are increasing, and it's much more difficult to clamber up bare rocks than to use metal crampons on thick ice. The conditions are deteriorating so much that the mountain may be unclimbable in a few years, according to Apa Sherpa, a Nepali climber who has reached the summit a record 21 times. Related ArticlesEarth's Clouds Are Getting Lower, Which Could Be a Good ThingGlobal Warming...