Crowding On Mount Everest Is Just One Factor In Death Count

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Priyadarshinee N
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A climber from Newfoundland and Labrador who made it to the top of Mount Everest during a season marked by multiple deaths says he feels that crowding at the final ascent is just one among several safety problems.

Canadian climber, Mark Ballard said on Monday that when he came to the last portion of the climb there was a chaotic scene of lineups as a number of expedition companies attempted to reach the summit under last week's bright and clear skies in the Himalayas.

Ballard says his Sherpa guide was instrumental in navigating his way through the crowds, especially on the final Hillary Step, swiftly taking him around slower groups and reducing his waiting time in the frigid, thin air.

Still, he said there was a 1.5-hour wait on the way down from the summit due to the queues of climbers lining the route on May 22.

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