adminKUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Bernama) — Malaysian Everest summiteers, mountaineers and adventure sports enthusiasts will be given an insight into a proposed alternative route to Mount Everest that could reduce climbers’ exposure to the hazardous Khumbu Icefall at a special gathering here on Sunday.
First Malaysian Mount Everest summiteer Datuk M. Magendran said the proposed Sundare Sherpa–Marc Batard Route would be presented by Himalaya Expeditions chairman Bikram Pandey as part of an event commemorating three decades of Malaysia’s Everest legacy.
“The new Everest route does not claim to eliminate the inherent risks of high-altitude mountaineering. Rather, its objective is to reduce exposure to the unstable Khumbu Icefall and establish a safer, more lasting alternative for reaching Camp 1,” he said.
The proposed route leads from the Everest Base Camp area towards the Nuptse Ridge, providing an alternative approach to Camp 1 without crossing the approximately four-kilometre-long Khumbu Icefall, one of the most technically challenging and hazardous sections of the conventional Everest route.
The route has been explored, studied and progressively equipped since 2021 by French and Nepali mountaineers, including renowned French alpinist Marc Batard, Speed Kaji Sherpa and Passang Nuru Sherpa.
The Khumbu Icefall is characterised by crevasses, holes and constantly changing glacial terrain, with project documentation recording that 48 people have lost their lives in the Icefall, most of them Sherpas.
The proposed route is expected to incorporate about 200 permanent metallic steps and 300 metres of fixed ropes, subject to completion of the necessary work and authorisation by the Nepalese authorities.
Magendran said the Kuala Lumpur gathering would celebrate three decades of Malaysian involvement in Mount Everest and Himalayan mountaineering, bringing together the Everest community and adventure sports fraternity to honour the legacy of Malaysian climbers and look towards the future of Himalayan exploration.
He said Pandey, who is also the president and creator of the Everest Marathon, is expected to share the history and vision of the event, and explore potential collaboration with Malaysian marathon organisers, runners and adventure sports communities.
The proposed collaboration could create new opportunities for Malaysian runners and event organisers to engage with Nepal’s unique mountain-running environment, while further strengthening the sporting, tourism and people-to-people relationship between Malaysia and Nepal.
“As Malaysia commemorates Three Decades of Malaysia Everest Legacy, this gathering looks not only to celebrate the achievements of those who have climbed the world’s highest mountain, but also to build new bridges between Malaysia and Nepal for the next generation of climbers, runners and adventure enthusiasts,” he added.
— BERNAMA
