No Everest trips for rest of season

Steve Moffat.
Steve Moffat.
A Wanaka mountain guiding company will not return to Mt Everest for the rest of the season, as trekking organisations with valid permits cancel remaining treks.

Adventure Consultants New Zealand operations co-ordinator Steve Moffat said the company had no plans to return to Mt Everest after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Nepal on April 25.

The earthquake claimed more than 7900 lives, including six of the company's Nepalese staff.

''After getting our team off the mountain, and losing our base camp and Sherpa staff, we certainly weren't going back on. It wasn't really a consideration for us.''

After the quake, most mountaineering firms cancelled remaining treks, although permits remained valid until the end of the month.

Mr Moffat said some trekking organisations had considered returning to Mt Everest but continuing aftershocks had increased the risk of avalanches, especially in the Khumbu Icefall.

Adventure Consultants would continue climbing expeditions in Nepal and Tibet after the monsoon season - in Nepal's autumn at the end of August - but there would be no Mt Everest expeditions.

Mt Everest expeditions after monsoon season were not available from the company, as winter in Nepal made climbing difficult, he said.

After Adventure Consultants New Zealand staff returned from Nepal, the company would discuss the future of the business, he said.

''Once we get everybody home, we'll be having a big long chat about our forward movements.''

The Nepalese now needed aid rather than tourists, he said.

''In post-monsoon, I think a lot of areas in Nepal will be back and ready to receive tourists and that will certainly help the Nepal economy, and will help the local districts that have been able to get back on their feet.''

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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