Kathmandu, Nepal — This year’s Everest climbing season was anything but easy. Battling unpredictable weather and narrow summit windows, hundreds of mountaineers and their Sherpa guides pushed themselves to scale the world’s tallest peak before the season wraps up at the end of May.

Among the most determined was legendary mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa, who reached the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit on May 27, successfully completing his record-breaking 31st ascent. But not everyone made it that far.

Earlier in the month, some climbers did manage to reach the top, but deteriorating weather quickly put a halt to many expeditions. Blizzards and high winds forced scores of climbers back to base camp, delaying their summit attempts or canceling them entirely.

The Everest route, reinforced with fixed ropes and ladders each season, remains accessible only until the end of May. After that, the monsoon rains arrive, bringing heavy snowfall and dangerous conditions that close the mountain to climbers until the next year.

According to Nepal’s Department of Mountaineering, 468 foreign climbers from 57 countries received permits to climb Everest this season. Add in the local Sherpa guides, and the number of people attempting the summit nearly doubles.

But with such a large crowd and only a few days of stable weather, the mountain turned congested—especially near the top. Climbers were forced to wait in long lines, clipped onto a single safety rope in what’s now infamously known as the “Everest traffic jam.”

Despite the challenges, the passion for reaching the rooftop of the world continues to drive climbers from around the globe. Yet this season has once again reminded everyone: conquering Everest is never guaranteed—and always at the mercy of the mountain.

Source: AP News – AP PHOTOS: Hundreds scale Mount Everest in a weather-hit climbing season

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