Kuala lumpur: Mountaineers will have an alternative route to Mount Everest's Camp 1 with the introduction of the Sundare Sherpa-Marc Batard Route, which is expected to provide a shorter and potentially safer ascent by bypassing the hazardous Khumbu Icefall.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Himalaya Expeditions chairman Bikram Pandey said the proposed route could reduce the time taken to reach Camp 1 compared with the existing route through the Khumbu Icefall. Pandey noted, "This route will be at least 10 to 14 days shorter than the existing Khumbu Icefall route, as traditional attempts through the Icefall require extra caution and slower movement to minimise risks." He added that the route is currently about 70 percent complete, with the first expedition to assess its safety expected to be conducted next year after the installation works are completed.

Mountaineers could also utilize nearby peaks such as Nuptse as a more affordable acclimatization option before attempting the Mount Everest summit, Pandey said during a sharing session with the Kelab Pendaki Everest Malaysia.

Malaysia's first Mount Everest summiteer Datuk M. Magendran highlighted that Malaysia was selected as one of the stops to introduce the proposed route, as the country has the highest number of Mount Everest summiteers in Southeast Asia, with 30 Malaysians having reached the summit to date. He emphasized Malaysia's strong ties with Nepal's tourism industry, noting that many Malaysians travel to the country each year for climbing expeditions.

Magendran expressed optimism that the introduction of the new route could encourage more Malaysian mountaineers to undertake expeditions to Mount Everest by providing an alternative route to Camp 1. "We believe that with the opening of the new route to Camp 1, more Malaysian mountaineers will have the opportunity to reach the Mount Everest summit in the future," he said. The sharing session with Kelab Pendaki Everest Malaysia was held in conjunction with three decades of Malaysia's Everest Legacy.

While acknowledging Mount Everest as the highest among the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, Magendran stated that it is not necessarily the most challenging mountain to climb, with several other peaks presenting greater technical and physical challenges. "Everest is the highest, but it is not necessarily the most challenging. There are other mountains that are more challenging than Mount Everest," he said.

Regarding the proposed route, Magendran mentioned uncertainty about when it would be officially opened but believed it could provide a safer alternative for climbers traveling to Camp 1. He stated that further safety assessments would be required before the route could be fully operational for expeditions.

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-kilometer-long Khumbu Icefall. 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.

According to the project plan, the new route is expected to feature approximately 200 permanent metal steps and 300 meters of fixed ropes, subject to the completion of the works and the necessary authorization for its use.