150 people reach top of Mount Qomolangma

KATHMANDU - A near-record number of climbers reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma (also known as Mount Everest in the West) from Nepali side as the season ended Saturday without a repeat of last week's deadly accidents, which had raised fears of overcrowding on the world's highest peak.

Climbers trek along the Jumla mountain slope in northwestern Nepal in their attempt to reach the Mount Qomolangma summmit, April 7, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

Around 150 people reached the top of the 8,848m mountain Saturday at the end of the spring weather window, a week after four deaths led to calls for better safety measures to end "traffic jams" near the summit.

"A handful of climbers returned from No 4 camp after being unable to move up. But the weather was good over the past two days and many took advantage. About 150 made it to the top today," tourism ministry official Tilak Pandey was quoted by Sunday's The Himalayan Times daily as saying.

"There are still a few Sherpas and other climbers who will try to reach the top for a couple of days. But the official season has ended and the climbers are now returning to the base camp."

Four climbers from Germany, South Korea, China and Canada died while descending from the crowded summit area last weekend, which saw 150 people reach the summit before a severe windstorm set in.

The record number of ascents in one day is 169 on May 23, 2010, according to German statistician Eberhard Jurgalski.