New pilgrim record, May 26th ;)

[gschmidl]

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

 

[Bala]

Moral of the story: get there before noon.

 

[JillGat]

It's everywhere. Here is the traffic jam of people lined up on a knife edge trail at over 28000 ft. (the "death zone") for their turn to step onto the summit of Everest. Climbers were running out of oxygen in their tanks. Some were just getting loopy from the altitude. Many deaths up there this year.

 

[Bala]

It's everywhere. Here is the traffic jam of people lined up on a knife edge trail at over 28000 ft. (the "death zone") for their turn to step onto the summit of Everest. Climbers were running of of oxygen in their tanks. Some were just getting loopy from the altitude. Many deaths up there this year.

I saw the photo of the line going up the summit of Everest. It's really shocking. And death tolls this season are already over last year as a whole. Since Everest is by permit only, I don't understand how it turned into a conga line like that.

 

[gschmidl]

I saw the photo of the line going up the summit of Everest. It's really shocking. And death tolls this season are already over last year as a whole. Since Everest is by permit only, I don't understand how it turned into a conga line like that.

Too many permits and only four days to summit.

 

[Bala]

Too many permits and only four days to summit.

Yes, definitely too many permits. I wasn't aware of the time restrictions. That certainly complicates the situation.

 

[gschmidl]

Yes, definitely too many permits. I wasn't aware of the time restrictions. That certainly complicates the situation.

The time restrictions were dictated by the weather. As far as I understand there are "windows" for permits to prevent exactly this situation, but there were only 4 usable days in May, causing everyone to scramble for the top anyways... with the tragic result we're now seeing.

 

[NorthernLight]

There was an article on Canadian news CTV online about the hordes of tourists arriving in Quebec City, far beyond what they used to get. Cruise ship loads. To the point that local resident populations are declining as apartments get shifted to bnb rentals. Other pretty cities around the world face the same issue.

Clearly, the global population has some serious fun money available to spend on travel.

 

[chinacat]

Apparently, there have been new plans instituted, but not implemented, to
“timetable ascents to avoid congestion.” (by the Nepalese tourism authorities.)
(The Guardian, 24/5/19)

There are many more Nepalese companies now operating on the South Col route .. which is as it should be, imho.
... and too many ill-prepared people to whom the ‘conquest’ of Everest is another achievement to tick off on a bucket list.

I’ll stop now ... in danger of indulging in a rant ...

That photograph horrified me ...

 

[amocatnerak]

Clearly, the global population has some serious fun money available to spend on travel.

With the world’s population nearing 8 billion people, it seems as if everyone is Doing All The Things All The Time All Over The World. From Venice to Amsterdam, the Caminos to the Appalachian Trail, National Parks to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, etc... people are lining up en masse to “tick off bucket list items.” Social media also adds to this as people post up their scenic locations complete with geo locations. I am not sure there is even an “off-season” anymore...

 

[gschmidl]

Yes, I'm definitely glad I did the Camino when I did, and that we were all but alone; participation'll only go up from here.

 

[alhartman]

The demand for many experiences is growing too quickly--Everest, Camino, Burning Man, USA National Parks, Sturgis, Great Wall, etc. The administrative folks running these 'events' are trying to limit the demand to avoid overcrowding. I do not see a perfect solution anywhere between a pure 'capitalist/market' system where prices increase until the demand is throttled (doesn't work on Everest climb even with $10,000 permits) and the 'socialist/planning' where resources are administered by policy (donativo beds until full).

I have also been involved in white water rafting and Elk hunting-both of which have restrictive lottery/permit systems, In Oregon, you can draw/win-the-lottery for an Elk hunting permit about every third year.
Of course the Camino is a Econ101 example of something highly desirable with almost no cost to allocate the resources (beds). The users can grow to infinity!! And I believe the low cost is driving the demand almost as much as the publicity from movies, vlogs, blogs, books, and forums.

I count my blessings in having the Camino on my bucket list while it was not so mobbed!! I will walk again but moving more and more to the ever shrinking shoulder seasons or not-CF routes where the competition for resources is not so severe.

 

[JillGat]

Meanwhile, it's still not that hard to find untrammeled spots. You're not going to find a Parque Guell outside of Barcelona. But when I lived in the Caribbean, I found it very easy to find unspoiled beaches and villages, authentic local celebrations, etc. that were not discovered by tourists. In Latin America, I was able to find local markets and plazas that seemed not to have changed in hundreds of years where I didn't see another foreigner. The same is true for Caminos or climbing high peaks. Just don't go to the ones that have been publicized yet.

 

[gschmidl]

I agree. Also: knowing the language of the place you go to can vastly increase the possibilities of what you can go see. I was able to visit a speleology museum, a wind museum and an old WW2 bunker in Italy - no information existed in English, but in Italian it was all right there.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

All too often I find some people, like lemmings, follow one another in their endevours which sometimes creates lots of the crowding. All of this overcrowding makes it even more tempting to branch out and try the other lesser known and utilized Caminos throughout Europe.

 

[AngieOttawa]

View attachment 58069

I arrived in Santiago on Sunday and i must say it was a zoo. I was back there later in the week after going to muxia and it was a lot calmer. Phew!