Age control on Mt Everest

Age limits were introduced by the "Chinese Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA) for prospective Everest aspirants.

As per UIAA, the CTMA decided on 10 June to enforce age limits on potential challengers of Mt Everest. Forthcoming, solely mountaineers over 18 and less than 60 years of age are permitted to scale the mountain top from the north in Tibet.

The UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinism) welcomes the resolution. "Young climbers are lacking not just expertness but also maturity - so UIAA President Mike Mortimer.   It is assumed that this is addressed to older climbers." On the other hand, Mortimer is not exited about the maximum of 60 years. The constraint seemed "extremely arbitrary" and should be reconsidered. Elder climbers regularly have an abundance of experience.

The CTMA is the authorized organization in charge for issuing permits to scale Tibetan peaks. If the age cap will also apply to additional mountains in Tibet, has not been affirmed.

It appears that the ruling has been triggered by 13-year-old Jordan Romero, an American alpinist who received sizable media attention in May 2010 as the youngest guy who scaled Mt Everest.

In 2001, the Nepalese Temba Tshiri made history on Everest when he reached the summit at age 16 - but lost multiple fingers and toes through frostbite. Afterward, in 2003, Nepal introduced a minimum age of 16 years - but without setting a maximum age.

The head of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), Lindsay Griffin, said that there are nonetheless exceptions to the CTMA limitation. In exceptional circumstances, the CTMA may grant a permit to climb Mt Everest beyond the age group, "if they have a medical certificate showing that they fit present enough for climbing "

Sources: UIAA, BMC