Climbing route to Everest South Col opens KATHMANDU:A group of climbing Sherpas today successfully opened a climbing route to the Camp IV on Mt Everest. According to Iswari Paudel, Managing Director at Himalayan Guides, climbing Sherpas reached the South Col (8,000 metres) this afternoon fixing ropes above Camp III. “The team reached the Lhotse Face at 7,400 metres yesterday,” he said. With the opening of a route, the expedition members could now deposit supplies at Camp IV, he added. The Expedition Operators Association of Nepal has assigned Himalayan Guides to fix the route above Camp II this season. Icefall doctors assigned by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee have already opened the climbing route from the base camp to Camp II. The rope fixing team includes Siddhi Bahadur Tamang, Pasdawa Sherpa, Dorji Gyaljen Sherpa, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, Ang Phurba Sherpa, Dawa Nurbu Sherpa, Ming Dorchi Sherpa and Dawa Phinjo Lama Bhote, according to Paudel. “The team will deposit the fixing ropes at the balcony area once the weather allows,” he added. According to the Department of Tourism, over 378 climbers including 365 foreigners from 40 different teams have obtained climbing permits for Mt Everest this spring season.