Every mountaineer hoping to scale Mount Everest must now do so wearing a tracking chip, Nepal's government announced this week. The move follows a deadly 2023 climbing season, which saw 18 deaths on the world's tallest mountain, according to the Himalayan database, and comes just days after we reported a major crackdown on facilities like bathrooms and dome tents at Base Camp.
Starting this season, everyone attempting Everest must rent a microchip from the Nepalese government which uses the same GPS technology found in gadgets like your Garmin watch. In an interview with CNN, Rakesh Gurung, director of Nepal’s department of tourism explains that the chip costs each individual approximately $10 - $15 and will be sewn to the inside of their jacket, then removed and returned after their expedition. In the event of an avalanche, injury, or the climber being unable to continue, the chip will allow mountain rescue to more easily locate them.
