Japanese alpinist Nobukazu Kuriki is on a summit expedition to prove that Mount聽Everest is climbable,聽and he plans to attempt to summit this week, . As 国产吃瓜黑料 reported in April, an earthquake in Nepal left 9,000 people dead, including 22 on Everest, and many experts have since concluded that the mountain would be unsafe to climb for at least a year. Kuriki, however,聽is currently acclimatizing to the 21,000-foot elevation of Camp II聽and plans to make a push for the summit within the next few days.聽
鈥淚 am climbing the mountain to stand by Nepal during this difficult time聽and to spread the message that it is safe for tourism,鈥 Kuriki said at a press conference in Nepal in August.
This is Kuriki鈥檚 fifth attempt to summit聽Everest. During previous attempts, he was interrupted by the weather, was on a team that suffered a fatality, had his food and supplies stolen by a crow, and found himself stuck in a snow cave during a storm, which resulted in frostbite and the聽loss of nine fingers.
鈥淥f course聽it鈥檚 scary, but nature is frightening,鈥澛燢uriki said in August, .
Not everyone believes he will make it or that attempting to summit right now is the right decision. Journalist Elizabeth Hawley, who records all Himalayan climbs,聽characterized Kuriki鈥檚 solo mission as 鈥渃razy鈥 and said the tourism ministry鈥檚 support is an effort draw people back to Nepal.
鈥淭hey will latch onto anything right now,鈥 she told 国产吃瓜黑料 Journal, 鈥渢o get people to come back.鈥