Coming to Everest: a Ladder?

Traditionalists are up in arms about plans to install a ladder to make things easier on one of the final—and toughest—stages of the climb to the summit of Mount Everest, the Guardian reports. Mountaineering authorities say a ladder at the Hillary Step, a near-vertical rock face at 29,000 feet, would ease the congestion near the summit that has forced some climbers to wait up to four hours in harsh conditions to ascend. (As the Telegraph explains, only a single climber can make his way up the Hillary Step at a time.)

The plan is welcomed by the sherpas who help climbers up the mountain—and sometimes die there. "The route is changing, there is more rock, less ice and snow. it's very dangerous," says a retired guide who was on the team that first conquered Everest's southwest face. For the "safety of sherpas, this is good." Authorities are also considering stricter traffic controls and checks to ensure that climbers have at least a basic level of competence. Some 520 climbers have reached the summit this year, including an 80-year-old Japanese man who became the oldest person to conquer the world's highest peak. (More Mount Everest stories.)