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Two hundred and twenty-three people set a record by summiting Mount Everest on May 22, 2019, via the mountain’s south side through Nepal. That record was surpassed on Wednesday, May 19, 2026, with 274 climbers beginning at 3 a.m.
The overall number of climbers reaching the summit during the 2019 record ascent was actually higher than Wednesday’s total because China hasn’t issued permits to climb the mountain’s north face this year. That 2019 record was accompanied by an additional 111 climbers joining from the Tibetan side.
This late-May window is a popular time for climbers hoping to reach the 29,029-foot peak because harsher winter conditions tend to ease. It makes the push to the top of Everest somewhat less risky and challenging, but that approach also creates a dangerous paradox with the flood of climbers making their attempt. Overcrowding in Everest’s “death zone” (above 26,247 feet) becomes an even greater threat, and Wednesday’s record produced multiple images and videos online showcasing the long line. During that 2019 record day, for example, climber Nirmal Purja captured an image of one of Everest’s infamous long queues. He later told CNN there were roughly 320 people waiting in that zone.
The 274-person record set Wednesday is not yet official, according to Rishi Bhandari, secretary general of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal. Bhandari told Reuters this week that the final count could rise even further because there are climbers who may not have officially reported their successful ascents.
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