A record 274 climbers successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest in a single day, marking the highest number of ascents from the southern Nepal route, officials said on Thursday. The unprecedented surge in summit attempts took place on Wednesday, when a brief window of clear weather allowed large groups of climbers to push for the world’s highest peak.

According to Rishi Ram Bhandari of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal, the climbers took advantage of stable weather conditions along the popular southern face route of the mountain, located in Mount Everest. He noted that the figure of 274 climbers represents a new single-day record for the Nepal side, surpassing previous highs recorded in earlier climbing seasons.

Mount Everest, known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in Tibet, can be climbed via two main routes—through Nepal in the south and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in the north. However, Chinese authorities have closed the northern route this year, resulting in a concentration of climbers on the Nepal side. On May 22, 2019, combined activity from both sides had previously recorded 223 climbers on the summit from Nepal and 113 from China.

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This year’s climbing season also saw notable record-breaking ascents by veteran climbers. Renowned guide Kami Rita Sherpa reached the summit for the 32nd time, further extending his own world record. Another experienced climber, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, achieved his 30th summit, while Lakpa Sherpa set a new female record with her 11th successful ascent of Everest.

Officials said the climbing season began later than usual this year due to safety concerns linked to a large serac—a hanging mass of ice—posing risks along the standard route. Despite the delay, nearly 494 climbers and an equal number of Sherpa guides are expected to attempt the summit before the season ends later this month, highlighting the continued popularity and growing commercial scale of Everest expeditions.

Since its first successful ascent on May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, Mount Everest has attracted thousands of climbers from around the world. However, the increasing number of expeditions in recent years has also raised concerns about overcrowding, environmental impact, and safety on the mountain’s fragile high-altitude routes.

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