NEPAL: Disabled And Elderly Climbers May Be Banned From Mt Everest

Nepal is mulling banning disabled and elderly climbers from scaling Mt Everest and other high altitude mountains.

The move by the national tourism department is aimed at improving safety but will likely ignite accusations of discrimination.

"Climbing Everest is not a joke. It is not a matter of discrimination, how can you climb without legs? Someone will have to carry you up," said tourism department chief Govinda Karki.

"We want to make the mountains safer for everyone, so we have to insist on some rules."

Karki said the government may also insist on prior climbing experience of scaling a mountain above 6,500 metres before issuing permits for Everest.

Nepal does not allow under 16 year-olds to climb Everest but does not have an upper age limit.

The oldest climber to scale the mountain is Japanese Yuichiro Miura who reached the summit aged 80.

Kathmandu-based climber Elizabeth Hawley criticised the move.

"I don't think the government is in any position to judge someone's capacities or draw that line for mountaineers," Hawley said.

New Zealander Mark Inglis became the first double amputee to reach the top of the world's highest peak in 2006, and blind climber Erik Weihenmayer is the only visually-impaired person to reach the summit of the highest mountains on all seven continents.

Weihenmayer scaled the peak of Mt Everest in 2001.