| 103 new peaks for mountaineering this season KATHMANDU, Dec 24 - After months of delay, the government today formally announced that it is opening up another 103 Himalayan peaks for mountaineering, which now allows mountaineers to climb total 263 peaks in the country from the 2002 Spring mountaineering season. The Cabinet had taken the decision last week though the proposal had been forwarded much before that and mountaineering officials have been saying for months that these peaks would be opened for climbers. Most of these peaks are in Solukhumbu district, which is home to Mt Everest and the Kanchenjunga area. "This would not only help promote Nepal as the prime destination for mountaineering but also help development of the areas around these mountains," said Ganesh Karki, chief of the Mountaineering Department at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The government has also eased on the regulations that required teams to hire a liaison officer during their expedition. Climbing peaks under 6,500 meters in height will not require liaison officer. However, 89 of the approved peaks would not fall under this category. (sjs) |