Jill Filipovic is a journalist based in Washington and author of the book, "The H-Spot: The Feminist Pursuit of Happiness." Follow her on Twitter. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely her own. View more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) The photo says it all: A queue of what looks like more than 100 bundled-up climbers lining the top ridge of Mount Everest like a human mohawk, each waiting their turn to get to the summit. It's an area known as the "death zone," since there isn't enough oxygen in the atmosphere to breathe unaided for more than a few minutes. Climbers bring extra supplies, but the long lines have, many say, contributed to a record 11 deaths this year on Everest.

Jill Filipovic

Veteran climbers point to a variety of culprits for the logjam and rising death toll : Novice climbers enabled by inexperienced commercial operators, and a cash-strapped Nepalese government letting too many people onto the mountain.

It's not hard to see how the incentives to undertake this deadly challenge work from all ends. In our social media-saturated culture, what were once rare human feats accomplished in far-away places are closer to home than ever. You see an old classmate summit Everest on Instagram and a childhood fantasy to scale the giant reemerges. You only live once, right? Even if you're now a 50-something office worker, it's easy to conclude that you're reasonably fit enough, and besides, there are companies that will help out and would surely tell you if you couldn't do it.

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The reputable companies will give it to you straight. But there's also a demand for those that will say yes to just about any climber willing to pay, and so of course -- as reported by BBC Outside and others -- less skilled and less experienced operators have stepped in to fill that void.

Travel is cheaper than it used to be, too, and as more of the world gains disposable income, more people can go to places that were once reserved for a privileged few. This is a good thing. But it also means that, for destinations that are either delicate or dangerous, gatekeepers are more necessary than ever to keep people safe and maintain Earth's natural treasures.

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