I just got back to Kathmandu after leading a group to Mera Peak (Nepal) and I thought it would be worth sharing some information on here. There has been significant (and by the sounds of it frequent) rockfall on the standard route as one climbs onto the snout of the glacier above Japanese Camp on the way to Mera La.
In fact I saw a large rockfall on the day before we planned to go that way, the ridge above this section has been destablised and there is one huge boulder ready to topple at anytime. On return to Kathmandu I heard the news that two people had been injured apparently from a UK based company only two weeks before (broken femur and other person had a dislocated shoulder) from rockfall on the same spot. It seemed strange that no-one on the trek like lodges owners or national park office made any effort to warn groups about this risk which has changed significantly from previous years.
There is a new route below Japanese Camp that descends loose scree (now well cairned) to the glacier that descends directly to Mera La, it seems a reasonable route and our groups had no problems going this way. On our return from summit the news had luckily got around and most other groups and their porters were following this new way to Mera la.
Anyways I have copied link below to the trip report on our blog with further information and photos of old and new routes to Mera La, it is certainly worth considering your route choice carefully if you are planning on climbing Mera Peak in near future.
FYI link at:
http://themountaincompany.blogspot.com/2012/12/trip-report-for-mera-peak-ne...
Cheers
Roland