Nepali ‘Everest Man' reaches new heights with historic 31st summit
KATHMANDU, May 27 — A 55-year-old Nepali climber dubbed the 'Everest Man' reached the peak of the world's highest mountain for a record 31st time on Tuesday, more than three decades after his first summit.
'Massive congratulations to the legendary Kami Rita Sherpa on his 31st successful ascent of Everest – the highest number of ascents by anyone in history,' said a statement from expedition organisers, Seven Summit Treks.
'Kami Rita Sherpa needs no introduction. He is not just a national climbing hero, but a global symbol of Everest itself,' it added.
Sherpa first stood on the top of Mount Everest in 1994 when working for a commercial expedition. He has climbed Everest almost every year since, guiding clients.
Speaking last year after his 29th and 30th ascents of the 8,849-metre peak, Sherpa said he was 'just working' and did not plan on setting records.
'I am glad for the record, but records are eventually broken,' he told AFP in May 2024.
'I am more happy that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world.'
Seven Summit Treks said he completed the climb on Tuesday as the leader of the Indian army team, adding that he 'not only reached the summit himself, but also led and guided the last remaining members of the team to the top'.
'To the next height'
The achievement comes as the spring climbing season nears its end.
More than 500 climbers and their guides have already reached the summit of Everest since the route opened, taking advantage of brief spells of good weather, according to Nepal's tourism department.
The season has so far recorded the fewest number of deaths on Everest in recent years. Two climbers, a Filipino and an Indian, have died at its high camps.
Nepal has issued more than 1,100 permits for mountaineers this season, including 458 for Everest, earning more than US$5 million in royalties.
The country is home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of adventurers each spring, when temperatures are warmer and winds typically calmer.
Earlier this month, British climber Kenton Cool, 51, successfully climbed Everest for the 19th time, extending his own record for the most summits by a non-Nepali.
Tourist ministry official Himal Gautam, director of its mountaineering and adventure section, said Sherpa's achievement reflected the country's wider efforts.
'Kami Rita Sherpa's record ascent has helped to take Nepal's mountaineering sector to the next height,' Gautam said.
A climbing boom has made mountaineering a lucrative business since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made the first ascent in 1953.
Last year, more than 800 climbers made it to the peak of Everest, including 74 from the northern Tibet side. — AFP
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The summit that started it all
Legendary duo: Statues of Hillary (left) and Norgay seen in Kathmandu. — AP The nation's mountaineering community celebrated the conquest of the world's highest mountain with a rally of climbers, guides and others who gathered for International Everest Day. Yesterday's event marked the 72nd anniversary of the first summit climb of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay. Nepal's Culture and Tourism Minister led the celebration in the capital, Kathmandu, that included a walk around the city and a gathering at the old palace. 'We are celebrating May 29 as the international Sagarmatha (Everest) day because the world needs to continue to recognise the achievement and contribution of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay,' said Ang Tshering, who runs Kathmandu-based Asian Trekking. The event was not just a celebration for the mountaineering community but also a festival for Nepal and the world, said Tshering, who has helped hundreds of clients scale the Himalayan peaks. Nepal contains eight of the highest peaks in the world and every year hundreds of foreign climbers fly to the country in South Asia to tackle the mountains. The climbers hire thousands of people in Nepal to assist their climbs by carrying gear, cooking food and generally taking care of them as they spend weeks in the mountains. Nepal's government collects money from the climbers through permit fees. The end of May also marks the end of the popular spring mountaineering season, when climbers finish their adventures and retreat from the peaks before the monsoon season brings foul weather. 'This day is celebrated also to mark the end of the climbing season where we gather climbers and the community,' Jiban Ghimire of Shangri-La Nepal Trek said. According to Nepal's Department of Mountaineering, 468 foreign climbers from 57 countries received permits to climb Everest by the end of May, along with a roughly equal number of Nepalese mountain guides. Many were able to scale the peak, but officials were still working to verify how many reached the 8,849m summit. Climbers must report to the department with proof they reached the summit and cleared their garbage before they are issued the official certificate. Famed Sherpa guide Kami Rita reached the Everest summit for the 31st time on Tuesday, breaking his own record for the most climbs to the top of the famed mountain. — AP
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A 55-year-old Nepali climber dubbed 'Everest Man' reached the peak of the world's highest mountain for a record 31st time, more than three decades after his first summit. 'Massive congratulations to the legendary Kami Rita Sherpa (pic) on his 31st successful ascent of Everest, the highest number of ascents by anyone in history,' expedition organiser Seven Summit Treks said. 'Kami Rita Sherpa needs no introduction. He is not just a national climbing hero, but a global symbol of Everest itself.' Sherpa first stood on the top of Mount Everest in 1994 when working for a commercial expedition. He has climbed Everest almost every year since, guiding clients. Sherpa, speaking a year ago after he had climbed the 8,849m peak for the 29th and 30th times, said that he was 'just working' and did not plan on setting records. 'I am glad for the record, but records are eventually broken,' he said in May 2024. 'I am more happy that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world.' Seven Summit Treks said he completed the climb yesterday as the leader of an Indian army team, adding that he 'not only reached the summit himself, but also led and guided the last remaining members of the team to the top'. Another Nepali climber, Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa, 29, returned to the capital Kathmandu the same day after he made a record-breaking four summits of Everest in just 15 days, completing the last on May 23, according to 8K Expeditions. 'I feel proud, it was a very difficult task but I made it a success,' Gyalzen Sherpa said after landing in Kathmandu, where his family and mountaineering fans welcomed him. 'Earlier, many pioneers have scaled the Everest many times, but not four times in one season.' The records come as the spring climbing season nears its end. More than 500 climbers and their guides have already reached the summit of Everest since the route opened, taking advantage of brief spells of good weather, according to Nepal's tourism department. The season has so far recorded the fewest number of deaths on Everest in recent years. Two climbers, a Filipino and an Indian, have died on its high camps. Nepal has issued more than 1,100 permits for mountaineers this season, including 458 for Everest, earning more than US$5mil (RM21mil) in royalties. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks. — AFP
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Nepali ‘Everest Man' breaks own record with 31st summit
Kami Rita Sherpa has climbed Everest almost every year since 1994. (AP pic) KATHMANDU : A 55-year-old Nepali climber dubbed 'Everest Man' reached the peak of the world's highest mountain for a record 31st time today, more than three decades after his first summit. 'Massive congratulations to the legendary Kami Rita Sherpa on his 31st successful ascent of Everest, the highest number of ascents by anyone in history,' expedition organiser Seven Summit Treks said. 'Kami Rita Sherpa needs no introduction. He is not just a national climbing hero, but a global symbol of Everest itself,' it added. Sherpa first stood on the top of Mount Everest in 1994 when working for a commercial expedition. He has climbed Everest almost every year since, guiding clients. Sherpa, speaking a year ago after he had climbed the 8,849m-peak for the 29th and 30th times, said that he was 'just working' and did not plan on setting records. 'I am glad for the record, but records are eventually broken,' he told AFP in May 2024. 'I am happier that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world.' Seven Summit Treks said he completed the climb today as the leader of an Indian army team, adding that he 'not only reached the summit himself, but also led and guided the last remaining members of the team to the top'. Another Nepali climber, Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa, 29, returned to the capital Kathmandu today after he made a record-breaking four summits of Everest in just 15 days, completing the last on May 23, according to 8K Expeditions. 'I feel proud, it was a very difficult task but I made it a success,' Gyalzen Sherpa told AFP after landing in Kathmandu, where his family and mountaineering fans welcomed him. 'Earlier, many pioneers have scaled the Everest many times, but not four times in one season.' The records come as the spring climbing season nears its end. More than 500 climbers and their guides have already reached the summit of Everest since the route opened, taking advantage of brief spells of good weather, according to Nepal's tourism department. The season has so far recorded the fewest number of deaths on Everest in recent years. Two climbers, a Filipino and an Indian, have died on its high camps. Nepal has issued more than 1,100 permits for mountaineers this season, including 458 for Everest, earning more than US$5 million in royalties. The country is home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of adventurers each spring, when temperatures are warmer and winds typically calmer. Earlier this month British climber Kenton Cool, 51, successfully climbed Everest for the 19th time, extending his own record for the most summits by a non-Nepali. Tourist ministry official Himal Gautam, director of its mountaineering and adventure section, said Kami Rita Sherpa's achievement reflected on the country's wider efforts. 'Kami Rita Sherpa's record ascent has helped to take Nepal's mountaineering sector to the next height,' Gautam said. A climbing boom has made mountaineering a lucrative business since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made the first ascent in 1953. Last year more than 800 climbers made it to the peak of Everest, including 74 from the northern Tibet side.
