Nepali Sherpa climbers set new records on Mount Everest

Renowned Nepali Guides Reach Climbing Milestones on Mount Everest

Two experienced Nepali guides, Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa, have achieved notable milestones on Mount Everest. Kami Rita Sherpa, 56, has reached his 32nd summit of the mountain, while Lhakpa Sherpa, 52, has completed her 11th ascent.

Kami Rita first stood on top of Mount Everest in 1994 and has continued to guide clients climbing the mountain almost every year. His record-breaking climb was announced after he summited the mountain for the 32nd time in 2024. Lhakpa Sherpa, who first reached the summit in 2000, has also broken her own women’s record with this latest achievement.

According to Himal Gautam, spokesperson for Nepal’s Tourism Department, Kami Rita and Lhakpa Sherpa’s records demonstrate “greater excitement” among other climbers. The department aims to promote climbing as a safer, more dignified, and better-managed activity through healthy competition on the mountain.

Kami Rita was born in Thame village in Solukhumbu district, where Tenzing Norgay, who first climbed Mount Everest with Edmund Hillary in 1953, also originated. The climbing boom has led to a significant increase in permits issued for the March-May climbing season, with a record 492 permits granted this year.

Non-Sherpa climbers have also achieved notable records on Mount Everest. British guide Kenton Cool holds the record for 19 climbs, followed by American climbers Dave Hahn and Garrett Madison with 15 each. Both Cool and Madison are currently on the mountain to improve their records.

The high number of climbers, including Sherpa guides, is expected to reach the summit in the coming days, raising concerns about overcrowding on the mountain.

Source: Al Jazeera