Two records were broken on the same day on Sunday, 12 May, for the most ascents to the summit of Mount Everest by a local, who holds the world record for the most climbs by any person, and by a foreigner.
1. Kami Rita Sherpa, 29 ascents
Kami Rita Sherpa reached Everest’s 8,849-metre peak for the 29th time on Sunday, breaking his own previous record from last year. The 54-year-old is a local guide, accompanying visitors on their quest to conquer the world’s tallest mountain.
One man’s job, another man/woman’s dream.
Kami Rita Sherpa
Kami Rita has been climbing the mountain almost every year since his first ascent in 1994. The only years he did not make the climb were when Everest was closed off during the pandemic. Last year, he even hiked up to the summit twice to achieve 28 climbs, as his ‘rival’ for the world record, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, had achieved 27 climbs.
Besides Everest, Kami Rita also holds the world record for the most climbs of the 8,000-metre high Manaslu Mountain. He climbed the 8th tallest mountain in the world, also located in Nepal, for the 42nd time last year. Moreover, he also guides expeditions on the world’s second and fourth tallest mountains, K2, in Pakistan, and Lhotse, in Nepal, respectively.
2. Kenton Cool, 18 ascents
On the same day, but on a separate expedition, Kenton Cool, a 50-year-old British man, reached the peak for the 18th time. Cool is also a guide and, together with a sherpa was guiding two British tourists to the summit. Although he broke his own previous record for the most climbs by a foreigner, his companion, Dorji Gyaljen Sherpa, reached the peak for the 22nd time on Sunday. “So many of the Sherpas have so many more ascents”, Coold told AFP in 2022, acknowledging their achievements.
Besides this record, Cool also became the first British man to obtain the Everest Triple Crown in 2013. He climbed the three mountains that make up the Everest Horseshoe – Nuptse (7,864 metres), Everest (8,850 metres) and Lhotse (8,516 metres), without returning to Base Camp.
3. Climbing Everest
Climbing Everest is only possible from April to June and only a limited number of people are given permits. This year, 414 permits, each costing $11,000, were issued by Nepal’s government.
Conquering the world’s tallest mountain is something many aspire to do, however, not all who venture on the hike make it back. Following one of the deadliest seasons last year, when 18 people lost their life during the hike, all climbers from this year on are required to wear a tracking device.
Since 2019, the Nepali army sets out on the mountain before climbing season opens to clean up garbage and dead bodies. The tracking devices, along with a new requirement for climbers to pick up their faeces and bring it back to Base Camp, are meant to help maintain the cleanliness of Everest, which is increasingly threatened by climate change and overtourism.
