Nepal’s ‘Man from Everest’ Claims Record 30th Summit – Firstpost

A 54-year-old Nepalese mountaineer known as the “Everest Man” reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain on Wednesday for a record 30th time, three decades after his first summit.

Kami Rita Sherpa, who broke his own record after climbing the 8,849 meter (29,000 foot) peak for the 29th time earlier this month, previously said he was “just working” and he had no intention of setting records.

“Kami Rita reached the summit this morning. He has now set a new record with 30 summits of Everest,” Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks, the organizer of his expedition, told AFP.

Sherpa first visited the summit of Everest in 1994 while working on a commercial expedition.

Since then, he has climbed Everest almost every year, guiding his clients.

“I’m happy for this record, but records end up being broken,” he told AFP after his 29th ascent on May 12.

“I am happier that my climbs are helping Nepal to be recognized in the world.”

Last year, Sherpa climbed Everest twice to reclaim his record after another guide, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, matched his number of climbs.

He also conquered other 8,000 meter peaks, including the world’s second highest peak, K2 in Pakistan.

A Romanian climber dies

His success in reaching the summit came as the season’s death toll stood at five.

A Romanian mountaineer has died while trying to scale Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain, his expedition organizer said.

“He was found dead in his tent at Camp Three on Monday morning by his guide,” said Mohan Lamsal of Makalu Adventure, naming climber Gabriel Viorel Tabara.

Everest and Lhotse share the same route until they diverge at 7,200 meters.

“We are making efforts to put down his body,” he said.

Earlier this week, two Mongolian climbers went missing and were found dead after reaching the summit of Everest.

Two other climbers, a Frenchman and a Nepalese, died this season on Makalu, the fifth highest peak in the world.

Nepal has issued more than 900 permits for its mountains this year, including 419 for Everest, earning more than $5 million in royalties.

Around 500 climbers and their guides have already reached the summit of Everest after a team of rope climbers reached the summit last month.

This year, China also reopened the Tibet route to foreigners for the first time since it was closed in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s ten highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of adventurers each spring, when temperatures are warm and winds generally calm.

Last year, more than 600 climbers reached the summit of Everest, but it was also the deadliest season on the mountain, with 18 deaths.