A Nepalese climber, Kami Rita Sherpa, has set a new record by summiting Mount Everest for the 32nd time on Sunday, while Lhakpa Sherpa reached the peak for the 11th time, breaking her own record.
The feat was hailed as a “historic milestone in the history of mountaineering in Nepal,” according to Himal Gautam, spokesperson for the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism.
Kami Rita Sherpa, aged 56, first scaled the 8,849-metre peak in 1994 while working for a commercial expedition and has since climbed it nearly every year, serving as a guide for clients.
Lhakpa Sherpa, 52, nicknamed the “Queen of the Mountain,” first summited Everest in 2000, becoming the first Nepalese woman to successfully complete the ascent and descent.
“Their records inspire other climbers,” Gautam added. He believes that healthy competition on Everest pushes for safer, more dignified, and better-managed mountaineering practices.
Speaking in 2024 after this historic ascent, Kami Rita Sherpa humbly remarked that he was “only doing his job,” without any intention of setting records.
Mountaineering on Everest has evolved into a lucrative industry since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first reached its summit in 1953.
This season, Nepal has issued a record 492 climbing permits for Everest. At the mountain’s base camp, a bustling city of tents has sprung up to support climbers and staff.
With most climbers relying on at least one Nepalese guide, nearly 1,000 people are expected to attempt the ascent in the coming days.
Every year, concerns are raised over the risk of overcrowding, particularly when poor weather reduces the window of opportunity for summiting the mountain.
