In an impressive feat, a Nepali sherpa guide has climbed Mount Everest for the 26th time, making him the second person in the world to achieve this remarkable record. According to hiking officials, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, 46, successfully reached the summit of the 8 849-meter (29 032-foot) peak on Sunday. He now shares the record number of summits with Kami Rita Sherpa, another experienced climber. Bigyan Koirala, a government tourism official, confirmed the accomplishment.
An aerial picture taken midair from a helicopter shows the summit of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world at 8 848 metres, in Nepal’s Himalayas range on March 7, 2023. (Picture by Sebastien BERGER / AFP) (Photo by SEBASTIEN BERGER/AFP via Getty Images)
Kami Rita Sherpa, who is also currently climbing Mount Everest, has the opportunity to set another record if he successfully reaches the top. The ongoing expedition could potentially mark his 27th ascent to the summit.
Accompanied by a Hungarian client, Pasang Dawa Sherpa reached the peak, as reported by an official from his employer, Imagine Nepal Treks, a renowned hiking company. “They are descending from the top now and are in good shape,” said Dawa Futi Sherpa, the company’s representative, speaking to Reuters.
Sherpas, known for their exceptional climbing skills, primarily earn their livelihood by guiding foreign clients in the mountains. Dawa Futi Sherpa further mentioned that a Pakistani woman named Naila Kiani also accomplished the feat of summiting Mount Everest on Sunday, reportedly becoming the first foreign climber to do so in this year’s climbing season, which spans from March to May. However, the claim could not be independently verified due to the large number of foreign climbers heading towards the peak, a day after the ropes to the top were fixed.
According to the Himalayan Times newspaper, Naila Kiani, a 37-year-old banker based in Dubai, had previously conquered four of the world’s 14 highest mountains before attempting Everest.
This year, Nepal has issued a record number of 467 permits for foreign climbers seeking to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Typically, each climber is accompanied by at least one Sherpa guide, raising concerns about overcrowding in a narrow section below the conference known as the Hillary Step.
Since Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay first scaled Everest in 1953, the mountain has been climbed over 11,000 times. However, the endeavour has come at a significant cost, with approximately 320 individuals losing their lives during the expeditions, as reported by the Himalayan database and Nepali officials.
