Record holder Lhakpa Sherpa

The authors of the Guinness Book of Records must put pen to paper. The information about the climbers with the highest number of Everest ascents has to be updated – both for women and for men. According to her brother Mingma Gelu Sherpa, Lhakpa Sherpa today reached the summit at 8,850 meters from the Tibetan north side. For the 44-year-old it was the ninth ascent of the highest of all mountains. Lhakpa, who lives in the USA with her two daughters at the age of eleven and 16, has already held this record. By the way, on her first ascent in 2000, Lhakpa Sherpa was the first Nepalese female climber who did not only summit Everest but also returned safe and sound to base camp. Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first woman from Nepal on top of Everest, had died in 1993 on the descent.

His goal: 25 times on the summit

Kami Rita Sherpa

For men, there is now a sole record holder. Kami Rita Sherpa, ascending from the south, stood on the roof of the world for the 22nd time today, leaving behind Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi, with 21 Everest summit successes each. The 58-year-old Apa Sherpa had finished his climbing career already in 2011. Phurba Tashi, aged 47, is now only working for Everest expeditions in the base camp – with consideration for his family. The new record man Kami Rita Sherpa, however, wants to continue to climb Everest. “I still feel fit. I can complete 25 ascents,” said the 48-year-old.

Woman power here, technical problems there

South side of Mount Everest

Among the nearly 100 (!) climbers who reached the top of Everest today were Lakpa Yangji Sherpa (30 years old), Pasang Lhamu Sherpa “Phinasa” (37) and Yangdi Sherpa (25). The ascent of these three Sherpani (via the south side) was under the motto “Women’s Confidence”. In advance, Pasang Lhamu had written that the “Women Everest Expedition 2018” was “a great platform to raise the voice for women and their rights and empowering them”.

The team of the US operator Alpenglow Expeditions had unusual difficulties today. The climbers led by Adrian Ballinger had to abandon their summit attempt at 8,500 meters on the Northeast Ridge, because the regulators of their oxygen cylinders failed in series. 50 percent of the devices didn’t work properly, Ballinger wrote on Instagram: “It’s not the experience I wanted to have today.”

Kami Rita Sherpa

Some records just happen by themselves. Like the one of Kami Rita Sherpa on Mount Everest. If the 48-year-old reaches the summit of the highest mountain on earth at 8,850 meters this spring as a team member of the Nepalese expedition operator “Seven Summit Treks”, he will be the sole record holder. He still shares the record of 21 Everest summit successes with Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa. “I did not start climbing to set a world record,” Kami Rita told AFP. “But in the course of my work in the guiding industry this is going to be my 22nd ascent. It wasn’t for any competition.”

Inspired by the father

Mount Everest

Kami Rita Sherpa was born in the village of Thame in the Khumbu region, near Everest. His family lives in the second generation on mountaineering tourism. Kami’s father hired for expeditions in the 1950s. His career ended when he suffered severe frostbite during climbing. “My inspiration has always been my father,” Kami Rita told the newspaper “Kathmandu Post”. “ He is the one who drives me forward and always pushes me to do great things. As he never climbed Everest, I wanted to do it for him.” That’s what also Kami’s older brother, Lakpa Rita Sherpa, did, so far 17 times. Lakpa also wrote history when he became the first Nepali to complete the collection of the “Seven Summits”, the highest mountains of all continents, with a summit success on Kilimanjaro in 2009.

More and better information

On top of Everest (in 2017)

When Kami Rita stood on the roof of the world for the first time in 1994, he was one of 49 climbers who reached the summit of Everest that spring season. In spring 2017 there were more than 600 climbers on the top.  “The dangers are still there: the crevasses are deep and the slopes are unpredictable. But we are not climbing blind like we used to, ” the Sherpa compares his ascents earlier and today. “We are better informed about weather and other condition on the mountain.” Even if he succeeds his record climb, Kami Rita Sherpa does not want to turn his back on Everest. “My goal is to reach the summit at least 25 times.”

Phurba Tashi at base camp

Phurba Tashi in front of his lodge

The 47-year-old Phurba Tashi Sherpa, one of the three current record holders, will also be on the highest mountain in the world this spring, but does not want to set a new record. “Phurba will be at BC and will not be trying to climb Everest again,” New Zealander Russell Brice, head of the expedition operator “Himalayan Experience”, writes to me. “The record means nothing to me,” Phurba told me two years ago when I visited him at home in Khumjung. “It is much more important to come down healthy again. Finally, I have a wife and five children, I have to feed them.” The third record holder, Apa Sherpa, who comes from Thame like Kami Rita, is now living in the United States. The 58-year-old has finished his Everest career in 2011.

North side of Everest in the last daylight

If a mountain could breathe a sight of relief, Mount Everest would probably do it now. A total of more than 1,000 climbers on both sides of the highest mountain on earth have left the base camps and have returned home. There is silence again on Chomolungma, as the Sherpas call the mountain. Time to take stock. The exact figures are not yet available, but this spring some 600 summit successes have been recorded, increasing the number since the first ascent in 1953 to more than 8000.

Discussion about Jornet’s double ascent

Kilian Jornet on Everest

The most spectacular performance was made by the Spaniard Kilian Jornet, who climbed up to the summit twice within a week without the use of bottled oxygen. He set off for his first ascent from Rongbuk Monastery and climbed in a single push to the highest point, with only a short stopover in the Advanced Base Camp (ABC) at 6,400 meters. Only 38 hours after his departure from the Monastery he returned to ABC. A few days later he made his second ascent. This time it took him 17 hours from ABC to the summit at 8,850 meters. Afterwards, discussion arose because the 29-year-old did not present summit pictures or GPS data to document his ascents. Jornet promised to publish the data of his GPS clock. Already in 2007, Pemba Dorje Sherpa had made an Everest double ascent without breathing mask within a week.

Three eight-thousanders in five days?

Nirmal Purja

Nirmal Purja, a soldier of the British Gurkha regiment, also climbed Everest twice this spring, albeit with the use of bottled oxygen: on 15 and 27 May. Eight hours after his second summit success on Everest, the 34-year-old stood on top of Lhotse – and on 1 June he reached the summit of Makalu. Three eight-thousanders in five days? According to the Nepali Ministry of Tourism, the information is still being examined.

Kuriki wants to return

Overall, there were at least five successful Everest ascents without supplemental oxygen this season, possibly even nine: According to Indian media reports, four members of an Indian army expedition reached the summit without bottled oxygen. Other mountaineers failed, like the German Ralf Dujmovits in his eighth and, according to his own words, “definitely last” Everest attempt without breathing mask. The Japanese Nobukazu Kuriki also returned without summit success – from his now seventh attempt. He had wanted to climb via the West Ridge and the Hornbein Couloir to the summit. “I’ll be back,” the 34-year-old said.

Seven deaths

A total of seven people did not return from Everest this spring. Six climbers and a base camp cook died. Above all, the death of the Swiss top climber Ueli Steck made headlines all over the world. The 40-year-old fell to death during an acclimatization climb on Nuptse. A report on four dead climbers found in a tent on the South Col proved to be a hoax.

For the 21st time on top of Everest

Kami Rita Sherpa on the summit

Two records were achieved by Sherpas. The 46-year-old Kami Rita Sherpa from the village of Thame in the Khumbu area summited Everest for the 21st time. So he closed the gap on Apa Sherpa (also born in Thame), and Phurba Tashi Sherpa from the village of Kumjung, who have also 21 ascents under their belts. Lhakpa Sherpa had already been the woman with the most Everest ascents before this season. The 43-year-old Nepalese, who lives in the USA, bettered her own record to eight summit successes now.

Anything else? As the second blind climber after the American Erik Weihenmayer, the 50 year-old Austrian Andy Holzer reached the summit of Everest. The 26-year-old British Mollie Hughes was ranked number 15 in the circle of female climbers who summited the highest mountain on earth from both the north and the south side.

10-year ban for mountaineers without a permit

The fact that morality on Everest is not exactly the best was proved again this season. Some climbers missed oxygen bottles, which they had previously deposited in high camps and obviously had been stolen. The South African Ryan Sean Davy was caught on the south side trying to climb the highest mountain without a permit. The Pole Janusz Adamski, who climbed from the north to the summit and then descended via the southern route, had no permit for the Nepali side too. Both of them were banned from mountaineering in Nepal for the next ten years. The actually due fine of $ 22,000 was not imposed in both cases. Why, remained open.

Where is the Hillary Step?

Has the Hillary Step gone?

There has also been much talk about this spring’s weather on Everest, which according to meteorologists was as difficult to predict as never before. And, of course, about the Hillary Step, which – in the opinion of the six-time Everest summiter Tim Mosedale – is no more. Sherpas contradicted, and the Nepalese government said: “The Hillary Step is still intact and is covered with snow.” Last year too, there had been speculation as to whether the striking rock formati