Kami Rita Sherpa, a renowned climber from Nepal, has made history by scaling Mount Everest for the remarkable 31st time, thereby surpassing his own previous record for the highest number of ascents on the mountain. The 55-year-old, who was leading a team of Indian army officials during the ascent, reached the 8,849-meter peak at 04:00 local time on Tuesday. “Kami Rita Sherpa is a global symbol of Everest itself,” stated the expedition organizer, Seven Summit Treks, encapsulating his legendary status.
Sherpa's inaugural summit of Everest happened in 1994 while guiding a commercial group, and he has returned to the summit almost annually, achieving the climb two times in both 2023 and 2024. His closest rival, Pasang Dawa, has summited 29 times. In a past interview, Kami Rita expressed that while he is proud of his record, he views his climbs primarily as a profession, stating, "I am more happy that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world."
Earlier this month, he shared insights into life on Everest through social media, including images of the Puja ceremony, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist ritual performed before expeditions for blessings of safety and success. His latest achievement comes just a week after British climber Kenton Cool reached the summit for the 19th time, establishing a new record for non-Sherpas. This season has been notable, with over 500 climbers successfully reaching Everest's peak and Nepal issuing more than 1,000 climbing permits across various peaks. However, the surge in climbing attempts has raised concerns about overcrowding and environmental impact. Last year, in response to these issues, authorities mandated that climbers must clean up their waste on the mountain.
Sherpa's inaugural summit of Everest happened in 1994 while guiding a commercial group, and he has returned to the summit almost annually, achieving the climb two times in both 2023 and 2024. His closest rival, Pasang Dawa, has summited 29 times. In a past interview, Kami Rita expressed that while he is proud of his record, he views his climbs primarily as a profession, stating, "I am more happy that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world."
Earlier this month, he shared insights into life on Everest through social media, including images of the Puja ceremony, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist ritual performed before expeditions for blessings of safety and success. His latest achievement comes just a week after British climber Kenton Cool reached the summit for the 19th time, establishing a new record for non-Sherpas. This season has been notable, with over 500 climbers successfully reaching Everest's peak and Nepal issuing more than 1,000 climbing permits across various peaks. However, the surge in climbing attempts has raised concerns about overcrowding and environmental impact. Last year, in response to these issues, authorities mandated that climbers must clean up their waste on the mountain.
