Kami Rita & Lhakpa Sherpa aim for new everest records

KATHMANDU: The world’s mountaineering spotlight is on two legendary Nepali climbers: 55-year-old Kami Rita Sherpa from Thame, Solukhumbu, and 51-year-old Lhakpa Sherpa from Makalu, Sankhuwasabha.

Known as the “Everest Man,” high-altitude guide Kami Rita is at Everest Base Camp, preparing for his record-breaking 30th ascent.

Meanwhile, Lhakpa Sherpa, nicknamed the “Queen of the Mountain,” is heading to base camp for her 11th climb. She holds the record for the most Everest ascents by a woman and was the first Nepali woman to summit and safely return. Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was the first Nepali woman to reach the summit but died on the descent.

Lhakpa has summited eight times via the north (Tibet) route and twice from the south (Nepal).

Now based in the U.S., she is back in Nepal to break her own record.

Kami Rita, who has climbed Everest 30 times—including twice last year on 081 Baisakh 30 and 081 Jestha 9—is planning at least one more ascent this spring, with a second possible depending on health and weather.

His son Lakpa Tenzing confirmed he left Kathmandu for Lukla on Baisakh 7. He is guiding international climbers with Seven Summit Treks.

Kami Rita began mountaineering at 12 and first summited Everest at 24 in 2051 BS. He has since climbed Everest, K2, Manaslu, Lhotse, and other 8,000-meter peaks 44 times.

He has summited Everest five times in a single season.

The second-most Everest summits belong to Pasang Dawa Sherpa of Pangboche, Khumbu, with 27 ascents.

Seventy-two years after the first human footsteps on Everest, over 7,000 climbers have reached the top more than 12,000 times.

Around 340 climbers have lost their lives attempting the summit.