Sherchan quits quest for Mt Everest record

Min Bahadur Sherchan (81), who was going to break the record as the oldest person to scale the Mt Everest, has abandoned his attempt to climb the highest mountain of the world due to rough weather.

Sherchan turned back today from the 5,300-meter-base camp because of the worsening weather condition. He could have made the attempt and reclaim his record leaving 80-year old Japanese Yuichiro Miura — who set the record only a week ago as the oldest person to climb Mt Everest — behind, had the government took decision to fund him on time.
Sherchan became the oldest Everest climber in 2008 at age 76. He held the record until last week. Another octogenarian Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura scaled the 8,848-meter highest mountain in the world on May 23 breaking Sherchan’s record.
Sherchan, who had no sponsors, was awaiting government decision to claimb the Mt Everest. The government provided him grant and waive the $70,000 climbing permit fee but it was too late, the weather started playing foul.
Spring season — the best season to climb Mt Everest normally ends in May — and Sherchan has to now wait to reclaim the record.
This season some 500 climbers scaled the highest peak last week during the window of favourable weather conditions, but most climbers packed up and left the mountain by the time Sherchan was able to begin as the weather got worse by then.