Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Kami Rita Sherpa summits Mt Everest for a record 22nd time

Kami Rita Sherpa scaled Mt Everest for the record 22nd time today breaking the earlier records of Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa, who have climbed the highest peak of the world for 21st times.
The 48-year-old Sherpa reached Mt Everest for a 22nd time today at 8:30 am, according to the Department of Tourism. "Sherpa reached the 8,850-meter summit via the Southeast Ridge route, accompanied by 13 other climbers including his clients," the department informed, adding that he has set the new world record.
The peak sees hoards of mountaineers in the climbing season that runs from March through May. Of them most of climbers are currently on various camps of Mt Everest trying to reach the top of the world.
Kami Rita, who hails from Thame village in Solukhumbu district, made his first ascent of Mt Everest in 1994, when he was 24 years old. He plans to reach the summit for the 25th time, or even more times.
One of his 21 Mt Everest ascents was made from the Chinese side in 2016.
The 2018 Everest climbing season officially began on Sunday with eight high-altitude Nepali climbing guides making it to the hallowed peak. These highly-skilled mountaineers prepare the route to the top of the 8,848-metre peak for climbers.
This season, nearly 750 individuals, including 346 royalty-paying climbers, are expected to scale the highest peak of the world. A total of 20 Nepali climbers are also on the way to the Mt Everest.
The world’s highest peak was closed for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015 due to deadly avalanches. On April 18, 2014, an avalanche near the base camp killed 16 Nepali guides. Then in 2015, quake-triggered avalanches killed 19 climbers. According to the statistics, some 5,324 mountaineers have scaled Mt Everest since it was first scaled by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in 1953.

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