Kathmandu: Nepali Sherpa climber and guide Kami Rita Sherpa set a new world record on Wednesday morning by summiting Mount Everest for the 30th time, marking the highest number of ascents by an individual.
Officials from the Department of Tourism, who monitor expeditions in the Himalayan region including Mount Everest, reported that Kami Rita reached the summit of the world’s highest peak this morning.
“At 7:49 am today, Kami Rita Sherpa surpassed his previous record, set just nine days ago, achieving his 30th ascent of Everest,” confirmed Khimlal Gautam, Chief of the Expedition Monitoring and Facilitation Field Office.
This climb marks his second ascent of the season, following his first on May 12.
Kami Rita, hailing from Thame village in Solukhumbu, Nepal, works as a Senior Guide at Seven Summit Treks.
The 54-year-old Sherpa has been climbing mountains for over twenty years. His mountaineering career began in 1992 when he joined an Everest expedition as support staff.
Since then, Kami Rita has participated in numerous expeditions, frequently summiting Everest. He has also successfully climbed other challenging peaks, including K2, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Manaslu.
On Tuesday, Kami Rita led a team of climbers to the summit of Everest.
In late May, Kami Rita departed from Kathmandu with a mountaineering expedition team of about 28 climbers. He has been guiding climbers on Sagarmatha for many years.
Kami Rita holds the record for the most ascents of the world’s tallest peak in the 71-year history of Everest climbing.
Pasang Dawa Sherpa, also from Solukhumbu, reached the summit of Everest for the 27th time last year but is taking a break from climbing this season.
Foreign climbers are charged $11,000 by Nepal for Everest permits, but the total cost of an expedition ranges from $40,000 to $90,000, depending on conditions. The cost can increase if the weather is unfavorable, as the climbing window typically lasts only two weeks each year.
Since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealander Edmund Hillary first reached Everest’s summit in May 1953, nearly 7,000 climbers have ascended the peak from the Nepalese side.
