Sherpa Breaks His Own Record with 31 Ascents of Everest

Last week, Kami Rita, a sherpa, set a new record for the most ascents of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak in the Himalayas. He reached the summit for the 31st time, breaking his own record. At 55, born in Nepal, he guides climbers to the summit or as far as they can go. His first ascent of the 8,849-meter peak was in 1994, and last week he led a group of Indian army mountaineers. The team consisted of 22 climbers who hired Seven Summits Treks, along with 27 other sherpas.

In the harsh conditions of the mountain and its unpredictable weather, reaching the summit is not the only success. For Rita and other guardians, the goal is to bring all expedition members, both professional and amateur foreigners, back alive. During this ascent at the end of May, Rita successfully guided them to the base camp in good health.

A few days ago, upon reaching the summit of Chomolungma, the Nepalese name for Everest, at 4 a.m. with the dawn breaking, he reaffirmed his achievement in a video. "This is another milestone in a lifelong journey," he said. "This season was not easy. Harsh and unpredictable weather—strong winds, heavy snowfall, and bitter cold—tested every step. With patience, preparation, and the strength of a great team, we reached the summit and returned."

With his lifestyle and work, sherpa Kami Rita reaches the planet's highest point a couple of times a year, depending on the weather. More than once, he had to descend just meters from the top due to bad weather. But Rita has a motivator: competition with another sherpa who has already reached 29 summits and is chasing the record. If he misses a climbing season, typically between April and May, 48-year-old Pasang Dawa could claim the symbolic crown.

On May 20, Dawa, "known not only for his experience but also for his infectious smile and positivity," reached the world's peak at 6:15 a.m. His first successful ascent was in 1998, and he maintains a pace similar to Rita's. Just days earlier, he had conquered his 28th summit.

The son of a sherpa, Rita knows even the most challenging routes and other mountains, such as K2 and Lhotse. At his 29th ascent last year, he said, "Up here, the air is light, but the dreams are big." More recently, he wrote, "I've learned that true courage is not always found on the highest peaks. Sometimes it's in those barely spoken of."

Before reaching the summit, Rita participates in the Puja ceremony, a sherpa ritual to ask for "right of passage" from the mountain's spirit. Then come the narrow and dangerous passages, like the Hillary Step, and avalanches. With four deaths by May this year and 18 in 2024, the world's most famous mountain remains a dangerous place, even as it is increasingly conquered en masse.