Kami Rita Sherpa Shatters Record with 31st Everest Summit

Kami Rita Sherpa, a Nepali mountaineer, achieved a remarkable feat on Tuesday by scaling Mount Everest for the 31st time. This ascent further cements his position as the world record holder for the most successful climbs of the planet’s highest peak.

Reports indicate that the 55-year-old climber reached the summit, standing at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet), early Tuesday.

Affectionately known as the “Everest Man,” Kami Rita first conquered Everest in 1994. Since then, he has consistently ascended the mountain almost every year, often multiple times within a single season. He remains a celebrated icon in the realm of high-altitude mountaineering.

In 2023, he successfully summited the mountain on two occasions. His closest competitor, fellow Nepali climber Pasang Dawa Sherpa, has reached the summit 29 times. Kami Rita continues to lead the way in what is regarded as a prestigious accomplishment in adventure sports.

Separately, Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa, a 29-year-old Nepali mountaineer, returned to Kathmandu on Tuesday after scaling Mount Everest four times in a mere 15 days—a remarkable achievement. His most recent summit was achieved on May 23, according to 8K Expeditions.

According to Nepal’s Department of Tourism, over 500 climbers, along with their Sherpa guides, have successfully reached the summit of Everest this season. They have capitalized on brief periods of favorable weather since the climbing route officially opened.

Nepal, home to eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, is a global center for high-altitude adventure tourism. The government has issued over 1,100 permits to climbers this season, including 458 permits specifically for Everest, generating over USD 5 million in mountaineering royalties.

Earlier in the month, British climber Kenton Cool reached the Everest summit for the 19th time, adding to his record for the most ascents by a non-Nepali climber.

Since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made their historic first ascent of Everest in 1953, the mountain has become a symbol of human resilience and a crucial component of Nepal’s economy.