Nepali Sherpa Pasang Dawa climbs Mount Everest record 26th time

Sherpas, who are primarily known by their first names, are recognized for their climbing abilities and usually make a living by guiding foreign clients on mountain expeditions.

Kathmandu:Nepali Sherpa Pasang Dawa on Sunday became the world's second person to scale Mount Everest 26 times, local media reported. Born in Pangboche, Dawa grew up seeing Everest every day. He made it to the summit of 8,849-metre Mount Everest for the 26th time along with a Hungarian climber at around 9 am (local time) on Sunday.

Local reports quoted Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, Managing Director of expedition organiser Imagine Nepal Treks, as saying, "His Everest Summits are in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, twice in 2006, twice in 2007, 2008, 2009, twice in 2010, 2011, 2012, twice in 2013, 2016,2017, twice in 2018 and twice in 2019 and twice in 2022."

The expedition organizer confirmed that they are currently descending and are in good condition. Sherpas, who are primarily known by their first names, are recognized for their climbing abilities and usually make a living by guiding foreign clients on mountain expeditions.

Dawa Futi Sherpa, the official in charge, reported that Naila Kiani, a Pakistani woman, also reached the peak on Sunday and became the first foreign climber to summit Everest in this year’s climbing season, which runs from March to May. However, this information could not be independently verified due to the large number of foreign climbers attempting to summit the mountain following the installation of ropes to the top.

Kiani, a 37-year-old banker based in Dubai, had previously climbed four of the world’s 14 highest mountains before attempting Everest. Nepal issued a record 467 permits this year for foreign climbers seeking to summit the mountain. Typically, climbers reach the mountain's base camp in April and spend weeks acclimatizing to the high altitude, rough terrain, and thin air before attempting to climb the slopes towards the summit.

By the first or second week of May, they are usually making summit attempts. Each climber is usually accompanied by at least one Sherpa guide, raising concerns about overcrowding in the narrow section below the summit, known as the Hillary Step. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay. Since then, the mountain has been climbed more than 11,000 times.