Climbers from across the world dream of scaling the top of the world, Mt. Everest. However, achieving the daring feat is challenging. But not to the Sherpas, people from an ethnic community of Nepal in the Himalayan region. In fact, Sherpas are synonymous to the Everest.
While it may be a passion to many climbers, scaling the Everest has been ancestral profession to the Sherpas who are working as porters and guides to mountaineers for a long time.
While mountain climbing is nothing new to Sherpas, Kami Rita Sherpa has carved a niche in this sector. Incredible it may sound but he has climbed Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak for 22 times — between 13th of May 1994 to 16th May 2018.
This 49-year-old of Thame, Solukhumbu first ascended the highest peak on 13 May 1994. Since then there is no looking back for him.
He has also climbed Annapurna IV in 1996, Cho Oyu 8188m for 8 times from 2001 to 2011, LhoTse 8,516m in 2011, Mt. K2 (8,611m) in 2014, and Manaslu (8,163) in 2017.
Born on 19 Jan 1970, he has so far made 34 successful summits over 8000m peaks.
Kami Rita is currently working as a senior climbing guide at Seven Summit Treks and 14 Peak Expedition P. Ltd, sister companies.
Ask him his future plans and he would say: “I want to climb Mt. Everest for another five times.”
“I will continue to climb until my health permits me,” he said His village folk call him “record-holder Kamirita” since there are quite a few of his name in his village.
Kami started his job as a porter at the age of 12, and he succeeded in reaching atop the Mt. Everest when 24 on the 13th of May, 1994.
The government allows a permit of 75 days for Everest Summiteers. They stay at Sagarmatha Base Camp for 35 to 40 days before setting off for the climb.
It is necessary for a climber to stay at the base camp for acclimatization. In the camp, they sing, dance, cook and enjoy, says Kami. According to him, they take the climbers to Camp One, Camp Two, and Camp Three, and return to the Base Camp. Till camp two, we cook ‘Dal and Bhaat’, Kami Rita said.
“Rather than making or breaking records, my aim is to attract foreign climbers specially to the Mount Everest and the snow capped Himalayas of Nepal contributing to its tourism development,” he said revealing his motive behind his repeated mission to world’s peak.
Kami says he earns Rs. one to 1.2 million while climbing the Mt. Everest.
Comment