A seasoned Sherpa guide has climbed Mount Everest for the 28th time, breaking his own record.
Kami Rita reached the summit at 9:20 a.m. local time on Tuesday, according to expedition organizer Seven Summits Treks.
His latest ascent comes a day after fellow Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa equaled his record of 27 summit trips.
The two guides competed for the title of most climbs of the highest peak in the world.
The title race began with Mr. Dawa ascending to the top for the 26th time on May 14, equaling Mr. Rita’s previous record.
Three days later, Mr. Rita returned to climb the mountain for the 27th time.
Mr. Rita first took on the Mount Everest challenge in 1994 and has made the trip almost every year since.
In addition to his Everest ascents, Mr Rita has tackled several other peaks including K2, Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.
As it is currently spring climbing season, the two Sherpa guides were on the mountain helping their clients ascend the snow-capped peaks.
Sherpa guides have essential skills to ensure the safety of foreign climbers looking to stand on top of the mountain.
This month, hundreds of climbers climbed Mount Everestwith Nepalese authorities issuing around 480 climbing permits to foreign climbers – the most issued for a year.
According to AP News, 10 people have died during this year’s spring climb so far.
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Mount Everest is the highest peak in the Himalayan mountains on the border of Nepal and Tibet.
The mountain is also known as Chomolungma, which means “Mother of the Goddess of the World” and Sagarmatha, which means “Goddess of Heaven”.
Climbing Mount Everest can be a dangerous undertaking, with snow and ice and the potential for avalanches and other harsh weather conditions.
Since most climbers are unaccustomed to high altitudes and low oxygen levels, they can rely on oxygen cylinders.
According to National Geographic, this is why the area above 8,000 m (26,000 ft) above sea level on Everest is called the “death zone”.
