A top mountain guide said on Thursday he was not ready to retire after climbing Everest for a record 28th time.
Nepalese Sherpa Kami Rita reached the 29,032-foot summit of the world’s tallest mountain on Tuesday, beating his own record less than a week after setting it.
“I will continue climbing as long as my body allows,” the 53-year-old guide told reporters after arriving off the mountain at Kathmandu airport, where he received a hero’s welcome from supporters and family members.
CLIMBER RE-REACHES THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT EVEREST AFTER BREAKING RECORD FOR MOST ASCENTS LAST WEEK
He said his goal is not to compete for any records, but to help his foreign clients climb the mountain.
This year’s climbing season is almost over and his next climb will have to wait until next spring.
Veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita arrives at the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal May 25, 2023. The 53-year-old guide summited Everest for the 28th time on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Kami Rita reached the summit one day after fellow Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa equaled his previous record of 27 ascents.
A run for the title began with Pasang Dawa climbing the peak for the 26th time on May 14, equaling Kami Rita’s previous record. Kami Rita reached the summit three days later for the 27th time.
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Kami Rita first climbed Everest in 1994 and has done it almost every year since. She is one of many Sherpa guides whose experience and skills are vital to the safety and success of foreign climbers seeking to reach the top of the mountain. Her father was among the first Sherpa guides.
Kami Rita has climbed many of the world’s highest peaks besides Everest, including K2, Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.
Thousands of people have climbed Everest since it was first conquered by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay in 1953. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first ascent.
