Nepali sherpa Kami Rita, renowned as the "Everest Man," has once again etched his name in the annals of mountaineering history by summiting Mount Everest for the 31st time, surpassing his own previous record. The 55-year-old climber reached the peak's towering height of 8,849 meters at 04:00 local time on Tuesday, serving as a guide for a group of Indian army officials.
Expedition organizer Seven Summit Treks hailed Kami Rita as "a global symbol of Everest itself," acknowledging his pivotal role in the climbing community. Since his first ascent in 1994, which was part of a commercial expedition, he has made the trek nearly every year, even managing two summits in certain years, such as 2023 and 2024. His closest rival, Pasang Dawa, holds the record for 29 climbs.
In previous interviews, Kami Rita has conveyed that his climbing endeavors are primarily professional. "I am glad for the record, but records are eventually broken," he stated in an interview with AFP last year. He added, "I am more happy that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world." This month, he also shared moments from Everest life, including video snippets of the Puja ceremony—a Tibetan Buddhist ritual performed before climbs to seek blessings for safe journeys.
Kami Rita’s achievement comes shortly after British mountaineer Kenton Cool reached Everest for the 19th time, setting a new record for non-sherpas. The current climbing season has seen over 500 successful summits, with Nepal’s tourism department issuing upwards of 1,000 climbing permits for Everest and other peaks. However, the surge in summit attempts has raised concerns over overcrowding and environmental ramifications, prompting regulations for climbers to carry their waste back to base camp for proper disposal.
