Foreign Mountaineer Sets Record for Most Everest Climbs, Nepali Achieves 29th Ascent

British climber Kenton Cool and Nepali guide Kami Rita Sherpa have made headlines by breaking their own records for the most climbs of Mount Everest. Cool, 50, reached the summit for the 18th time, while Sherpa, 54, achieved his 29th successful climb of the world’s highest mountain.

Both climbers were leading separate expeditions, guiding their clients up the 8,849-meter peak. Their remarkable achievements have drawn praise from fellow climbers and industry experts. Garrett Madison of Madison Mountaineering described Kami Rita as an “amazing guy” who just keeps pushing himself to new heights.

Kami Rita’s partnership with Lukas Furtenbach in 2014 led to successful summits of Everest, Lhotse, and K2, showcasing his exceptional mountaineering skills. Furtenbach, who leads expeditions from the Chinese side of Everest, hailed Kenton Cool as an institution in the Everest guiding industry.

Using the Southeast Ridge route, pioneered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, both climbers reached the summit once again. Kami Rita’s first ascent of Everest was in 1994, and he has continued to conquer the mountain almost every year since then.

The popularity of mountain climbing in Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 tallest peaks, including Everest, has made it a significant source of income and employment for the country. With 414 climbing permits issued this season, each costing $11,000, the climbing season is coming to a close, marking another successful chapter in the history of Everest expeditions.