Everest Summit Records for Kami Rita and Kenton Cool
Everest just had a great weather window and a number of climbers reached the summit, including Kami Rita Sherpa and Kenton Cool. Nepali climber Rita Sherpa broke his own record and became the first person to reach the summit of Everest with a record 23 ascents. He started from the Nepal side and was part of the rope-fixing team with seven other Sherpas.
Kenton Cool reached the summit this week and broke his own record for most British ascents of the world’s highest peak with his 14th. Cool reached the summit while guiding Michael Lavelle, Citibank’s chief. Also on top with Cool was Dorji Gyaljen, Kam Dorchi and Tenji Sherpa.
“It’s Dorji Gyaljen’s second summit on Mt Everest this season as he reached the summit on Tuesday being a part of the rope-fixing team,” said Iswari Poudel, director at Himalayan Guides Nepal.
Like every season on Everest, they have been deaths. Irish climber Seamus Lawless went missing at 8,300 metres and is believed to have fallen. Sherpas searched for him near the Balcony, but didn’t find any sign of him. And Indian climber Ravi Thakar was found dead inside his tent at camp four this week.
It’s expected there will be a record number of climbers who reach the summit this year thanks to the fixed ropes. Nepal has issued a record 378 permits costing $11,000 each. Last year, 807 climbers reached the summit of Everest, 563 people from the south and 244 from the north. Five climbers died on the peak last year.
Everest has long been the centre of climbing controversy and many climbers are worried that over crowded routes will lead to dangerous situations. In April, a clean-up team carried three tonnes of garbage off Everest, including excrement, gas containers and climbing gear.
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