Dawa Yangzum Sherpa is First Nepali Woman Up 8,000ers
With American Anna Pfaff, Yangzum recently climbed the 14th highest mountain in the world
On Oct. 8 at 9 a.m. MST, Nepalese-based Dawa Yangzum Sherpa and U.S.A.-based Anna Pfaff began their attempt to summit Shishapangma, the 14th-highest mountain in the world at 8,027 metres (26,335 ft).
On Oct. 9 at 5:30 a.m. Nepal time the duo successfully reached the summit of Shishapangma after an eight-hour ascent. This signifies an incredible milestone for Dawa, who becomes the first Nepali woman to ever climb all 14 8,000-metre peaks.
Conrad Anker said, “Dawa Yangzum has been breaking glass ceilings and barriers since she started climbing. Dawa was the first woman in Nepal to earn a UFIAGM guide certification and has been an integral part of the Khumbu Climbing Center. With the success of climbing Shishapangma, Dawa is the first Nepali woman to climb all 14 peaks above 8000 m. Climbing like this takes preparation, dedication and teamwork. The North Face extends heartfelt congratulations to DAWA and her Nepali community on this momentous achievement.”
The ascent was made even more special as it was Pfaff’s first 8,000-metre peak, her specialty in technical terrain. This achievement showcased two athletes on two ends of the spectrum for conquering 8,000m peaks, one for the first and one for the 14th, reflecting the awe-inspiring and unifying community that is unique to climbing. Read our story on Yangzum Sherpa here.
