Officials have announced that a British climber and a Nepalese guide have broken the record for the most ascents of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, which they previously set themselves. Rakesh Gurung, Director of the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism, stated that British climber Kenton Cool (50 years old) and Nepalese guide Kami Rita Sherpa (54 years old) reached the summit, which stands at 8,849 meters, for the 18th and 29th times, respectively.
Each was on separate expeditions, leading groups of clients. Garrett Madison from Madison Mountaineering, based in the United States, remarked that the Nepalese guide "continues to advance... He is an amazing man!" Madison has previously collaborated with Kami Rita for ascents of Everest, Lhotse, and K2 in 2014.
K2, located in Pakistan, is the second-highest mountain in the world, while Lhotse in Nepal is the fourth highest. Lucas Fortenbach from Austrian expedition company Fortenbach Adventures praised the British climber's achievements, calling them "impressive." Fortenbach, who is leading an expedition from the Chinese side of Everest, noted, "He is an integral part of the guiding sector on Everest. Kenton Cool is an institution."
Both climbers used the "South East Ridge" route to reach the summit. Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Nepalese Tenzing Norgay were the first climbers to discover this route in 1953, and it remains the most popular for reaching the peak of Everest.
Kami Rita Sherpa first climbed Mount Everest in 1994 and has climbed the mountain nearly every year since, except for three years when authorities closed the mountain for various reasons. However, he ascended it twice last year.
Mountain climbing is a major tourist activity and a source of income, as well as providing job opportunities in Nepal, which is home to eight of the world's highest 14 peaks, including Everest. Nepal has issued 414 permits to climbers during the climbing season, which ends this month, at a cost of $11,000 per permit.
