Is there a summit capable of slowing down the ascent of the "man of Everest"? At the age of 53, Nepalese mountaineer Kami Rita reached the summit of the world's highest mountain (8,849 m) for the 28th time in his life. Touching the summit of Everest for the second time in ten days, he broke his own world record a day after his compatriot Pasang Dawa equalled him.
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Everest is not the only peak on the list of the father of two, who has also climbed Lhotse (8,516m), K2 (8,611m) and Cho Oyu (8,188m), eight times.
A mountain guide for more than 20 years, Kami Rita had successfully climbed Everest for the first time in 1994, working for a commercial expedition, but his first experience with this Himalayan mountain dates back to 1992, when he was working with... a base camp cook.
First ascent at 24
Since then, this seasoned climber has climbed Everest almost every year, the first time at the age of 24. In particular, he led the first rope team to open the access route to the summit. The rest of the time, he spends his time at base camp playing cards or training young Sherpas.
The fiftieth anniversary comes from a family of enthusiasts. After Everest was made accessible to mountaineers from the southern flank in 1950, offering new climbing opportunities, Kami Rita's father was one of the first professional Sherpa guides to accompany international climbers. His brother Lakpa Rita, also a guide, has climbed Everest 17 times.
From the height of her impressive performances, Rita Sherpa remains a cautious climber, tirelessly reminding us that an ascent does not happen alone, but with the help of a team that makes the feat possible. For his last record, he was also present as a guide, accompanying a group of tourists.
The thankless role of Sherpas
Nepal welcomes hundreds of climbers each season, when temperatures are milder and winds generally weaker. This season, a record 478 permits were issued to foreign mountaineers to climb Everest. But ten climbers, including four Nepalese, died on the world's highest mountain this year.
Already in 2018, Kami Rita, who has seen tourist arrivals mass and expeditions become commonplace, complained about the lack of recognition towards Sherpas. "Our government hasn't done much for us. We are famous all over the world. Many foreigners know us, but our government doesn't care about us," he told the Gulf Times.
The mountaineering industry in the Himalayas relies on the experience of Sherpas, usually from the valleys of Everest. They pay a heavy price to accompany hundreds of mountaineers every year. A third of the dead in Everest are Nepalese climbers. When asked about her children's future, Kami Rita wants to keep them away from being Sherpa: "I don't want them to work on the mountain. They will have an interest in pursuing their careers in other fields after their studies," he said in 2018.