Kami Rita (कामीरिता शेर्पा) (born 17 January 1970), Thame, Solukhumbu District, Nepal[1] is a Nepali Sherpa guide who, since May 2018, has held the record for most ascents to the summit of Mount Everest. Most recently, he scaled the mountain for the 30th time on 22 May 2024, breaking his own record set on 12 May 2024.[2][3][4] His father was among the first professional Sherpa guides after Everest was opened to foreign mountaineers in 1950. His brother Lakpa Rita, also a guide, scaled Everest 17 times.[5][6]
Kami Rita | |
|---|---|
 Rita in 2010 | |
| Born | January 17, 1970 Thame, Solukhumbu District, Nepal |
| Occupation | Nepali Sherpa guide |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | Lakpa Jangmu |
| Children | 2 |
In 2017, Rita was the third person to reach the summit of Mount Everest 21 times, sharing this record with Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa.[7][8] The latter two subsequently retired.[9]
On 16 May 2018, at age 48, Rita became the first person in the world to climb Mount Everest 22 times,[5] achieving the record of the most summits on the 8,848-meter (29,031-foot) peak.[10][11] In April of the year, he told the news media that he planned to scale Everest 25 times before retirement, "not just for myself but for my family, the Sherpa people and for my country, Nepal";[12][5] He completed his 30th summit of Everest on 22 May 2024.[2][3]
Rita holds the record for most 8,000 meter summits, with 40 total. In addition to his Everest completions, his totals include Cho-Oyu eight times (2001, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2016), Lhotse (2011) and K2 (2014).[13][14][4][15][2][3]
Career
editAccording to Rita's brother Lakpa Rita,[16] Kami's first work on a mountain was in 1992, assisting a Base Camp cook. Another report, however, states that he was already working as a porter, transporting gear to the Everest base camp, at age 12. By age 24, he had scaled Everest.[17]
In 2018, Rita told a journalist that the government does not support the Sherpas. "We are famous around the world. Many foreigners know us, but our government doesn't care about us." He said that when Ang Rita Sherpa was hospitalised in Kathmandu in 2017 after a brain haemorrhage, the government provided no support.[18] Although climbing is safer than in the past because of superior equipment and weather forecasts, the occupation is still dangerous, he told a reporter in 2018.[19] "The crevasses are deep and the slopes are unpredictable," Rita said.[16] An April 2018 report by NPR stated that Sherpas account for one-third of Everest deaths.[20][21]
In 2018, Rita was earning about $10,000 for each Everest climb because of his extensive previous experience. The highest peaks in Nepal are safe only around May of each year; in the autumn, he guides clients up the country's smaller peaks.[16]
As of May 2019, he was employed by Seven Summit Treks,[22] a company that arranges climbing expeditions.[23][24] Prior to 2018, he had been employed by an American firm, Alpine Ascents International.[25][18] From August 2019, he has served as a Brand Ambassador and the Chief Adventure Consultant of Himalayan Glacier Adventure and Travel Company. He has no plans to retire as long as his body is physically able to handle the climbing.[21] Rita is also a brand ambassador for a cement product, Brij Super Premium OPC, manufactured in Nepal.[18][26]
There is also another Kami Rita Sherpa who works on Everest and had completed his 16th summit in 2017 with Adventure Consultants.[27]
Rita summited Everest on 7 May 2021, breaking his own record with his 25th ascent,[28] and again summited Everest on 7 May 2022, breaking his own record with his 26th ascent.[29] On 17 May 2023, three days after fellow sherpa Pasang Dawa completed his 26th ascent, matching the record, Rita reclaimed his title by completing his 27th climb of Mount Everest.[30] On 22 May 2023 Pasang Dawa equalized the record again by summiting Mount Everest for the 27th time.[31] On 23 May Rita scaled Everest extending his record to 28.[14] He scaled Everest on 12 May 2024 and 22 May 2024 extending his record to 30.[15][3]
Personal life
editRita was born and grew up in Thame, a small village in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal, living with his large family in a one-room house. Thame is also the birthplace of other famous mountaineering Sherpas, including Tenzing Norgay who (alongside Sir Edmund Hillary) achieved the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953.[32] In his youth, he had considered becoming a monk and spent some time at the Thame Dechen Chokhorling monastery but decided not to proceed with this vocation.
A 2018 report stated that Rita lives with his wife, Lakpa Jangmu, and two children in Kathmandu. He has ensured that his children are getting an education to enable them to choose occupations that are less dangerous than guiding mountaineers.[25] "We were illiterate and poor and there were no other means of survival [back then]. As a result, we were compelled to climb dangerous mountains to eke out a living," he told a journalist.[17]
In another 2018 report, Lakpa Jangmu is quoted as saying that she wished that her husband would retire from mountaineering. "I keep telling him we could look for other jobs, start a small business. But he does not listen to me at all." She also confirmed that their children will not become mountain guides.[16]
Everest expeditions
editExpedition timeline:[33][34][35][36][29][37][14][4][15]
| Year | Date / Height | Route | Position / Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 13 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 1995 | Up to 8500m | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 1997 | 25 May | S Col - SE Ridge | Climber |
| 1998 | 25 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 1999 | 13 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2000 | 23 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2002 | 25 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2003 | 30 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2004 | 24 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2005 | 30 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2006 | 20 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2007 | 22 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2008 | 24 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2009 | 5 May, 23 May | S Col - SE Ridge | Rope Fixing Team / High Altitude Worker |
| 2010 | 5 May, 24 May | S Col - SE Ridge | Rope Fixing Team / High Altitude Worker |
| 2012 | 18 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2013 | 10 May, 22 May | S Col - SE Ridge | Rope Fixing Team / High Altitude Worker |
| 2015 | - | - | No Summit (Earthquake) |
| 2016 | 20 May | N Col - NE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2017 | 27 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2018 | 16 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2019 | 15 May, 21 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2021 | 7 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2022 | 7 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2023 | 17 May, 23 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
| 2024 | 12 May, 22 May | S Col - SE Ridge | High Altitude Worker |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Benavides, Angela (21 May 2019). "Everest Summit". explorersweb.com. Retrieved 18 December 2022.)
- ^ a b c "Nepal's 'Everest Man' claims record 30th summit". france24.com. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Kami Rita Sherpa scales Mt Everest for 30th time breaking own record". The Himalayan Times. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Sherpa Kami Rita scales Mount Everest for 29th time, extending his own record". NBC News. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Sherpa guide Kami Rita climbs Everest for record 22nd time". Associated Press. 16 May 2018 – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "Kami Rita Sherpa scales Mt. Everest 23 times".
- ^ "Nepalese Kami Rita Sherpa scales Mount Everest for record 21 times". The Financial Express. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
- ^ "Nepalese Sherpa scales Everest for record 21 times". The Tribune. India. PTI. 28 May 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
- ^ Gurubacharya, Binaj. "Sherpa climber scales Mount Everest for a record 23rd time". chicagotribune.com.
- ^ "Kami Rita Sherpa scales Mt Everest for record 22 times". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ "Sherpa eyes record-breaking 22nd Everest climb". Gulf Times. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ "This veteran Sherpa is trying to reach the top of Everest for a record-breaking 22nd time". The Independent. 11 April 2018.
- ^ "Most ascents of 8,000ers". Guinness World Records. guinnessworldrecords.com. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Gurubacharya, Binaj (23 May 2023). "Sherpa guide Kami Rita scales Mount Everest for a record 28th time". AP News. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Sangam Prasain (14 May 2024). "Kami Rita summits Everest 29th time, eyes yet another climb this season". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d "This veteran Sherpa is trying to reach the top of Everest for a record-breaking 22nd time". The Independent. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ a b "Everest climber Kami Rita returns to break his own world record". www.efe.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ a b c "Sherpa eyes record-breaking 22nd Everest climb". Gulf-Times. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "Will Everest's Climbing Circus Slow Down After Disasters?". National Geographic News. 13 May 2015. Archived from the original on 15 May 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "One-Third Of Everest Deaths Are Sherpa Climbers". NPR. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- ^ a b "Why is Mount Everest running out of Sherpa guides?". SBS Your Language. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ Arnette, Alan (15 May 2019). "Kami Rita Sherpa Just Broke His Own Everest Record". Outside Online. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "Sherpa to make record 22nd Everest bid". 31 March 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "Kami Rita Sherpa scales Mt Everest for record 22 times". The Himalayan Times. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ a b Callaghan, Anna (16 May 2018). "Kami Rita Summits Everest for 22nd Time". Outside Online. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "Felicitations to Kami Rita Sherpa and Collaboration on his Everest Story Trek 2019". www.brijcement.com. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
- ^ "Everest Expedition". Adventure Consultants. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
- ^ "Sherpa guide scales Mount Everest for record 25th time". AP News. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- ^ a b "Nepal's Kami Rita Sherpa climbs Mount Everest for 26th time to set new world record". newsonair.gov.in. 8 May 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ Gurubacharya, Binaj (17 May 2023). "Sherpa guide regains title for most climbs of Mount Everest after 27th trip". Portland Press Herald. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ "Pa Dawa equalizes world record with Kami Rita scaling Everest twice this season". The Himalayan Times. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
- ^ "Leadership". Thames Sherpa Fund. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ "Everest bears witness to several new records today". dreamwanderlust.com. 16 May 2018.
- ^ "Meet Kami Rita Sherpa, who is on his way to create history by scaling Everest 22 times". dreamwanderlust.com. 14 April 2018.
- ^ "Kami Rita Sherpa breaks his own world-record again, scales Everest for 24th time today". dreamwanderlust.com. 21 May 2019.
- ^ "Kami Rita Sherpa breaks his own record with 25th ascent to Mt Everest". khabarhub.com. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
- ^ Sharma, Gopal (17 May 2023). "Nepali sets Everest record with 27 ascents, Briton makes most summits by a foreigner". Reuters. Retrieved 17 May 2023.