KATHMANDU: After climbing five peaks in the last two months, a record holder climber from Sankhuwasabha district today announced that he would leave for Langtang region tomorrow to attempt to make the first ever ascent on Kyungya Ri 2 peak.

Mingma Sherpa, the first South Asian climber to scale all 14 highest peaks above 8,000m, said that he wanted to climb a virgin peak above 6,500m in the Langtang region to share a positive message to the world in the times of COVID-19 crisis.

Sherpa said he would be a part of the expedition led by climber Sophie Lavaud from Switzerland while Dawa Sangay Sherpa would also join the expedition as a climbing Sherpa on the 6,506-metre peak.

Sherpa, Chairman at Seven Summit Treks, said that he had already climbed five peaks including Mt Manaslu (8,163m) in the autumn season.

Sherpa climbed Lobuche peak on October 3, Mt Manaslu on October 15, Mt Amadablam on November 12, and Island Peak in the Everest region on November 30. Sherpa holds a world record from the South Asian region for becoming the first person to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000m (2000-2011).

After Kyungya Ri 2 peak, Sherpa said he would leave for Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain, later this month.