Kathmandu, April 23

With the first successful summit of Mt Annapurna in this season, 32 climbers stood atop the world’s tenth highest mountain today.

After hours of struggle in the higher camps, at least 15 expedition members and 17 climbing Sherpas successfully scaled Mt Annapurna (8,091 m) at around 3:10 pm, MingmaSherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks quoted the climbers.

According to him, former Gurkha soldier Nirmal Purja aka Nims, along with other climbers, reached the summit of Mt Annapurna which is considered one of the most dangerous summits on the planet. Climbing Mt Annapurna was part of Purja’s mission to climb the world’s fourteen highest mountains in just seven months.

In the first phase, Purja has planned to climb six peaks, including Mt Everest, by June 1. He will then attempt to climb five other mountains, including Mt K2, in the second phase by August 1.

His final attempt will begin in September to climb the remaining three peaks by November 1.

Record holder climber Mingma David Sherpa and other Sherpa climbers accompanied Purja to the summit of Mt Annapurna, Sherpa added. “All climbers are descending to the lower camps,” he said. The mountain had witnessed only five successful summits (One Korean and four Sherpa climbers) in the last spring season.

Other expedition members who reached the summit point are Suzuki Yachiyo and Naoko Watanabe from Japan; Haakon Aasvang from Norway; Tunc Findik from Turkey; Donald Allen Bowie from the US; Wui Kin Chin of Malaysia; Sergey Baranov from Russia; Sophie Marie Therese Jeanne Lavaud from Switzerland; Jones-Warner Rupert from the UK; Cho Cheol Hee from Korea; and He Jing, Ruijin Ren, Jiang Long and Huajie Lu from China, according to Sherpa.

“Nirmal Purja, Mingma David Sherpa, Nga Tashi Sherpa, Pasang Dawa Sherpa and Halung Dorchi Sherpa opened the climbing route from Camp IV to the summit,” he said.