Bahrain prince, record-holder Sherpas scale Mt Lobuche

KATHMANDU: Bahrain Prince Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa along with record-holder Sherpa climbers today scaled Mt Lobuche making it to the first team of climbers to stand atop the 6,119-metre peak in the Everest region.

Bahrain Prince Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa along with record-holder Sherpa climbers heading to scale Mt Lobuche in the Everest region, on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Photo: THT
Bahrain Prince Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa along with record-holder Sherpa climbers heading to scale Mt Lobuche in the Everest region, on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Photo: THT

According to Thaneswar Guragai, manager at Seven Summit Treks, the high-profile team of climbers comprising Prince Khalifa, first South Asian climber to scale all 14 peaks above 8,000 m Mingma Sherpa, the youngest person to climb Everest without the use of supplementary oxygen Tashi Lakpa Sherpa and other members the Bahrain Royal Guard expedition made it to the top of Lobuche Peak at around 8:50 am.

The climbers attempting the peak include British nationals Richard Warren McConnel, Phillip Clough and Christopher Anothony, Bahrain nationals - Ebrahim Mohamed Abdulla Ebrahim Mohamed, Mohamed Ali Jasim Ahmed Alboainain, Arafat Hamood Naji Ghurbah, Ebrahim Khalil Ebrahim Zayed Mohamed Aljazzaf, Ahmed Said Ahmed Isa Alkabbi, Arif Feroz Shah Murad Qalunder Ghulam, Mohamed Adul Rahman Yusuf Alkawari, Khaled Ali Hasan Ebrahim Hasan Aldossery, Abdulaziz Rafea Abbar Khalaf Alabed, Khaled Sultan Mohamed Abdulla Alsheerwai, Murad Mohamed Yusuf Abdul Sayed, Ebrahim Ali Salem Jaber, Saud Hamad Mubarak Hamad Eid and Mohamed Isa Abdulla Yusuf Alqais - and other Sherpa support staff.

Bahrain Prince Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa along with record-holder Sherpa climbers heading to scale Mt Lobuche in the Everest region, on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Photo: THT
Bahrain Prince Mohamed Hamad Mohamed Al Khalifa along with record-holder Sherpa climbers heading to scale Mt Lobuche in the Everest region, on Saturday, October 3, 2020. Photo: THT

This is the first team to climb Nepali peak throughout the year as the government had stopped issuing climbing permits due to COVID-19 pandemic in the previous seasons. The expedition would also support over 100 expedition staff including high-altitude climbing Sherpas who have been worst hit by the COVID-19 lockdown. However, the government has already announced to open up tourism activities in the country resuming all international flights to and from the Himalayan nation from October 17.

According to Seven Summit Treks, which runs the high-profile Bahrain expedition, the team will attempt to climb Mt Manaslu, the world’s eighth highest mountain next week. A team of Sherpa climbers including Chhang Dawa Sherpa, company’s expedition director, has already reached the base camp to prepare the route to the top of 8,163-metre mountain, according to Guragai. The Royal Guard team also plans to climb Mt Everest in the upcoming spring season.

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