KATHMANDU, APRIL 7
As the country is all set to mark the platinum jubilee of the first successful ascent of the world's highest peak next month, a variety of climbers arrived in Nepal to scale different mountains including Mt Everest this season.
Seven Summit Treks, the country's largest expedition-organizing company, is handling more than 70 climbers on Mt Everest this season. "We are very proud to have over 70 climbers for Mt Everest from across the world as the country marks the 70th anniversary of the first Everest ascent," Expedition Director at SST Chhang Dawa Sherpa said, adding that his company would have a variety of climbers ranging from a deaf couple to the world's top mountain runner.
American deaf couple – Scott Lehmann and Shayna Unger – who are on their mission to complete all seven summits, arrived here yesterday to begin their climbing activities, Sherpa, who is also a world's record holder climber, shared. "Scott and Shayna, both born profoundly deaf, want to be the first American deaf couple to stand atop the world's highest peak," Sherpa shared. Under their mission "Seeing Beyond: Seven Summits," they have already climbed Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Denali, Mont Blanc and Matterhorn.
From SST, legendary climber Kami Rita Sherpa also aims to break his own world record by scaling Mt Everest for the 27th time this season. "Kami Rita will leave for the Khumbu region in a couple of days to guide a high-profile foreign client on Everest," Chhang Dawa added.
According to Sherpa, Mexican climber Rafael Jaime Jaramillo also aims to be the first blind climber from Mexico to scale Mt Everest this season. Jaramillo, who has been blind since he was 18, has also arrived here to join the SST team to attempt to scale the world's highest peak, he added.
"We will also be managing the expedition for the world's top mountain runner Kilian Jornet who aims to climb Mt Everest and Lhotse without using supplemental oxygen this season," Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, SST/14 Peaks Expeditions Director, shared. The Catalan climber has multiple speed records on different mountains.
Mexican climber Virdiana Alvarez Chavez, who left for Tibet to attempt to scale Cho Oyu and Shishapanga along with Norwegian climber Kristin Harila today, would also be attempting to scale Everest without using supplemental oxygen this season, he added. Norwegian climber Harila is on the way to smashing the world record set by Nirmal Purja by scaling all 14 peaks above 8000 m in just over a year.
Among other renowned climbers, Ligia Maria Madrigal Moya has also joined SST/14 Peaks Expeditions to attempt to scale the world's highest peak aiming to be the first female Everest summiteer from her country, Chhang Dawa said.
Mingma Sherpa, Chairman of Seven Summit Treks, said that his company has been contributing millions of dollars as royalty to the nation every year hosting the largest number of climbers since 2012. "We pay at least 170 million rupees as expedition royalty to the government during this spring season," Sherpa, the first South Asian to scale all 14 peaks above 8,000m, shared.
According to Mingma, Tashi Lakpa will be managing all Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse climbers from the base camp, Chhang Dawa will coordinate for Mt Annapurna, Mt Dhaulagiri and Mt Kanchenjunga while Lakpa Sherpa will be on Mt Makalu.
"This season, we have more than 70 on Everest, 30 each on Makalu and Dhaulagiri, 25 each on Annapurna and Lhotse and more than 12 on Mt Kanchenjunga," Expedition Director Chhang Dawa said.
SST chairman Sherpa said that his company along with sister companies- 14 Peaks Expedition and Global Expedition – employed more than 500 support staff in different mountains every spring season. "We feel really proud for providing over 500 local staff direct job opportunities every season as they work either as high altitude climbing guides or sirdar," he said, adding that his company has maintained a success rate of over 90 per cent on mountain climbing.
Thaneswar Guragai, SST's general manager, said that base camp (for Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse) was already set up for the world climbers and SST team members would leave no stone unturned to offer the best services to the clients on every mountain.
