KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 4
Renowned Sherpa climber today scripted a history in mountain climbing becoming the first Nepali mountaineer to scale all 14 peaks above 8,000 m without using supplemental oxygen.
Mingma G Sherpa from Rolwaling stood atop Shishapangma (8,027 meters) in Tibet at around 4:06 pm becoming the first climber from Nepal to scale 14 of the 8,000-meter peaks without the use of supplemental oxygen, according to Imagine Nepal Treks.
Earlier, Mingma G climbed Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Everest in 2022 without using supplemental oxygen. The IFMGA guide scaled Manaslu in 2021, Gasherbrum-II in 2019, Lhotse and Broad Peak in 2018, K2, Makalu and Nanga Parbat in 2017, Gasherbrum-I in 2016 and Annapurna in 2015 without using bottled oxygen.
"Leading an 11-member team from Imagine Nepal Treks, Mingma G reached the summit at 4:06 pm via Spanish route taken by Edurne Pasaban in 2006," the organiser said. At least five climbers from Imagine Nepal have now completed all fourteen of the world's highest peaks, it added.
Over his career, spanning from 2007 to 2024, Mingma G's accomplishments include summits of Everest (from both the North and South sides), five ascents of K2, and summits of Annapurna I, Dhaulagiri, Makalu, Kanchenjunga, Manaslu (seven times), and more. "Hailing from the Rolwaling village, his recent summit of Shishapangma seals his place among the elite mountaineers of the world." Born in Rolwaling, the climbers' valley, the IFMGA guide is also the first summiteer on Mt Cheki-Go (6,257m), Mt Bamongo (6,400m) and Mt Chobuje (6,685m) via west.
Joining Mingma G in this historic achievement, American climber Dr Tracee Lee Metcalfe has also become the first climber from the USA to reach the true summit of all 14 of the highest 8,000-meter peaks. In a monumental year, she has summited five of these peaks in 2024 alone: Shishapangma, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum-I, Gasherbrum-II, and Lhotse, according to Imagine Nepal Treks.
Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Khan has also earned his place in history by summiting all 14 of the highest peaks, becoming the first Pakistani climber to achieve this feat. His previous summits include Nanga Parbat in 2017, two summits of K2 (2018 and 2022), Lhotse, Broad Peak, and Manaslu in 2019, Annapurna, Gasherbrum-II, Dhaulagiri, and Everest in 2021 and 2023 without supplementary oxygen, Kanchenjunga, Gasherbrum-I, and Makalu in 2022, Cho Oyu in 2023 and Shishapangma. So far, Sirbaz has climbed 12 8000 meters of peaks remaining at Annapurna and Kanchenjunga to mark his name in the list of climbers to climb all 14 8000 meters of peaks without oxygen.
After the summit of Shishapangma, Naoki Ishikawa, a Japanese climber, has now conquered all the true summits of the fourteen highest 8,000-meter peaks and becomes the only climber from Japan to reach the real summit of all the 14 highest peaks. His impressive ascents include Everest in 2011, Lhotse in 2013, Makalu in 2014, Gasherbrum-II in 2019, K2, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Broad Peak, and Manaslu in 2022, Annapurna last April, Nanga Parbat and Gasherbrum-I in July, and Cho Oyu most recently.
Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, another prominent team member, has also completed his dream of summiting all the highest peaks. His impressive summit records include two climbs of Annapurna I, two ascents of Broad Peak, one ascent of Cho Oyu, one ascent of Dhaulagiri, fifteen ascents of Everest, two ascents of Gasherbrum-II, two ascents of K2, one ascent of Kanchenjunga, two ascents of Lhotse, one ascent of Makalu, five ascents of Manaslu, an ascent of Nanga Parbat last July, and finally, the ascent of Shishapangma. Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, like his teammates, hails from the Rolwaling village.
Other members of the Imagine Nepal team are also closing in on the same goal. Kili Pemba Sherpa has now conquered 12 of the 14 highest peaks. Kili Pemba Sherpa is one of the 10 Nepalese climbers who made a historic ascent of Mount K2 in the winter of 2021. Meanwhile, Macedonian climber Dr Sashko Kedev has also completed 12, with Kanchenjunga and Gasherbrum-I remaining for both, according to the company.
