Riten Tashi Sherpa and Ashish Gurung become the first Nepalis to receive South Korea's top mountaineering honour for a voluntary body-recovery mission at 6,200 metres
KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 28
Two Nepali mountain guides have been awarded South Korea's prestigious Golden Ice Axe for their role in a high-risk body recovery operation on Mera Peak last October, marking the first time Nepali climbers have received the country's highest mountaineering honour.
IFMGA-certified guides Riten Tashi Sherpa and Ashish Gurung were honoured by South Korean Ambassador to Nepal Park Tae-Young on behalf of the Korean Alpine Rescue Association (KARA) and the Government of South Korea. The award recognises their role in recovering the body of a South Korean climber from the 6,200-metre peak under extreme alpine conditions. In Korea, the "Golden Ice Axe" (Piolet d'Or) refers to a series of prestigious mountaineering awards. The Piolet d'Or Asia ceremony, held in Seoul, specifically honors the year's most outstanding Asian climbers.
According to the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA), the recovery was carried out voluntarily, without contractual obligation, and involved significant objective risk due to terrain instability, altitude-related hazards, and limited weather windows.
According to Tul Singh Gurung, President at Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, Roh Ick Song, President of KARA, sent the Golden Ice Axes and appreciation plaques to the two guides. An additional plaque was presented to NNMGA for its coordination and technical support during the operation.
Unlike commercial summit pushes, recovery missions at altitude are considered among the most dangerous tasks in Himalayan mountaineering, often involving prolonged exposure, severe physiological strain, and complex ropework in unstable conditions. Industry observers note that such missions are frequently under-acknowledged despite their importance to climber safety and international confidence in Nepal's guiding standards. The Korean honour, therefore, carries significance beyond symbolism. It underscores the growing global recognition of Nepali IFMGA guides not only as summit leaders but as frontline rescue professionals operating at the limits of human endurance.
Experienced professionals
Riten Tashi Sherpa, an IFMGA/UIAGM-certified guide, has more than 15 years of experience in expedition guiding and rescue operations. His summits include Everest, Lhotse, Manaslu, Ama Dablam, and Broad Peak, along with high-altitude missions on K2. His extensive rescue background includes critical response during the 2015 Everest earthquake aftermath, numerous crevasse and avalanche rescues, and participation in the 2022 Jomsom aircraft crash recovery. He currently serves as an instructor with the NNMGA, the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), and the Khumbu Climbing Center.
Ashish Gurung, also an IFMGA-certified guide, represents a newer generation of elite Nepali guides who have risen through the industry from grassroots roles. He began his mountaineering career in 2010 as a kitchen boy and porter, has summited Mount Everest five times and has participated in numerous rescue and recovery missions, including operations in the Everest Icefall and at high camps on Everest. In October 2025, he was part of the Mera Peak recovery mission, for which he received the Korean honour.
Just last week, on December 21, Gurung achieved the first winter ascents of Chhuama 1 (6,366m) and Chhuama 2 (6,325m), adding another notable achievement to his climbing record.
Both guides are part of Nepal's small but highly specialised cohort of IFMGA-certified professionals, trained to international standards in technical climbing, rescue, and mountain safety.
During the Golden Ice Axe award ceremony in Kathmandu on December 26, the Nepal Mountaineering Association also proposed cooperation with the Government of South Korea to strengthen Nepal's mountain tourism and mountaineering institutions.
The proposal was submitted during a meeting between NMA President Fur Gelje Sherpa and Ambassador Park at the South Korean Embassy in Kathmandu. According to the NMA, the proposal includes support for infrastructure development at national institutions, including the International Mountain Museum (IMM) in Pokhara and the International Mountaineer Memorial Park in Kakani. The NMA has also sought South Korean assistance to establish a dedicated section at the International Mountain Museum to honour South Korea's first Mount Everest summiteer, recognising the long-standing contribution of Korean climbers to Himalayan mountaineering.
During the meeting, NMA President Sherpa invited Ambassador Park to attend the UIAA General Assembly, which Nepal is scheduled to host from October 28 to 31, 2026. The NMA will serve as the host organisation for the international event, which is expected to bring global mountaineering leaders and stakeholders to Nepal.
The recognition of Sherpa and Gurung, along with the acknowledgment of NNMGA's role, highlights the increasing emphasis on professional standards, rescue capability, and international cooperation in Nepal's mountaineering sector.
