KATHMANDU, APRIL 28

At least six women climbers including a 29-year-old woman from Taiwan among others scaled Mt Annapurna today.

"Tseng Ko-Erh aka Grace Tseng from Taiwan reached the summit of Mt Annapurna without using supplemental oxygen, and has also become the youngest female in the world to do so at the age of 29," Dawa Sherpa, managing director at Dolma Outdoor Expedition, said. Grace along with Nima Gyalzen Sherpa and Ningma Dorje Tamang from Dolma Outdoor stood atop the mountain at around 12:00pm, he added.

Grace has already climbed Mt Kanchenjunga in the last spring season becoming the first Taiwani woman to scale the world's third highest peak. She had also climbed Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse, Mt Manaslu and Mt Dhaulagiri, according to Sherpa."She wants to be the youngest woman to climb all 14 peaks above 8000 m," Sherpa added.

Pemba Sherpa, managing director at 8K Expedition, shared that a Norwegian woman who wanted to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000m in a shorter time, began her journey standing atop the 8,091-metre peak this morning.

Grace Tseng
Grace Tseng

"Kristin Harila, a 36 year old professional athlete from Norway, along with Pasdawa Sherpa, Lakpa Nuru Sherpa and Lakpa Thenduk Sherpa scaled the mountain at 11.25am," Sherpa said, adding that other climbers including Kasturi Deepak Savaker, Baibanou Bouchara, Dawa Ongju Sherpa and Halung Dorchi Sherpa also scaled the mountain at around 12:25pm.

In May 2021, Kristin set a world record becoming the fastest woman to climb Everest and Lhotse in less than twelve hours. "Her success in previous expeditions and summit attempts has inspired her to embark upon her latest challenge, 'Bremont 14 Peaks', a monumental effort to become the first woman in history and the second person ever to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000m in just 6 months.," reports said.

Kami Sherpa and Urgen Sherpa from Peak Promotion Pvt Ltd also scaled the mountain opening a route to the summit point, Pasang Sherpa, director at Peak Promotion Pvt Ltd, shared. Bharath Thammineni, Palkesh Kalma, Baljeet Kaur and Skalzang Rigzin were also among those who scaled Mt Annapurna, Sherpa added.

Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Director at Seven Summit Treks, shared that Gelje Sherpa and Pasang Nurbu Sherpa scaled Mt Annapurna opening a route to the summit point. "Adriana Brownlee, Dorota Lidia Samocko, Olga Koroleva , Hans Wenzl , Dawa Sherpa and Chhangba Sherpa from Seven Summit Treks also stood atop the mountain," he said, adding a few climbers were still on their way to the summit point.

Annapurna base camp
Annapurna base camp

According to the Department of Tourism, at least 26 foreign climbers along with their support staff reached the base camp after obtaining climbing permits for Mt Annapurna this season.