Nepal’s ‘Everest man’ sets new record of ascending world’s tallest mountain

On Sunday, a Nepali guide and a British climber achieved new milestones by reaching the summit of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, for the 29th and 18th time respectively, Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.

Kami Rita Sherpa successfully climbed the 8,849-meter peak using the Southeast Ridge route, originally pioneered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

At the same time, 50-year-old British climber Kenton Cool also reached the highest point on the mountain, surpassing his previous record of 17 climbs.

Often referred to as the “Everest man,” Rita first reached the summit in 1994 and completed two climbs last year.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, and mountain climbing is a significant tourism activity and a vital source of income and employment for the small Himalayan nation.