British Kenton Cool and Sherpa Kami Rita Break Everest Records Again

British mountaineer Kenton Cool and Nepali Sherpa guide Kami Rita have once again surpassed their previous records for ascending Mount Everest, according to officials on Sunday.

The head of Nepal's Tourism Department, Rakesh Gurung, reports that 50-year-old Cool and 54-year-old Kami Rita reached the summit of the 8,848-meter Everest for the 18th and 29th time respectively. They were leading independent expeditions at the time. "It's incredible, he seems to be unstoppable," said Garrett Madison of Madison Mountaineering, a U.S. company that organizes climbs. In 2014, Madison partnered with Kami Rita for successful ascents of Everest, Lhotse, and K2 — the second-highest peak located in Pakistan.

This route was crafted by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in their pioneering 1953 expedition and continues to be the favored path to reach the top of Everest. Kami Rita's history with Everest dates back to his first climb in 1994, after which he climbed annually except for three years when ascendings were banned due to various factors. Remarkably, he scaled Everest twice in the previous year.

Mountaineering plays a crucial role in Nepal's tourism sector—propelling income and creating jobs—as it boasts eight of the world's fourteen highest mountains including Everest. This season saw the issuance of 414 permits by Nepal – each for $11,000 – as it concludes this month. This year Nepal has set a new record by granting a total of 467 permits for foreign climbers desiring to conquer Everest. Each climber generally engages at least one Sherpa guide in their team which raises concerns about overcrowding at a constricted passage near the summit known as Hillary Step.

Since Hillary and Norgay's historic ascent in 1953, Everest has been climbed over 11,000 times albeit with nearly 320 fatalities during these expeditions as per Himalayan database records and statements from Nepali authorities.

About British Mountaineer Kenton Cool

Renowned British alpinist and esteemed mountain guide, Kenton Cool, has solidified his position as one of the UK's premier climbers with his 18th successful ascent of Mount Everest. His impressive climbing resume includes spearheading the expeditions for Sir Ranulph Fiennes in 2008 and 2009.

His vast experience encompasses over 45 significant ventures in the Greater Ranges. In 2013, Cool achieved an unprecedented climbing feat: the first to scale Nuptse, Everest, and Lhotse in one continuous expedition without a return to base camp.

Cool's achievements have not gone unnoticed; he received a Piolet d'Or nomination in 2003 for an innovative route on Annapurna III. His tribute to historical endeavors was marked in 2012 when he fulfilled a longstanding Olympic vow by bringing a 1924 Olympic Gold Medal, granted to the British Everest Expedition of 1922 for "Outstanding feats of human endeavor," to the Everest summit. This extraordinary act was commended by Lord Coe as an inspirational beginning to the 2012 Olympic Games.

About Nepalese Mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa

Kami Rita Sherpa, a Nepalese Sherpa guide born on January 17, 1970, has once again surpassed his own world record. On May 12, 2024, he climbed Mount Everest for the staggering 29th time, eclipsing the previous record he set just a year prior on May 23, 2023.

Back in 2017, Kami Rita was already among Everest's elite when he ascended the summit for the 21st time, joining Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi Sherpa at the top of that prestigious list before they moved into retirement.

However, Kami Rita's records do not stop at Everest's peak. He currently holds an extraordinary record of climbing the most number of peaks above 8,000 meters – totaling at an astonishing number of 39 summits. This number is made all the more remarkable with his multiple conquers of Cho-Oyu and the singular ascents of both Lhotse and K2.