NEPAL: Nima Rinji Sherpa has become the youngest mountain climber to conquer the world’s 14 highest peaks. At just 18 years old, he has become one of just a few dozen people on earth who has achieved this.
Nima Rinji has scaled all of the “eight thousanders” mountains. Wikipedia defines these as the 14 mountain peaks recognized by the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) as being more than 8,000 metres in height above sea level, and independent of neighbouring peaks.
He achieved climbing all of these mountains in 740 days. He started climbing mountains at 16.
His climbing partner, Pasang Nurbu Sherpa, was with him on each trek. According to a BBC report, Nima Rinji is also the world’s youngest climber to have scaled Himalayan mountains G1 and G2, the youngest to have conquered Kashmir’s Nanga Parbat and the youngest climber to have scaled both Mount Everest and Lhotse within 10 hours.
On Wednesday he conquered Mount Shishapangma and spoke about his goal of changing the stereotypes of Sherpas who have always been known simply as mountain climbing assistants who help foreigners summit mountains.
“This summit is not just the culmination of my personal journey, but a tribute to every Sherpa who has ever dared to dream beyond the traditional boundaries set for us.
”Mountaineering is more than labour, it is a testament to our strength, resilience and passion.”
Nima Rinji becomes world’s youngest to scale all 14 peaks. More: https://t.co/W3W5XkpAD5 pic.twitter.com/C8B7Z9MXPh
— Everest Today (@EverestToday) October 9, 2024
Nima Rinji’s family has broken several mountain climbing records and they run the Seven Summit Treks which is Nepal’s largest mountaineering expedition company.
Speaking to reporters after he finished the Mount Shishapangma climb, he said, “We are not just guides; we are trailblazers. Let this be a call to every Sherpa to see the dignity in our work, the power in our heritage, and the limitless possibilities in our future.”
His father Tashi Lakpa Sherpa told the BBC shortly after Nima Rinji’s record breaking climb on Wednesday, “He told me, ‘Dad, I reached the summit at 6:05 Chinese time. ‘My colleague Pasang Norbu and I have arrived.”
”Being highly trained and professional, he wasn’t even thrilled; it was normal. I said ‘I had faith in you. Return safely.”
The previous record holder for the same feat was also a Nepali mountaineer, Mingma Gyabu ‘David’ Sherpa, who conquered all the 14 peaks at the age of 30 in 2019.
The 14 summits are all in Asia, in the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges.