A Nepali Sherpa, Kami Rita Sherpa (48) is hoping to make history by climbing Everest 22 times. This year Kami Rita is again going back to Everest. He will be the first and only person in the world to reach the top of the world 22 separate times if he reaches the summit. He along with Apa Sherpa (58) and Phurba Tashi Sherpa (47) summitted Chomolunga (as Everest is known to Sherpas) 21 times. Both the sherpa guides Apa and Phurba have retired. Kami Rita first ascended Everest at the age of 24 and scaled for the 21st time in the last spring season. He has also climbed many of the region's other high peaks, including K2, Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.
Kami Rita participated in 21 expeditions till date. He took part as a High Altitude Worker in most of the expeditions. He climbed as a member of a Nepali Expedition on Everest except for 1997. Among those 21 expeditions, 18 were successful. He made double ascent 3 times (2009, 2010 and 2013), first as a member of a rope fixing team and then as a High Altitude Worker of the expedition team. All of his ascents were in spring season. Moreover he has completed most of his summits via S Col - SE Ridge, except in 2016, he made it via N Col - NE Ridge.
His Everest Expeditions:
1994 - Spring:
Summited 13th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
1995 - Spring:
Reached up to 8500m as High Altitude Worker
1997 - Spring:
Summited 25th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as Climber
1998 - Spring:
Summited 25th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
1999 - Spring:
Summited 13th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2000 - Spring:
Summited 23rd May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2002 - Spring:
Summited 25th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2003 - Spring:
Summited 30th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2004 - Spring:
Summited 24th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2005 - Spring:
Summited 30th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2006 - Spring:
Summited 20th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2007 - Spring:
Summited 22nd May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2008 - Spring:
Summited 24th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2009 - Spring:
Summited 5th May (Rope fixing team) and 23rd May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2010 - Spring:
Summited 5th May (Rope fixing team) and 24th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2012 - Spring:
Summited 18th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2013 - Spring:
Summited 10th May (Rope fixing team) and 22nd May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2015 - Spring:
No summit bid due to the Earthquake
2016 - Spring:
Summited 20th May, via N Col - NE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
2017 - Spring:
Summited 27th May, via S Col - SE Ridge as High Altitude Worker
Photo Courtesy: Niranjan Shrestha/Associated Press
