Image of Sherpa climbers on Everest, ExWeb files.
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Everest: Who will be the first climber to summit 20 times?
Posted: Jan 23, 2008 12:23 am EST
(MountEverest.net/K2Climb.net) Brazilian Rodrigo Granzotto Peron is a regular ExWeb contributor for Himalayan stats and stories. Here goes another piece from him, this time about an upcoming record to be grabbed probably by Sherpa climbers.
The first climber to summit Everest 20 times?
By Rodrigo Granzotto Peron
Climbing Everest was once the ultimate challenge on Earth. To ascend it multiple times seemed an utopia; almost a joke.
But boundaries are meant to be broken and in 1996 the mountaineering community received news that a legendary Sherpa – Ang Rita – had summited Everest for the astonishing 10th time.
His conquest was only the beginning. In the years after 96, several other Sherpas equally broke the same barrier: Apa (99); Babu (00); Chuwang Nima (03); Lhakpa Gelu (03); Mingma Tshering (04); Nga Temba (04); Nima Gombu (04); Big Dorje (04); Tashi Tshering (04); Chuldim Ang Dorje (04); Lama Jangbu (05); Phurba Tashi (06); Kami Rita (06); and Lhakpa Rita (07).
This year probably even “foreigners” will join the group: American Gheorghe Dijmarescu and Dave Hahn are both about to turn 10.
No done deal
The fall of one barrier raises another. Over the years, Apa became the leader of these elite in pursuing the next challenge - to summit Everest 20 times. The race seems at first glance a done deal; Apa should be the undisputed winner (with 17 summits, he is 3 ascents ahead of runner-up Chuwang Nima).
But hold your horses...
Right now it is more likely for Phurba Tashi to become the first to summit Everest 20 times.
The most experienced and talented guide in Himex outfit (Russell Brice), Phurba summited Everest no less than 3 times last season; the first time while preparing the route (April 30), then a few weeks later guiding the clients (May 15), and then again at the end of the season to guide a second set of clients (June 14).
Also Son Dorje and Dorje Sonam Gyalzen, two other Himex Sherpa guides, summited the peak 3 times each that season.
Sneak preview
If this situation is kept up in 2008 and the years to come; a probable scenario may look like this:
Current/Probable 2008/Probable 2009:
Apa: (17) +1=18 (08) +1=19 summits (09)
Chuwang Nima: (14) +1=15 (08) +1=16 summits (09)
Lhakpa Gelu: (13) +1=14 (08) +1=15 summits (09)
Phurba Tashi: (13) +3=16 (08) +3=19 summits (09)
Big Dorje: (13) +1=14 (08) +1=15 summits (09)
Nga Temba: (12) +1=13 (08) +1=14 summits (09)
Mingma Tshering: (12) +1=13 (08) +1=14 summits (09)
Nima Gombu: (12) +1=13 (08) +1=14 summits (09)
With the present Himex system of Phurba summiting the triple of the others; he would end 2009 even with Apa, at 19 times each.
Statistically (on the past 10 occasions) Apa summits between May 16 and May 31. In charge of the ropes on the north side; Phurba statistically summits Everest earlier (April 30th both in 2006 and 2007).
With this tradition, in late April/early May of 2010, Phurba would pass Apa and become the first 20-times summiteer of Everest.
However, anything can still happen. Only the future will tell.
Born in Brazil (Florianopolis, Santa Catarina State) Rodrigo Granzotto Peron, 34, has been collecting mountaineering stats and stories since 2001.
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