Nepal's Nima Rinji Sherpa becomes youngest to scale 14 tallest peaks

Nima Rinji Sherpa completed his mission by reaching the summit of Tibet’s 8,027-metre (26,335-foot) Shishapangma on October 9.

Staff Reporter

Oct 16, 2024, 05:54 AM2 min read

Nepal's Nima Rinji Sherpa becomes youngest to scale 14 tallest peaks

Nepali mountaineer Nima Rinji Sherpa at the summit of Mount Everest. 14 Peaks Expedition/AFP/Getty Images

Cheering crowds hailed 18-year-old Nepali mountaineer Nima Rinji Sherpa as a hero as he returned to Nepal on Monday after breaking the record to become the youngest person to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre (26,500-foot) peaks.

Nima Rinji Sherpa completed his mission by reaching the summit of Tibet’s 8,027-metre (26,335-foot) Shishapangma on October 9.

May be an image of 5 people and text — Nepalese mountaineer Nima Rinji Sherpa, age 18 years, arrives at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal [Narendra Shrestha/EPA]

Upon his return from China to Kathmandu, scores of people gathered to greet him.

“I am feeling very happy,” Sherpa said, draped in traditional Buddhist scarves and garlands of marigold flowers, as he emerged to loud cheers at the airport. “Thank you so much, everyone,” he added, smiling widely at his supporters.

The young mountaineer hugged his family as others rushed to offer scarves and flowers. Later, he waved to the crowd from a car sunroof, proudly holding the national flag.

Sherpa is part of a proud Nepali climbing community, many of whom also returned recently after completing the summits of 14 peaks. Summiting all 14 "eight-thousanders" is considered the ultimate goal in mountaineering, with the peaks located in the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges across Nepal, China, Pakistan, Tibet, and India.

“I want to show the younger generation of Sherpas that they can rise above the stereotype of being only support climbers and embrace their potential as top-tier athletes, adventurers, and creators,” Sherpa said in a statement after his final summit. “We are not just guides. We are trailblazers.”

Raised in Kathmandu, Sherpa initially pursued football and video-making but shifted his focus to mountaineering two years ago. He began his high-altitude climbing career at the age of 16, scaling Mount Manaslu in August 2022. His achievement breaks the previous record held by Nepali climber Mingma Gyabu "David" Sherpa, who completed the feat in 2019 at the age of 30.

Sherpa comes from a family of renowned climbers who run Nepal’s largest mountaineering expedition company. With his record-breaking accomplishment, Sherpa hopes to inspire the next generation of Nepali climbers to pursue their potential as top athletes in the world of mountaineering.

BOB Post