A British climber has crossed Everest for the 17th time, the most by a non-Sherpa guide
A British mountain guide has returned to Nepal’s capital after climbing Mount Everest for the 17th time, breaking his own record for the most ascents of the world’s highest mountain by a non-Sherpa guide.
British mountaineer Kenton Cool, who successfully completed the 17th summit of Mount Everest, arrives at the airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Friday, May 19, 2023. The British mountain guide who now holds the record for the most summits of Mount Everest by a non-Nepalese. Climbers returning from the mountain on Friday said it was their coldest climb on the world’s highest mountain. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
The Associated Press
KATHMANDU, Nepal — A British mountain guide returned to Nepal’s capital on Friday after climbing Mount Everest for the 17th time, breaking his own record for the most ascents of the world’s highest mountain by a non-Sherpa guide.
Kenton Cool first climbed Mount Everest in 2004 and has done so almost every year since.
“I really don’t think the records are for mountains. Mountains are bigger than records,” Cool said at the Kathmandu airport after disembarking from the helicopter bringing him home from Everest. “I’m glad we had a great climb and that we’re back.”
Only Nepalese Sherpa guides have crossed the summit more times than Cool. Veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita climbed the mountain for a record 27th time this week. Another Sherpa guide, Pasang Dawa, measured it 26 times. Kami Rita and Pasang Dawa are still on the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) mountain with their climbing groups, and there is a chance they will reach the summit again before the spring climbing season ends later this month.
Hundreds of climbers and their local guides are currently on Everest and are expected to rush to the summit in the coming weeks. Nepalese authorities have issued about 470 permits to climb Everest this season.
Nine people have died on Everest this year, including four Sherpa guides.
Cool was unable to climb Everest in 2014 because the season was canceled after 16 Sherpa guides died in an avalanche, and again in 2015 when an earthquake triggered an avalanche that killed 19 people. The 2020 climbing season has been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/british-climber-scales-everest-17th-time-sherpa-guide-99455704
