Spring ascent: Kami Rita atop Sagarmatha for 29th times

Kathmandu: Kami Rita Sherpa has set a new record in the ascents of the world's highest peak, the Sagarmatha (Mt Everest), by reaching atop the peak for the 29th times on Sunday. The Sherpa climber broke his own record to set a new one in the spring expedition of the 8,848.86 metres high mountain. The 54-year-old record-holder originally hails from Thame village of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality in Solukhumbu district. Rakesh Gurung, Director at the Adventure Tourism and Mountaineering Section under the Department of Tourism, confirmed that Kami Rita Sherpa scaled the highest mountain for the record 29th times on Sunday morning. Kami Rita, who first climbed the Everest on May 13 in 1994, also holds the record of most ascents of the peaks above 8,000 metres. He is the only mountaineer bagging the record of highest number of ascents of Mt Everest since Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary first set their feet atop the Everest on May 29, 1953. Trailing in the record setting spree in Everest climb is Daw a Sherpa of Solukhumbu district who scaled the Everest for the 27th times last spring. Director Gurung shared that over 70 climbers had the footfall on the world's tallest natural tower since the spring expedition commenced this year. Ten Sherpa members of the rope fixing team ascended the Everest last Friday night, opening the route to peak for altogether 414 adventurers obtaining permit to climb the Everest in this season. Source: National News Agency Nepal