Mount Everest witnessed a record-breaking day for ascents this week, with 274 climbers successfully reaching the summit in a single 24-hour period.
Officials confirmed the unprecedented number on Thursday, marking a significant milestone for the world’s highest peak.
The surge in successful climbs on Wednesday was attributed to exceptionally clear weather conditions, according to Rishi Ram Bhandari of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal. All ascents were made via the popular southern face route, located in Nepal.
This surpasses the previous single-day record from the Nepalese side, which saw 223 climbers reach the top on 22 May 2019. The northern route, accessible from China’s Tibet, has been closed this year.
Amidst the mass ascents, several veteran guides also made history. Kami Rita Sherpa extended his own record by scaling the peak for an astonishing 32nd time.
Kami Rita climbed the peak for the first time in 1994 and has repeated the feat every year except in 2014, 2015, and 2020 when expeditions to Everest were closed for different reasons.
He reached the summit twice in some years.
He is one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success each year of foreign climbers aspiring to stand on top of the mountain.
His father was among the first Sherpa mountain guides. In addition to his Everest climbs, Kami Rita has scaled several other peaks that are among the world’s highest, including K2, Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.
Kami Rita’s closest rival, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, completed his 30th ascent this week, while Lakpa Sherpa further cemented her legacy as the female climber with the most Everest summits, reaching the top for the 11th time.
This year’s climbing season commenced later than usual due to the inherent risks posed by a large serac hanging precariously over a crucial section of the route.
Approximately 494 climbers, accompanied by an equal number of Sherpa guides, are still expected to attempt to conquer the 8,850-metre (29,032-foot) peak before the season concludes at the end of the month.
Thousands have successfully climbed Everest since its inaugural ascent by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay on 29 May 1953.
