18-year-old Nepali climber Nima Rinji Sherpa is close to achieving a remarkable feat. With 13 of the worldâs highest peaks conquered, he is just one summit away from becoming the youngest person to summit all 14 mountains above 8,000 meters.
Sherpa, who holds multiple records from previous ascents, aims to inspire a new generation and redefine mountaineering.
His final challenge, Shishapangma in Tibet, is scheduled for next month pending approval from China.
Conquering all 14 âeight-thousandersâ is seen as the pinnacle of mountaineering achievements.
Italian climber Reinhold Messner achieved this in 1986, with only around 40 climbers succeeding since then. Many climbers have lost their lives in the pursuit of this goal.
All these mountains are located in the Himalayas and Karakoram range, spanning Nepal, China, India, and Pakistan.
Reaching each summit involves entering the âdeath zone,â where oxygen levels are too low to sustain life for long.
âWhen I am in the mountains, I may die anytime,â Sherpa stated. âYou need to realize how important your life is.â
The mountains have taught Sherpa to remain calm mentally.
âMentally, I have convinced myself⊠when I see an avalanche, bad weather, an accident in the mountains I am not in a hurry, I donât get nervous,â he added. âI have convinced myself; this is normal in the mountains. I think this has helped me a lot.â
â âReal value of lifeâ â
Hailing from the Sherpa ethnic group known for their mountaineering skills, the young climber has a family background in mountain expeditions.
His uncle, Mingma Gyabu âDavidâ Sherpa, currently holds the record for the youngest person to summit all 14 peaks, achieving it in 2019 at the age of 30.
His father, Tashi Sherpa, started mountaineering as a teenager and now leads major mountain expedition companies in Nepal.
âI come from a privileged family,â Sherpa acknowledged. âBut going to the mountains has taught me what hardship is, and the real value of lifeâ.
Raised in Kathmandu, Sherpa was initially more interested in football and photography than mountaineering. However, he later decided to pursue mountaineering and has since set records.
In 2022, he became the first teenager to summit Mount Manaslu and the youngest to summit Kanchenjunga.
He believes the mountains have taught him valuable lessons about nature, the human body, and human psychology.
â âInspire newcomersâ â
While not climbing, Sherpa trains daily and maintains a healthy lifestyle. His father has been helping him prepare for years.
Nepali guides, particularly Sherpas, play a crucial role in the climbing industry in the Himalayas, and Sherpa hopes to see more recognition for Nepali climbers in the future.
He aims to make mountaineering a professional sport and is inspired by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first person to summit Everest.
Concerned about climate change and the impact of commercial climbing, Sherpa plans to study environmental science to take a sustainable approach to mountaineering.
âItâs a bigger purpose for what I do,â he explained. âWhen I first started climbing, it was purely for myself. But then I realized there is a lot we can do in mountaineering sports, and there are many ways to help the community.â
str/pm/pjm/lb