Sherpa back from scaling Everest for 22nd time
KATHMANDU, Nepal — A Sherpa climbing guide who scaled Mount Everest for a record 22nd time last week returned from the mountain on Sunday and said he’s already planning his next trip.
After flying back to Kathmandu by helicopter, Kami Rita, 48, said he’s not ready to retire and plans to continue to guide visiting climbers on the world’s highest mountain next year.
“I will continue to climb. I have not reached my retirement age, and until I retire, I will continue to be a guide on Everest,” he said.
He said he will continue to climb other peaks and plans to attempt Mount Everest again next year.
“I really don’t need to prepare for Everest since I will be climbing other peaks later this year,” he said.
He first scaled Everest at age 24 and has made the climb almost every year since then.