52-year-old Nepali Sherpa scales Mt Everest for 26th time; breaks own record of most climbs

A 52-year-old Nepali Sherpa has climbed Mount Everest for the 26th time, bettering his own record for most number of times to scale the world’s highest peak, expedition planners said on Sunday.

Rita and his group of 11 Sherpa guides summitted the 8,848.86-metre peak at 6.55 pm (local time), said Dawa Sherpa, manager of Seven Summit Treks Pvt Ltd.

The Sherpas made the expedition to fix ropes along the trekking route, to help climbers ahead of the peak climbing season starting May.

This year the Department of Tourism, Nepal has issued permits to 316 individuals to climb the peak.

Rita scaled Mt Everest for the first time on May 13, 1994. Besides Mt Everest, Rita has also scaled Mt Godwin-Austen (K2), Mt Lhotse, Mt Manaslu and Mt Cho Oyu.

He also holds the record for most climbs over 8,000 metres.