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Legendary mountaineer Jim Whittaker, first American to summit Mount Everest, dead at 97

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:23:58 -0400

The celebrated mountaineer Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, has died. He was 97.

Whittaker, who also served as the first full-time employee of the outdoor retailer REI and later as its president and CEO, died Tuesday at his home in Port Townsend, Washington, according to a statement from his family.

"Whether at home, in the mountains, or at sea, he sought to share adventure, joy, and optimism with those around him," said the statement, which was emailed by Leif Whittaker, one of his sons. "His warmth, humility, and belief in the power of nature to bring people together left an enduring legacy of care for our planet and for one another."

Whittaker’s 1963 ascent of Everest alongside Nawang Gombu came 10 years after the pioneering climb of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The feat helped spawn interest — and an industry — in mountaineering in the U.S., and it made the once-shy, rangy climber an instant celebrity. He was featured on magazine covers and in demand for public appearances.

NEW NATIONAL PARK PASSES PUT 'AMERICAN FAMILIES FIRST' WHILE TRIPLING ENTRY FEES FOR SOME

Whittaker had been working for REI since 1955, when he was hired by the co-op's co-founder, Lloyd Anderson. The company's popularity surged after Whittaker's Everest climb, and Whittaker went on to lead the business from 1971 to 1979. Its membership grew from nearly 250,000 to more than 900,000 during his tenure, REI noted in a statement Wednesday.

The co-op credited his congressional testimony and other efforts with helping to establish North Cascades National Park and the Pasayten Wilderness in Washington, as well as Redwood National Park in California.

"Long before outdoor advocacy was commonplace, Jim gave his voice — and his leadership — to protecting the places we love, reminding us that wild places endure only if we choose to care for them," the statement said.

Whittaker's celebrity also brought him into the orbit of the Kennedy clan, and he became a close friend of Robert Kennedy, with whom he climbed a 14,000-foot (4,267 meters) Canadian peak. The peak was later named Mount Kennedy after the presidential contender's murder in 1968.

Whittaker was at Kennedy's bedside when he died and was devastated by the assassination.

ANCIENT LAKE RETURNS TO CALIFORNIA'S DEATH VALLEY AFTER VANISHING THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO

Whittaker grew up in Seattle and began climbing with his twin brother Lou Whittaker in the 1940s with the Boy Scouts. At 16, they summited 7,965-foot (2,428-meter) Mount Olympus, the highest peak in the Olympic Mountains west of Seattle, Jim Whittaker recounted in his memoir, "A Life on the Edge." When they reached the town of Port Angeles on their way home, they found cars honking and people celebrating: World War II had ended.

Jim Whittaker once reflected that the beauty and danger of his sport sharpened the senses: "When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther," he once reflected.

His achievements on the remote, snowy slopes of Mount Everest and nearby K2, the world's second-tallest peak, assured him a niche in the record books. He was shocked when Lou decided to skip the 1963 Everest expedition in favor of opening a sporting goods store in Tacoma.

But Lou Whittaker wrote in his own book, "Lou Whittaker: Memoirs of a Mountain Guide," that he still got to share in some of his twin’s glory by filling in when Jim got tired of attending parades or other events in his honor.

"Only our families and closest friends ever knew the difference," he wrote.

Lou Whittaker died in 2024 at age 95.

Jim Whittaker led many additional climbs, including the 1990 Mount Everest International Peace Climb, which brought together climbers from the U.S., the Soviet Union and China "to demonstrate what could be accomplished through cooperation and goodwill," the family statement said.

50 YEARS LATER, FIRST AMERICAN TO CONQUER MOUNT EVEREST CONTINUES CLIMB

"Jim was a lifelong advocate for peace and believed deeply in the ability of shared challenges in the natural world to unite people across borders and ideologies," it said.

Whittaker himself said one of his proudest moments came in 1981, when he led 10 handicapped climbers up 14,410-foot Mount Rainier. For them, he said later, "that was Mount Everest."

Whittaker scaled Mount Rainier more than 100 times but did not take its familiar flanks for granted. The caprices of the weather, even on a comparatively modest mountain, "can turn a good climber into a beginner" in a matter of hours, he once noted.

Former Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called Whittaker’s legacy "just as impressive, and just as lasting, as Mount Rainier itself."

"He pulled many a climber up the peak," Inslee wrote in a social media post Wednesday. "He did the same for all our spirits. He still does."

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After years of risk on the world's most dizzying pinnacles, Whittaker said in a 1980 interview that he hoped to "die in my sleep with the television on."

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Dianne Roberts; sons Bob, Joss and Leif Whittaker; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Americans headed to popular mountain region face travel advisory for natural disasters and unrest

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 13:40:14 -0400

The U.S. State Department has updated its travel advisory for Americans who may be headed out on trips to Nepal.

The advisory decreased to a "Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution," following the end of nationwide protests that began in September.

"The situation is stable," the advisory noted.

"However, demonstrations and local unrest can still happen, particularly in cities."

AMERICAN TOURISTS WARNED OF ARREST, JAIL TIME FOR TAKING PHOTOS, POCKETING SOUVENIRS IN LOCALE

Officials note that demonstrations may still occur with little warning and can "quickly turn violent."

"Stay away from large crowds and follow the instructions of local authorities," officials advise.

The advisory noted there are risks of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and landslides — warning the Kathmandu Valley is prone to harsh weather.

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"During the monsoon season from June to September, heavy rain can cause flash floods and landslides," says the advisory.

"These can block roads, damage buildings and make it hard to get help in an emergency."

The Kathmandu Valley is located at the foothills of the Himalayas and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

There are seven groups of notable monuments and buildings.

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These are the Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur; the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath; and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan, according to UNESCO.

Nepal attracts many adventurers wanting to climb Mount Everest.

About 700 to 1,000 climbers attempt the summit each year, with success rates ranging between 60% and 70%, according to Climbing Kilimanjaro.

An area above 26,247 ft. on the mountain is referred to as the "death zone."

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That's where the air is too thin to support human life without supplemental oxygen.

Over 330 climbers have died while hiking Mount Everest since modern recordkeeping began in 1921 — while 200 bodies remain frozen on the slopes, according to travel company Mount Everest Official.

Nepal probe exposes $20M fraudulent rescue scheme involving lacing Mt Everest hikers' food: report

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:29:25 -0400

An investigation has exposed a nearly $20 million insurance scam in Nepal involving guides who allegedly fake or induce mountainside rescues, including by lacing the food of some hikers near Mt. Everest, according to a report by The Kathmandu Post.

Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal, where some adventurous individuals go to climb Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

The mountain sits on the border of Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

MIKE TOBIN DOCUMENTS DARING MOUNT EVEREST CLIMB IN NEW FOX NATION SPECIAL

The Kathmandu Post reported that after it highlighted the fraud in 2018, the government established a fact-finding committee, issued a 700-page report and declared reforms.

But last year, the Nepal Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) reopened the matter and discovered that the fraud was increasing.

The outlet indicated that the CIB probe points out two main fraudulent scenarios.

One involves guides suggesting to tired adventurers who do not want to walk back that if they feign illness, a chopper will pick them up, according to The Kathmandu Post.

The outlet reported that, in the other scenario, guides and hotel staff, according to the CIB probe, have been coached to scare trekkers at high altitude, where altitude sickness can occur. They allegedly claim that the trekkers are in danger of dying and that only immediate evacuation will spare them.

In some instances, investigators discovered that Diamox (acetazolamide) tablets, utilized to prevent altitude sickness, were given in conjunction with excessive water intake to cause the symptoms that would give grounds for a rescue, the outlet reported.

In at least one instance noted in the investigation, guides allegedly laced food with baking powder to cause people to be unwell, the outlet stated.

AMERICAN JIM MORRISON MAKES HISTORY SKIING DOWN MOUNT EVEREST, DEDICATES RUN TO LATE PARTNER

Police recorded a case in which four individuals were picked up on one chopper flight, but insurance claims were filed as more than one separate rescue, the report noted.

The framework tying the system of mass fraud together was detailed in police interrogations, according to the outlet, which reported that hospitals shell out 20% to 25% of the insurance money to trekking businesses and 20% to 25% to chopper rescue operators in return for patient referrals.

Trekking guides and their businesses get a boost from inflated invoices, the outlet suggested. In some instances, tourists are offered money to join in the scam, The Kathmandu Post added.

In the period between 2022 and 2025, investigators found a whopping 4,782 foreign patients serviced at implicated hospitals, with 171 cases verified as fraudulent rescues, the outlet reported. During that span, Era International Hospital raked in deposits of over $15.87 million for such activities and Shreedhi International Hospital got more than $1.22 million, the outlet reported.

Mountain Rescue Service carried out 171 fake rescues from an overall 1,248 charter flights, scoring around $10.31 million from insurers, the outlet reported, adding that Nepal Charter Service executed 75 fake rescues out of 471 flights, claiming $8.2 million. Everest Experience and Assistance was allegedly tied to 71 suspicious rescues out of 601 flights, with claims of $11.04 million.

HELICOPTER CRASHES INTO OCEAN OFF HAWAII COAST, LEAVING MULTIPLE DEAD AND INJURED

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CIB charged 32 people last month with offenses against the state and organized crime, the outlet reported, noting that nine individuals were arrested while others were said to be absconding.

Individuals from Mountain Helicopters, Altitude Air and Manang Air, which was rebranded as Basecamp Helicopters, as well as physicians and administrators with Swacon International Hospital, Shreedhi International Hospital and Era International Hospital were among the individuals who have been charged, the outlet indicated.

Mike Tobin documents daring Mount Everest climb in new Fox Nation special

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 09:30:52 -0500

A new Fox Nation documentary follows ӣ��Ƶ' own Mike Tobin to the top of Mount Everest as he explores what draws mountaineers to the planet's tallest peak — and what it takes to make it back alive.

Hundreds have died attempting to climb Mount Everest. The behemoth, named "goddess mother of the earth" by the Tibetans and "goddess of the sky" by the Nepalese, has long attracted explorers seeking challenge or glory. "Everest: Journey to the Top of the World" follows Tobin's preparation for and journey to the summit as he interviews fellow adventurers he meets along the way.

Making the climb requires skill, preparation and a bit of luck, and Tobin had all three.

"Some people say weather-wise, it was one of the best summit windows they've seen in like 20 years," said Tobin. "And you compare that to the other people who climbed Everest this season — most of them got beat up on the summit."

He said that his team saw people going down the mountain with "big black mittens on," indicating that "they were covering up frostbite damage."

"I'm very well aware that 90% of the accidents happen on the way down and so you're tired, you're a little hypoxic, and it was a moment of concentration for me," said Tobin.

"I was just trying to think, 'Keep your head about yourself. Don't make any mistakes. Don't turn what's otherwise going to be a celebration into a tragedy.'"

About 700 to 1,000 climbers attempt the summit each year, with success rates ranging between 60% and 70%, according to Climbing Kilimanjaro.

FOX NEWS’ MIKE TOBIN COMPLETES RISKY EVEREST CLIMB AND SHARES DETAILS OF HIGH-STAKES SUMMIT

It takes a special type of person to risk life and limb for the chance to look down from the world's highest mountaintop. For some, that's part of the allure.

"Everest attracts unique people, so the combination of stunning terrain and a really interesting group of people is kind of what makes expedition mountaineering really fun," said Ben Gorman, one of the climbers interviewed in the documentary.

CLIMBER DIES NEAR MOUNT EVEREST, WHERE HIKERS BEGIN TO EVACUATE AFTER SNOWSTORM

People travel from across the globe to attempt the feat.

"I'm just some kid from Kearney, Nebraska, trying to climb the tallest mountain on the planet because I pursued a dream," said climber Griffin Mims.

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For him, the mountain's very presence is a challenge in itself — but not one without reward.

"One of the beautiful things about climbing mountains is the reason we climb them is because they're there," he said, "and because they teach us who we are."

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Subscribe to Fox Nation today to stream "Everest: Journey to the Top of the World."

ӣ��Ƶ Digital's Ashley J. DiMella contributed to this report.

Avalanche in Nepal kills 7 climbers on Mount Yalung Ri

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:44:48 -0500

An avalanche on Monday swept through a camp in Nepal, killing five foreign climbers and two Nepali guides, officials said.

Five foreigners were injured at the base camp on Mount Yalung Ri, located at 16,070 feet. Their nationalities and identities have not been disclosed.

A State Department spokesperson told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that the agency was aware of the avalanche and was working to gather information.

"The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens," the spokesperson said. "We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide consular assistance."

DAREDEVIL MOUNTAINEER MAKES HISTORY SKIING DOWN MOUNT EVEREST THROUGH DEATH ZONE WITHOUT OXYGEN

Rescue crews were reaching the site on foot. A rescue helicopter attempted to reach the site, but bad weather forced it to turn back. Nepal's Armed Police Force spokesperson Shailendra Thapa said it will try again Tuesday at dawn.

BLIZZARD TRAPS HUNDREDS ON MOUNT EVEREST AS RESCUE TEAMS RACE TO SAVE LIVES

Mount Yalung Ri is an 18,370-foot peak. It’s considered suitable for beginners with no previous experience climbing high mountains.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest.

Earlier this month, a South Korean climber died after getting caught in a powerful storm while attempting to summit a Himalayan peak just south of Mount Everest.

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In the autumn months, climbers often scale smaller peaks before the rainy season and winter months.

American Jim Morrison makes history skiing down Mount Everest, dedicates run to late partner

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 11:50:30 -0400

American skier and mountaineer Jim Morrison made history this week when he became the first person to successfully ski down the North Face of Mount Everest using the mountain’s most challenging and elusive path.

Morrison, 50, accomplished the incredible feat on Wednesday in four hours and five minutes, descending the 29,032-foot summit with a nearly vertical drop down a slope of 9,000 feet below to the Rongbuk Glacier, according to National Geographic, which accompanied Morrision on the journey for an upcoming documentary.

His descent using the Hornbein and Japanese Couloirs was a historic first because of the difficulty of the route. The Hornbein and Japanese Couloirs are defined by their steep, icy, and narrow conditions and the high risk of avalanches.

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Morrison told the outlet that he dedicated his accomplishment to his partner and famed mountaineer Hilaree Nelson, who tragically died in 2022 following a fall near the summit of Manaslu in Nepal.

"I had a little conversation with her and felt like I could dedicate the whole day to her," he said.

"When I finally crossed the bergschrund, I cried. I’d risked so much, but I was alive. It felt like a tribute to Hilaree — something she’d be proud of. I really felt her with me, cheering me on."

DAREDEVIL MOUNTAINEER MAKES HISTORY SKIING DOWN MOUNT EVEREST THROUGH DEATH ZONE WITHOUT OXYGEN

According to National Geographic, Morrison had attempted the feat on two other occasions, but permitting issues and dangerous weather conditions derailed his attempts. This week, on the final day of his permit, Morrison succeeded.

As for the journey, Morrison told National Geographic that it was "a mix of survival skiing and actual shredding."

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Morrison’s historic ski run comes weeks after Polish skier Andrzej Bargiel became the first person to ski down Mount Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen.

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Climber dies near Mount Everest, where hikers begin to evacuate after snowstorm

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:19:52 -0400

A South Korean climber has died in Nepal after getting caught in a powerful storm while attempting to summit a Himalayan peak just south of Mount Everest. Meanwhile, hundreds of hikers have begun evacuating after severe weather left them stranded across the region.

The Nepal Mountaineering Association confirmed the South Korean climber’s death Tuesday. He had been reported missing over the weekend near the summit of Mera Peak, a 21,250-foot mountain in the northern Himalayas. Other climbers on the mountain have been reported safe.

The tragedy unfolded as heavy snow and rain stranded hundreds of hikers near Everest. One hiker, identified only by the surname Dong, told China’s Xiaoxiang Morning Herald he had never seen such a severe storm, describing intense snowfall and lightning.

By late Monday, 350 people had descended safely, while more than 200 others were being guided to a designated meeting point, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

BLIZZARD TRAPS HUNDREDS ON MOUNT EVEREST AS RESCUE TEAMS RACE TO SAVE LIVES

The stranded hikers had been camping at altitudes above 16,000 feet. Mount Everest, which reaches 29,000 feet and straddles the border between China and Nepal. The Chinese side of Everest is located at the southern edge of Tibet.

Elsewhere in China, search teams were combing the Qilian Mountains in Qinghai province Tuesday after another deadly storm. One hiker died from hypothermia and altitude sickness and 213 others were evacuated from the rugged region since Sunday.

RESCUE EFFORT HALTED FOR STUCK CLIMBER ON TREACHEROUS MOUNTAIN AFTER CLIMBER DIES TRYING TO HELP HER: REPORTS

Many had entered the remote area after seeing it promoted on social media, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

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Search operations, including drones, launched Sunday after hikers reported being trapped in Laohugou, a valley in Menyuan county. The high-altitude search—at more than 13,100 feet—has been hampered by difficult terrain, ongoing snowfall and rapidly changing weather, state media reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Blizzard traps hundreds on Mount Everest as rescue teams race to save lives

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 16:21:05 -0400

A massive and sudden blizzard on Mount Everest's Tibetan slopes trapped nearly 1,000 hikers in remote camps during China's National Day holiday weekend, according to state media reports.

Reuters and Jimu news reported Sunday that at least 350 people have so far reached safety, while contact has been made with several hundred others still stranded in the snowbound region.

The storm struck Friday, dumping heavy snow and rain across the Himalayas, reports said.

The worst conditions came near the eastern Kangshung face of Everest, in Tibet’s Karma Valley, where elevations average over 13,779 ft.

OLYMPIC HERO LAURA DAHLMEIER SEVERELY INJURED, MISSING AFTER HIGH-ALTITUDE ROCKFALL

The snowfall continued into Saturday, blocking roads and trails and cutting off access to several routes popular during China’s eight-day National Day holiday.

China Central Television (CCTV) also said the several hundred rescued trekkers were brought to Qudang township under the guidance of local rescue teams.

Hundreds more are expected to reach the area in stages as villagers and emergency workers clear deep snow from mountain passes.

Jimu news, a state-backed outlet, estimated that nearly 1,000 people, including hikers, guides and local support staff, had been trapped when the blizzard struck.

TRAGEDY STRIKES AT POPULAR NATIONAL PARK AS CLIMBER MEETS FATAL END ON MOUNTAIN

Rescue efforts have involved hundreds of local villagers and members of Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue Team, who reported receiving distress calls about collapsed tents and cases of hypothermia.

"It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk," one trekker, Chen Geshuang, who was part of an 18-strong trekking team who made it to Qudang, told Reuters.

"The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly," Chen said.

The Tibetan regional government is said to have organized coordinated search and rescue operations, sending heavy machinery to reopen snow-blocked roads leading to the affected campsites.

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Authorities suspended ticket sales and closed entry to the Everest Scenic Area on Saturday evening, according to the Tingri County Tourism Company’s official WeChat account.

It remains unclear whether trekkers on the north face of Everest, also located in Tibet but more easily accessible by road, were impacted by the same weather system.

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The extreme weather has also battered neighboring Nepal, where heavy rains have triggered landslides and flash floods, killing at least 47 people since Friday.

Thirty-five people died in separate landslides in the eastern Ilam district near the Indian border, while others remain missing after being swept away by floodwaters, per Reuters.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to the Central Tibetan Administration for comment.

Daredevil mountaineer makes history skiing down Mount Everest through death zone without oxygen

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 18:30:24 -0400

A mountaineer has made history by becoming the first person to ski down Mount Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen, expedition organizers confirmed Thursday.

Polish national Andrzej Bargiel's achievement is also being hailed as a landmark moment in the world of extreme endurance sports.

Bargiel, 37, summited the world’s highest peak at 29,032 feet Sept. 22 before putting on his skis and starting his big descent.

"I am on top of the highest mountain in the world, and I’m going to descend it on skis," Bargiel said in a video posted to his Instagram page before pushing off from the snowy summit.

OLYMPIC BIATHLON CHAMPION LAURA DAHLMEIER DIES AT 31 IN PAKISTAN MOUNTAIN CLIMBING ACCIDENT

According to AFP, Seven Summit Treks, the Nepal-based outfitter managing Bargiel's expedition, confirmed his descent was the first of its kind.

It reported the athlete split the feat into two sections, first skiing to Camp II before spending the night and then continuing through what is said to be the dangerous Khumbu Icefall the next morning.

People have tried ski descents from Everest in the past, but none of them have completed the run without bottled oxygen.

In 2000, Slovenian Davorin Karnicar became the first to ski from the summit to Base Camp, but he relied on supplemental oxygen.

His brother, Bartek, helped by piloting a drone that helped guide him safely through the glacier, AFP reported.

"This was extremely challenging, and no one had done it before," Chhang Dawa Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP.

RESCUE EFFORT HALTED FOR STUCK CLIMBER ON TREACHEROUS MOUNTAIN AFTER CLIMBER DIES TRYING TO HELP HER: REPORTS

Bargiel also spent nearly 16 hours in the so-called "death zone" above 8,000 meters, where oxygen levels are dangerously low and survival is difficult without bottled air.

When he reached base camp, Bargiel was greeted with a khada, a ceremonial Buddhist scarf, in recognition of his success.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk celebrated the accomplishment on X, writing, "Sky is the limit? Not for Poles! Andrzej Bargiel has just skied down Mount Everest."

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Bargiel is reportedly no stranger to high-altitude firsts. In 2018, he became the first person to ski down Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, a feat BBC News noted was dedicated to the centenary of Poland regaining independence.

He had also attempted Everest in 2019 and again in 2022 but was thwarted by unstable ice and high winds.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital has reached out to Andrzej Bargiel for comment.

Defibrillator installed on Everest winds up saving climber's life just weeks later

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:30:08 -0400

A man who climbed Mount Everest to install a defibrillator there says the device wound up saving a woman’s life just three weeks afterward.

David Sullivan, 62, made the journey to the Himalayas to place the lifesaving device on the mountain.

He believes it is the world's highest-positioned defibrillator, sitting more than 16,000 feet above sea level, according to news agency SWNS.

EXTREME TRAVEL DESTINATION TO RESTRICT POPULAR MOUNTAIN ACCESS

After losing four close friends — all under age 45 — to sudden cardiac arrest, Sullivan founded Code Blue CPR.

He began traveling the globe as an advocate to provide CPR training and install life-saving equipment in hard-to-reach places.

Earlier this year, Sullivan climbed to an altitude of 22,000 feet to test a defibrillator.

He then descended to a village near Everest Base Camp to install it for emergency use.

Sullivan returned home to Surrey on April 30, glad about what he'd accomplished — but with no idea how quickly his work would make an impact.

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Just three weeks later, he got a phone call.

"It was … Friday (May 23), at around 3:45 a.m.," Sullivan told SWNS. "I have kids traveling the world, so I initially thought, ‘Oh my God, something's happened.’"

He added, "But it was a Sherpa [a Tibetan mountain guide] who told me the defibrillator had been activated and saved a 30-year-old woman's life," Sullivan said. "It was the proudest moment of my life."

The rescue confirmed why he'd taken on the physically and emotionally demanding journey.

While in the Himalayas, Sullivan didn’t just install the defibrillator - he also trained local Sherpas and villagers, many of whom had never received emergency medical instruction, according to SWNS.

"It is incredible that something so simple can save someone's life - and I hope it will help people realize how important it is to have access to defibrillators," Sullivan said.

"Being within three minutes of a defibrillator increases your chance of survival from 8% to more than 50%," he added.

For Sullivan, there's another personal angle.

He once had to use his CPR training just months after learning it himself. "I performed nine minutes of CPR for a young man and used a defibrillator just three months after I had been shown how to," he told SWNS.

"While I was doing this, around 30 people just watched and didn't help - because they didn't know how."

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When the young man's mother called him the next day to say her son was alive, Sullivan said it changed his life.

"I knew then that everyone should know how to save a life," Sullivan said.

Now, Sullivan wants to dedicate himself to reshaping others' lives.

He is moving forward with a plan to train 1.2 million students in CPR through a school initiative.

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"We want every school to have a new defibrillator and every person in the school - students, teachers, staff - to have all the training necessary to save someone's life," he told SWNS.

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"We won't stop until we achieve that," he also said.

ӣ��Ƶ’ Mike Tobin completes risky Everest climb and shares details of high-stakes summit

Fri, 30 May 2025 13:08:02 -0400

ӣ��Ƶ Senior Correspondent Mike Tobin has completed one of the riskiest feats in the world: climbing Mount Everest.

Along with a team, Tobin hiked the mountain in the Himalayas, reaching the highest point on Earth.

Tobin was back on the channel, joining "America’s Newsroom" on Friday from China to share the details of his experience.

EXTREME TRAVEL DESTINATION TO RESTRICT POPULAR MOUNTAIN ACCESS

"Some people say weather-wise, it was one of the best summit windows they've seen in like 20 years," said Tobin.

"And you compare that to the other people who climbed Everest this season — most of them got beat up on the summit."

He said that his team saw people going down the mountain with "big black mittens on," indicating that "they were covering up frostbite damage."

Tobin shared that when he reached the summit, it was a little bit cloudy.

"I'm very well aware that 90% of the accidents happen on the way down and so you're tired, you're a little hypoxic, and it was a moment of concentration for me," said Tobin.

WORLD-TRAVELING COUPLE VISITS 197 COUNTRIES, REVEALS TOP DESTINATIONS

"I wanted to make sure that I didn't let up because we still had a long way to get down to advanced base camp."

In 2023, 12 climbers were reported dead while five went missing following 478 hiking permits issued by Nepal, according to Reuters.

"I was just trying to think, 'Keep your head about yourself. Don't make any mistakes, don't turn what's otherwise going to be a celebration into a tragedy.'"

About 700 to 1,000 climbers attempt the summit each year, with success rates ranging between 60% and 70%, according to Climbing Kilimanjaro.

Tobin said he "certainly was spooked at different times on the climb," sharing that it hit him when he came back down on the second step.

The second step is on the northeast ridge of Mount Everest, one of three major obstacles.

He said it was a bit "odd" as he "was pretty enthused on the way up," but added that other team members shared the moment was spooky for them, too.

While in the "death zone," Tobin participated in the 22 Pushup Challenge to raise awareness about the issue of veteran and first responder suicide.

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"The only way you survive the death zone is to get in and out of there as fast as you can before the sand runs out of your hourglass or before the oxygen runs out of your bottle," said Tobin.

The "death zone" is an area above 26,247 ft. on the mountain; the air is too thin to support human life without supplemental oxygen.

"It was kind of an add-on to the climb … You've seen some of the different events that people have done as far as the 22 push-ups in recognition of veteran suicide," said Tobin.

"I hope that a troubled guy out there somewhere who was looking at suicide as a reasonable response to his troubles will realize that someone took the time to do that in a perilous situation and reconsider before he hurts himself," he added.

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Tobin credited his wife for keeping him on track during his preparation leading up to the hike.

"Between work and training for Everest, there really wasn't any time, and she ran the house and made sure I got fed."

He shared that the training process was pretty "arduous."

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"I did crazy kinds of training, like I’d take the sandbags that our cameramen use, and I put them in a backpack, and I ran up and down the Indiana Sand Dunes for hours at a time," said Tobin.

Mount Everest remains believed to be climber who vanished 100 years ago

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 14:10:18 -0400

A National Geographic documentary team has found on Mount Everest what they believe is the partial remains of a British climber who vanished 100 years ago during a quest to become among the first to summit the world’s tallest mountain.

The organization announced Friday that the expedition found a foot encased in a sock embroidered with "AC Irvine" and a boot that could be that of Andrew "Sandy" Irvine, who disappeared at the age of 22 along with his co-climber, the legendary George Mallory, near Everest's peak on June 8, 1924.

"It's the first real evidence of where Sandy ended up," photographer and director Jimmy Chin told National Geographic. "A lot of theories have been put out there."

"When someone disappears and there’s no evidence of what happened to them, it can be really challenging for families. And just having some definitive information of where Sandy might’ve ended up is certainly [helpful], and also a big clue for the climbing community as to what happened," Chin added.

MOUNT EVEREST CLIMBING DUO VANISHES FROM NOTORIOUS AREA OF WORLD’S TALLEST PEAK

In his final letter to his wife, Ruth, before he vanished on Mount Everest a century ago, the 37-year-old Mallory tried to ease her worries even as he said his chances of reaching the world’s highest peak were "50 to 1 against us."

Mallory's body was found in 1999, but there was no evidence that could point to the two having reached Everest's summit at 29,032 feet, according to The Associated Press.

The apparent discovery of Irvine's remains could narrow the search for a Kodak Vest Pocket camera lent to the climbers by expedition member Howard Somervell.

NEPALI GUIDE, UK MOUNTAINEER SURPASS THEIR OWN RECORDS FOR MOST CLIMBS OF MOUNT EVEREST

For mountaineers, the AP describes it as the equivalent of the Holy Grail -- the possibility of photographic proof that the two did reach the summit, almost three decades before New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay got there on May, 29, 1953.

The sock and boot were found on the Central Rongbuk Glacier below the north face of Mount Everest in September.

Irvine’s family reportedly is volunteering to compare DNA test results with the remains to confirm their identity.

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"I have lived with this story since I was a 7-year-old when my father told us about the mystery of Uncle Sandy on Everest," Irvine’s great-niece and biographer, Julie Summers, told the AP. "When Jimmy told me that he saw the name AC Irvine on the label on the sock inside the boot, I found myself moved to tears. It was and will remain an extraordinary and poignant moment."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

5 missing Russian climbers found dead on world’s 7th-highest peak, official says

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 11:31:27 -0400

Five missing Russian mountaineers have been located dead on Tuesday after appearing to have fallen while climbing Mount Dhaulagiri in Nepal, the world’s seventh-highest peak, according to an expedition organizer.

Pemba Jangbu Sherpa, a senior official with the Kathmandu-based "I AM Trekking and Expeditions," told Reuters that the five men appeared to have "slipped on the slope" of the 26,788-foot mountain.

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"They might have been tied to the same rope," he speculated to the outlet. "One of them could have slipped on the slope and all five fell together."

The group of climbers were reported missing on Sunday.

Pemba, who works for the company that provided support to the team of missing climbers, told The Associated Press that a helicopter spotted the bodies on Tuesday at an altitude of around 24,934 feet.

NEPALI GUIDE, UK MOUNTAINEER SURPASS THEIR OWN RECORDS FOR MOST CLIMBS OF MOUNT EVEREST

Two of the climbers had reportedly reached the summit, while the remaining had returned without reaching the top. Radio contact was lost between the expedition company and the team members at the base camp.

Pemba told Reuters separately that a sixth member of the team was evacuated to hospital in Kathmandu. The climber was said to be exhausted and unable to walk.

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Officials have not yet made a decision on recovery efforts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mount Everest climbing duo vanishes from notorious area of world's tallest peak

Sat, 25 May 2024 20:47:59 -0400

A British climber and his guide who reached the summit of Mount Everest have been missing since Tuesday, and are presumed dead in the mountain’s so-called "death zone," while attempting to descend.

The "death zone" is the area on the mountain above 26,000 feet, where low oxygen levels can cause impaired judgment, severe altitude sickness and death after an extended period of time. The mountain’s summit is 29,032 feet.

"On May 21st, at 4:40 AM, Daniel Paterson successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest — a monumental achievement and a testament to his strength and determination," his partner, Becks Woodhead, wrote on a crowdfunding page this week. "Tragically, during his descent, Daniel went missing, and there has been no contact or sighting of him since."

Paterson, 39, and his guide Pastenji Sherpa, 23, were hit by falling ice as they descended when a cornice collapsed, according to BBC News.

NEPALI GUIDE, UK MOUNTAINEER SURPASS THEIR OWN RECORDS FOR MOST CLIMBS OF MOUNT EVEREST

The two had been climbing with a group organized by 8K Expeditions.

The company said on Instagram on Friday: "Despite exhaustive search efforts, we regret to confirm that Daniel and Pastenji were unable to be recovered from following incident."

8K Expeditions told BBC that it wouldn’t be "possible" to find the men alive any longer.

The company said Paterson had "uplifting positivity and strong determination" and had previously summited the Nepalese mountains Amadablam and Island Peak.

They described Sherpa as a "dedicated climber" with a "warm spirit" who had summited Everest twice.

"We remember and honor their enduring spirits and extend our deepest condolences to their grieving families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this profoundly difficult time," the company added.

3 MOUNT EVEREST CLIMBERS GO MISSING AFTER FALLING INTO DEEP CREVASSE

Their disappearances come as videos have shown overcrowding on the mountain with long lines of climbers waiting their turn to reach the summit amid changing weather conditions.

April and May are considered some of the best months to climb Mount Everest because of the weather.

Not including Paterson and Sherpa, three people have died on the mountain this year, and 18 perished last year, Nepalese officials said, according to the New York Times.

Of the more than 300 people who have died on the mountain in total, around 200 bodies still remain because bringing them down the mountain would be too difficult, the Times reported.

A Kenyan climber was found dead this week after going missing, and two Romanian and British climbers and their guide also died this week, BBC reported.

Paterson had documented his Everest journey on Instagram, calling climbing the mountain a dream of his for most of his life.

"One thing I can guarantee is that I won't be quitting. I don't get scared much in life, but the thing that scares me the most is not achieving this," he wrote.

Woodhead added of Paterson, who lives in Wakefield, England, "Dan is not just an adventurer; he is a beloved son, brother, partner, friend and a proud joint owner of Wakefield Crossfit. He is known for his adventurous spirit, his kindness, and his unwavering dedication to helping others."

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Paterson had also been raising money for the family of CrossFit member who died of cancer.

Nepali guide, UK mountaineer surpass their own records for most climbs of Mount Everest

Mon, 13 May 2024 09:46:29 -0400

British climber Kenton Cool, 50, and Nepali guide Kami Rita Sherpa, 54, have broken their own records for most climbs of Mount Everest.
Cool and Sherpa climbed the 29,032-foot peak for the 18th and 29th time, respectively.
Both climbers used the Southeast Ridge route, the most popular path to the Everest summit.

A British climber and a Nepali guide have broken their own records for most climbs of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, hiking officials said on Sunday.

Rakesh Gurung, director of Nepal's Department of Tourism, said Britain's Kenton Cool, 50, and Nepali guide Kami Rita Sherpa, 54, climbed the 29,032-foot peak for the 18th and 29th time, respectively.

They were on separate expeditions guiding their clients.

NEPAL SHERPA GUIDE SETS RECORD FOR MOST CLIMBS OF MOUNT EVEREST WITH 27

"He just keeps going and going... amazing guy!" Garrett Madison of the U.S.-based expedition organizing company Madison Mountaineering said of the Nepali climber. Madison had teamed up with Kami Rita to climb the summits of Everest, Lhotse, and K2 in 2014.

K2, located in Pakistan, is the world's second-highest mountain and Lhotse in Nepal is the fourth-tallest.

Lukas Furtenbach of the Austrian expedition operator Furtenbach Adventures called Cool's feat remarkable.

"He is a fundamental part of the Everest guiding industry. Kenton Cool is an institution," Furtenbach, who is leading an expedition from the Chinese side of Everest, told Reuters.

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Both climbers used the Southeast Ridge route to the summit.

Pioneered by the first summiteers, New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, the route remains the most popular path to the Everest summit.

Kami Rita first climbed Everest in 1994 and has done so almost every year since, except for three years when authorities closed the mountain for various reasons.

He climbed the mountain twice last year.

Mountain climbing is a major tourism activity and a source of income as well as employment for Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 tallest peaks, including Everest.

Nepal has issued 414 permits, each costing $11,000 to climbers for the climbing season that ends this month.

Norwegian woman and Sherpa guide set new record: Conquer world's 14 highest peaks in 92 days

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 18:06:31 -0400

A Norwegian woman mountain climber and her Nepali Sherpa guide have set a new record by scaling the world’s 14 highest peaks in 92 days, a Pakistani mountaineering official said.

On Thursday, Kristin Harila and Tenjen Sherpa summitted K2 on the Chinese-Pakistani border in the Karakorum Range — considered to be among the most dangerous peaks for mountaineers.

All the peaks the two summitted are about 26,000 feet, said Karrar Haidri, the secretary at the Pakistan Alpine Club.

The previous record-holder, Nirmal Purja, a Nepali-born British citizen, had scaled the 14 peaks in 189 days in 2019.

"A big congratulations to Kristin Harila and Tenjen Sherpa on this remarkable achievement," said Haidri. "They successfully and safely completed the scaling of all of the 14 highest peaks in the shortest time. They did it in 92 days."

TIKTOK WON'T LAUNCH CROSS-BORDER E-COMMERCE SERVICES IN INDONESIA AMID CONCERNS

Also Thursday, Nepali Sherpa Nima Rinji at the age of 17 became the world's youngest climber to summit K2. His summit was separate from Harila's and Tenjen's but the three were all part of a 20-member group that scaled K2 at different times on Thursday.

The 20 were now on their way back to base camp, where a festive welcome awaits them all, Haidri said.

K2 has one of the deadliest records for mountaineers, with most climbers dying on the descent, where the slightest mistake can trigger an avalanche and become fatal. Only a few hundred climbers have successfully reached its summit.

Considered extremely difficult to climb, K2 is not only the second-highest mountain after Mount Everest, its ascent and descent are considered to be much more challenging. Pakistan’s military often launches rescue operations to find stranded mountaineers who travel to this South Asian country from all over the world for the sport.

Harila and Tenjen scaled Mount Everest in May and on Sunday, the two scaled Broad Peak, the world's twelfth highest mountain, located in northern Pakistan, before starting their expedition to K2.

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Earlier in July, Polish climber Pawel Tomasz Kope died after scaling Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat, known as "killer mountain" for its dangerous conditions. He was descending the mountain in bad weather conditions when he collapsed.

Harila, 37, first attempted to break the record and climb all 14 top peaks in 2022 but summitted only 12 of them after Chinese authorities restricted access to foreign climbers during the coronavirus pandemic.

6 killed in Nepal after sightseeing helicopter crashes near Mount Everest

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 09:28:43 -0400

Six people are dead after a helicopter carrying foreign tourists crashed near Nepal’s Mount Everest.

Nepalese authorities said the helicopter crashed in the Lamajura area on Tuesday, and rescuers have recovered the bodies of all six passengers, according to a press release.

All five tourists were Mexican nationals and the pilot was Nepalese, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said in a statement. The Mexicans included two men and three women.

The helicopter is said to have been returning to Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu after taking the passengers on a sightseeing trip to Everest.

NORWEIGAN MOUNTAIN CLIMBER TO ATTEMPT SCALING WORLD'S 14 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS IN THREE MONTHS

The helicopter’s original flight route had been changed due to weather conditions, according to a Nepalese official, which is common during this time of year due to monsoons and heavy rain.

The tourist and mountaineering season ended in May with the onset of the rainy season, and tourist flights to the mountains are less common this time of year as visibility is poor and weather conditions become unpredictable.

DOUBLE AMPUTEE CLIMBER WHO SCALED EVEREST DEDICATES LIFE TO HELPING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Rescue crews initially were not able to access the crash site on the Lamjura Pass, which sits at an altitude of 13,779 feet, Nepal Times reported.

The crash is the worst aviation disaster in Nepal since January, when 72 people, including two Americans and two U.S. permanent residents, were killed in a Yeti Airlines passenger plane crash.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Race continues for most Mount Everest ascents between 2 Sherpa guides, Pasang Dawa to climb next year

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:28:46 -0400

The race for the record to have successfully scaled Mount Everest the most number of times is still on.

Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa, 48, plans to climb the 29,032-foot peak next year in an attempt to again match the record set by a fellow Sherpa guide.

"I will continue to climb (Everest) as long as my body can as there are people over 60 years who have climbed it," he told The Associated Press on Thursday. "But that does not mean I will climb until I am 60 years old, but as long as I am able to."

NEPALESE SHERPA WHO CLIMBED MOUNT EVEREST A RECORD 28 TIMES SAYS HE’S NOT READY TO RETIRE

Pasang Dawa reached Everest's peak twice this spring. On May 14, he equaled the record of 26 successful ascents set by Kami Rita, who went on to reach the top of the mountain a 27th time. Pasang Dawa's matched the new record on May 23, but Kami Rita regained his title with a 28th climb that same day.

Kami Rita, 53, has said he would head to the peak again during the 2024 climbing season, when Pasang Dawa also will be at the mountain to guide foreign clients up Everest.

Pasang Dawa first began working as porter age 12, carrying equipment and supplies from his village home on the foothills of Everest. He graduated to kitchen helper and finally got his chance to carry equipment up to higher camps in 1997.

He first summited Everest in 1998 while guiding British adventurer Bear Grylls. He slipped and fell some 650 feet near the summit but survived with only a few bruises.

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Since then, he has made it to Everest's top almost every year, not making ascents only when the mountain was closed or because of death in the family.

Like most Sherpa guides and workers on Mount Everest, Pasang Dawa makes money during the spring climbing season that is his family's main source of income and has to last all year.

Nepal’s government last month honored Sherpa guides and record-holding climbers during celebrations of the first ascent of Mount Everest 70 years ago.

Norweigan mountain climber to attempt scaling world's 14 highest mountains in three months

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:55:51 -0400

A Norwegian who is aiming to be the fastest climber to scale all the world’s 14 highest mountains said Tuesday that she can achieve her goal in half the time she initially planned.

Kristin Harila, on return to Nepal’s capital from the mountains on Tuesday, said she is setting a new target of scaling the peaks in three months, having already climbed eight of them in 40 days.

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She is attempting to beat the 2019 record set by a male climber, who did in little more six months.

Harila, 37, is yet to climb Mount Manaslu in Nepal, which she hopes to do in the next few days, and then the five remaining peaks in Pakistan, including K2, the second highest in the world. She also reached K2 last year.

"I believe we can do it, if we do Manaslu now and the five in Pakistan, we can do in three months. So yes, three months is possible if we do Manaslu now," she said.

RYAN REYNOLDS' WREXHAM AFC DEMOLISHED US WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM DURING TOURNAMENT WITH $1M PRIZE

"We are very happy we have made eight and we are all safe and everyone is good," she said.

She began in April by scaling Mount Shishapangma followed by other peaks in China as well as Nepal, including Mount Everest. Her latest one was Mount Annapurna on June 5.

Her climb of Annapurna came very late in the spring season when most teams had already left the mountains.

"It was very nice but very difficult to climb Annapurna alone. No one was around, it was different. When there is lot of people it is much easier," she said.

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Harila began her attempt in April 2022 with the aim of completing it by September. But she only managed 12 peaks because Chinese authorities had restricted access to foreign climbers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The current record is held by Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born British citizen who scaled the 14 highest peaks in 189 days in 2019, beating the previous record of more than seven years set by a South Korean climber. Purja’s climbs were later made into a popular Netflix documentary, "14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible."

Nepal honors record-holding climbers during 70th anniversary of 1st Mount Everest ascent

Tue, 30 May 2023 07:24:16 -0400

Nepal's government honored record-holding climbers Monday during celebrations of the first ascent of Mount Everest 70 years ago.

The celebrations come amid a growing concern about temperatures rising, glaciers and snow melting, and weather being harsh and unpredictable on the world’s tallest mountain.

Hundreds of people from the mountaineering community, Sherpa guides and officials attended a rally in Kathmandu to mark the anniversary. Participants waved celebratory banners and walked in the center of Kathmandu to tunes played by military bands.

NEPALESE SHERPA WHO CLIMBED MOUNT EVEREST A RECORD 28 TIMES SAYS HE’S NOT READY TO RETIRE

Among those honored were Sherpa guides Kami Rita, who climbed Everest twice this season for a record 28 times overall, and Sanu Sherpa, who has climbed all of the world's 14 highest peaks twice.

Hari Budha Magar, who became the first double above-the-knee amputee to climb Everest, was also honored by the country's Tourism Minister Sushila Sirpali Thakuri.

"May 29 is a day when we all always remember and be proud of when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing (Norgay) Sherpa reached the top of Everest and it is the day the Sherpas became known," Sanu Sherpa said.

Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay reached the summit on May 29, 1953. Nepal began celebrating the anniversary as Everest Day after Hillary's death in 2008.

CLIMBER REACHES TOP OF MOUNT EVEREST AGAIN AFTER BREAKING RECORD OF MOST ASCENTS LAST WEEK

Since their ascent, thousands of people have scaled the 29,032-foot peak and hundreds have also lost their lives on the unpredictable slopes.

During the 2023 climbing season, hundreds of climbers and their guides scaled the peak, and 17 either died or went missing.

The popular Himalayan climbing season begins in March and ends in May after which monsoon winds and melting temperatures make the mountains too hazardous for climbing.

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Deteriorating conditions on Everest are raising concerns for mountaineers and others whose livelihoods depend on the flow of visitors coming to climb the mountain each year. Warmer conditions mean climbers who made their way across snow and ice are now crossing bare rock.

Recent research found that Mount Everest’s glaciers have lost 2,000 years of ice in just the past 30 years.

Nepalese Sherpa who climbed Mount Everest a record 28 times says he’s not ready to retire

Thu, 25 May 2023 13:01:47 -0400

One of the greatest mountain guides said Thursday he’s not ready to retire after climbing Mount Everest for a record 28th time.

Nepalese Sherpa Kami Rita reached the 29,032-foot summit of the world’s highest mountain on Tuesday, beating his own record less than a week after setting it.

"I will continue to climb as long as my body allows," the 53-year-old guide told reporters after arriving from the mountain at Kathmandu's airport, where he was given a hero's welcome by supporters and family members.

CLIMBER REACHES TOP OF MOUNT EVEREST AGAIN AFTER BREAKING RECORD OF MOST ASCENTS LAST WEEK

He said his goal is not to compete for any records but to help his foreign clients scale the mountain.

This year's climbing season is almost over, and his next climb will have to wait until next spring.

Kami Rita reached the summit a day after fellow Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa matched his previous record of 27 climbs.

A race for the title began with Pasang Dawa climbing the peak for a 26th time on May 14, equaling Kami Rita’s earlier record. Kami Rita reached the peak three days later for the 27th time.

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Kami Rita first climbed Everest in 1994 and has done so nearly every year since then. He is one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success of foreign climbers who seek to reach the top of the mountain. His father was among the first Sherpa guides.

Kami Rita has scaled several of the world's highest peaks in addition to Everest, including K2, Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.

Thousands of people have climbed Mount Everest since it was first conquered by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay in 1953. This year is the 70th anniversary of the first climb.

Double amputee climber who scaled Everest dedicates life to helping children with disabilities

Tue, 23 May 2023 11:00:07 -0400

The first double above-the-knee amputee to climb Mount Everest returned from the mountain on Tuesday pledging to dedicate the rest of his life to helping people with disabilities.

Hari Budha Magar, a former Gurkha soldier who lives in Britain, reached the peak of the world's highest mountain last week.

"My main aim for the rest of my lifetime is going to be working to bring awareness about disability," Magar said on his return to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital.

As a soldier in a Gurkha regiment in the British army, Magar lost both his legs in Afghanistan when he accidently stepped on an improvised explosive device in 2010.

Hundreds of supporters and officials, including Nepal's tourism minister, greeted him at Kathmandu's airport and offered him garlands.

He was taken from the airport in an open truck decorated with flowers and waved at people along the way.

NEPAL SHERPA GUIDE SETS RECORD FOR MOST CLIMBS OF MOUNT EVEREST WITH 27

"We all have our own weaknesses and disabilities, but instead of the weaknesses we should be focusing on our strength, and only then we can all lead a better and meaningful life," he said.

He said the climb up the 29,032-foot mountain was not easy and he thought several times about quitting because of his family.

"I had made the promise that I will have to return for the sake of my son," he said.

On the way to the summit he ran out of oxygen in the tank he was carrying.

"This was the first time I experienced what it is to be deprived of oxygen. I had the tingling sensation, my hands and feet were cold and I was gasping for breath," he said.

He was able to get more oxygen from his climbing partners, but then battled with bad weather as he approached the summit, which he reached late in the afternoon because of his slow pace. Most climbers try to reach the top in the morning because conditions become dangerous later in the day.

BRITISH CLIMBER SCALES EVEREST FOR 17TH TIME, BREAKING RECORD FOR MOST ASCENTS BY NON-SHERPA GUIDE

He said he saw rescuers pulling the bodies of two dead climbers along the way.

After his successful climb, "I hugged all the Sherpas and cried like a baby, I was so happy," Magar said in a video released by his press office. "My lifetime goal is to change the perceptions people have of disability. My life changed in a blink of an eye. But whatever happens, you can still lead a fulfilling life."

"If a double above-knee amputee can climb Everest, you can climb whatever mountain you face, as long as you are disciplined, work hard and put everything into it," he said.

Magar was born in a remote mountain village in Nepal and later was recruited by the British army as a Gurkha. He now lives with his family in Canterbury, England.

Hundreds of Nepalese youths are recruited every year to work as Gurkha soldiers, who are known for their fighting skills and bravery.

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In addition to dealing with his own disabilities, Magar also had to battle with legal issues because Nepal's government had banned disabled people from climbing high mountains. A case was filed in the Supreme Court, which overturned the ban, allowing Magar to continue his plan to climb Everest.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the government halted mountaineering, further delaying Magar's plan.

Climber reaches top of Mount Everest again after breaking record of most ascents last week

Tue, 23 May 2023 07:42:12 -0400

A Nepal Sherpa who recently broke a record for most ascents of Mount Everest has climbed the world’s tallest mountain for the second time in less than a week.

Kami Rita, 53, reached the peak of the 29,032-foot mountain for the 28th time on Tuesday, Reuters reports, citing Nepal tourism official Bigyan Koirala.

"Kami Rita is on his way down from the summit," added Thaneswar Guragai, the general manager of the Seven Summit Treks company that Rita works for.

Rita had set a new record last week when he reached the summit of Everest for the 27th time on Wednesday, May 17.

NEPAL SHERPA GUIDE SETS RECORD FOR MOST CLIMBS OF MOUNT EVEREST WITH 27

"Very inspirational to see a local climber continue pushing the limits on Mount Everest," American climber Garrett Madison, who was with Rita on five of his ascents, told Reuters at the time.

Seven Summit Treks said in a statement that Rita has "dedicated his life to mountaineering and has become synonymous with the world's highest peak".

Rita first scaled Everest in 1994 and has been making the trip nearly every year since then. He is one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success of foreign climbers who seek to stand on top of the mountain every year.

Rita’s father was among the first Sherpa guides, and in addition to his Everest climbs, Rita has scaled several other peaks that are among the world’s highest, including K-2, Cho-Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.

BRITISH CLIMBER SCALES EVEREST FOR 17TH TIME, BREAKING RECORD FOR MOST ASCENTS BY NON-SHERPA GUIDE

The climb last week happened as the season’s first wave of adventurers were reaching the top of Everest before weather conditions turn more treacherous starting in June.

This spring, Nepalese officials have issued nearly 470 permits to climb Everest, the AP reported.

Two more deaths also were reported on the mountain over the weekend, bringing this year’s death toll up to 11, according to Reuters.

One of those who died was a fellow Nepal Sherpa working to clean the mountain, the news agency says.

The other was identified as 40-year-old Australian engineer Jason Kennison, who reportedly passed away while descending from the summit.

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"He was just on top of the world, literally, on top of the world and that's what he wanted to achieve and he achieved that," his mother was quoted by Reuters as saying at a press conference in his Australian hometown of Mallala, near Adelaide.

"On the descent is when he suddenly fell ill and that's when he passed away," added his brother Adrian.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

British mountain guide scales Everest for 17th time, breaking record for most ascents by non-Sherpa guide

Fri, 19 May 2023 11:49:55 -0400

A British mountain guide returned to Nepal's capital on Friday after scaling Mount Everest for a 17th time, breaking his own record for the most ascents of the world's highest mountain by a non-Sherpa guide.

Kenton Cool first climbed Mount Everest in 2004 and has been doing it almost every year since then.

"I really don’t think records belong on the mountains. Mountains are bigger than records," Cool said at Kathmandu airport after getting off the helicopter that brought him back from Everest. "I am just happy we had a great climb and that we are back."

NEPAL SHERPA GUIDE SETS RECORD FOR MOST CLIMBS OF MOUNT EVEREST WITH 27

Only Nepali Sherpa guides have scaled the peak more times than Cool. Veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita climbed the mountain this week for a record 27th time. Another Sherpa guide, Pasang Dawa, has scaled it 26 times. Both Kami Rita and Pasang Dawa are still on the 29,032-foot mountain with their climbing groups and there is a chance they could reach the summit again before the spring climbing season finishes at the end of this month.

NORWEGIAN CLIMBER LOOKING TO BECOME FASTEST PERSON TO CLIMB WORLD'S 14 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS

Hundreds of climbers and their local guides are currently on Everest and a rush for the summit is expected in the next few weeks. Nepalese authorities issued about 470 permits to climb Everest this season.

Nine people have died on Everest this year, including four Sherpa guides.

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Cool was unable to climb Everest in 2014 because the season was canceled after 16 Sherpa guides were killed in an avalanche, and again in 2015 when an earthquake triggered an avalanche that killed 19 people. The 2020 climbing season was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nepal Sherpa guide sets record for most climbs of Mount Everest with 27

Wed, 17 May 2023 08:42:49 -0400

A Nepal Sherpa guide set a new record Wednesday for the number of times a single climber has scaled Mount Everest.

Kami Rita, 53, reached the peak of the 29,032-foot mountain for the 27th time, just three days after a fellow Sherpa matched his previous record of 26, officials say.

"Very inspirational to see a local climber continue pushing the limits on Mount Everest," American climber Garrett Madison, who was with Rita on five of his ascents, told Reuters.

Thaneswar Guragai, the general manager of Seven Summit Treks, which Rita works for, told the news agency that he reached the summit of the world’s tallest mountain around 8:30 a.m. local time Wednesday while guiding a foreign climber.

NORWEGIAN CLIMBER LOOKING TO BECOME FASTEST PERSON TO CLIMB WORLD’S 14 HIGHEST MOUNTAINS

"Yes, Kami Rita climbed Sagarmatha for the 27th time," Nepal Department of Tourism official Bigyan Koirala also told Reuters, referring to Everest by its Nepali same.

Seven Summit Treks also reportedly said in a statement that Rita has "dedicated his life to mountaineering and has become synonymous with the world's highest peak".

Kami Rita first scaled Everest in 1994 and has been making the trip nearly every year since then. He is one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success of foreign climbers who seek to stand on top of the mountain every year.

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On Sunday, Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa scaled Everest for the 26th time, matching Rita’s previous record, according to The Associated Press.

That climb happened as the season’s first wave of adventurers were reaching the top of Everest before weather conditions turned more treacherous starting in June.

This spring, Nepalese officials have issued nearly 470 permits to climb Everest, the AP reported.

Ishwari Paudel of the Himalayan Guides company told Reuters that 49-year-old British climber Kenton Cool also reached the top of Everest on Wednesday for a record 17th ascent among foreign climbers.

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"Cool is now descending after guiding his own private client," Paudel said.

Since the first ascent of Everest in 1953, the mountain has been climbed more than 11,000 times, although officials say upwards of 320 people have died trying to make the trek, Reuters reports.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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