Kami Rita, a 55-year-old Nepali Sherpa guide, has once again etched his name in mountaineering history by scaling Mount Everest for the 31st time on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, breaking the record he set just last year.
He successfully reached the world’s highest peak, standing at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), via the traditional southeast ridge route. This remarkable feat was achieved while guiding a 22-member Indian army team, accompanied by 27 other Sherpas.
“He is a very passionate climber,” commented Pasang Phurba, director of Seven Summit Treks, the company for which Kami Rita works, confirming that Kami Rita was safely descending to lower camps after his summit.
Kami Rita, who is known to use only his first name, first conquered Everest in 1994. Since then, he has undertaken the ascent every year, with the exception of three instances when authorities temporarily closed the mountain to climbers.
Everest Records and Nepal’s Reliance on Tourism
Since its first ascent in 1953 by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, over 8,000 individuals have successfully climbed Mount Everest. Following Kami Rita’s unprecedented 31 summits, another Sherpa, Pasang Dawa, holds the second-highest number of ascents with 29. Among non-Sherpa climbers, British guide Kenton Cool leads with 19 climbs, followed by American climbers Dave Hahn and Garrett Madison, each with 15 successful summits.
Nepal, one of the world’s poorest countries, is home to eight of the planet’s 14 highest peaks. Its economy is heavily reliant on the foreign exchange generated by climbing, trekking, and tourism. Guiding foreign climbers up Everest and other formidable peaks provides a vital source of income for many Sherpa families.
For the current March-May 2025 climbing season, authorities have issued 468 permits to climbers. Officials report that over 300 climbers and Sherpas have already successfully reached the summit this season. Tragically, two climber deaths have been confirmed on the mountain this month, with unconfirmed reports of additional fatalities.
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