KATHMANDU, Nepal: Sherpa Pasang Dawa scaled Mount Everest for the 26th time on May 14, matching the record set by fellow Nepalese guide Kami Rita, who completed his 26th successful trip last year.
Dawa reached the summit, along with a Hungarian climber, according to expedition organizer Imagine Nepal Treks.
Since making his first successful climb of the peak in 1998, Dawa has made the trip almost every year.
This year’s climbing was slightly delayed, after three Sherpa climbers fell into a deep crevasse on a treacherous section of the mountain in April. Rescuers have not found the Sherpas.
With the opening of the route to the summit, a rush to make the ascent is expected in the upcoming weeks, as Nepalese authorities have issued nearly 470 permits for Everest during the popular spring climbing season.