Eighteen-time Everest summiteer Appa Sherpa left for Lukla on Monday to set a new world record of 19 summits, his organizer Asian Trekking told myrepublica.com. [break]
Appa, 48, will lead the Everest Eco Expedition 2009 that has, among its members, Dawa Steven Sherpa, the managing director of Asian Trekking. The expedition members will bring back trash from the slopes of the 8,848-meter peak and spread awareness on eco-friendliness.
After his first unsuccessful attempt in 1988, Appa has made it to the top 18 times since 1990. He made his last ascent on May 22, 2008.
Bid to stay on top for 24 hours
There is yet another record bid, this time by three Sherpa brothers.
Pemba Dorje Sherpa, 30, Nima Gyalzen Sherpa, 31, and Phurba Sherpa, 20, are set to fly to Lukla this month, not just to climb Everest but to stay on top for 24 hours, said Tilak Panday, officer at the Mountaineering Division of the Tourism Ministry.
The three brothers are seeking to break the record set by Babu Chiri Sherpa, who stayed atop Everest for 20 hours in 1999. Pemba already holds the record for the quickest ascent, which he set in 2004 by climbing Everest in just eight hours and ten minutes.
All-women team from Singapore
Meanwhile, six girls from Singapore, part of the NATAS Singapore Women’s Everest Team, are vying to be the first all-women team from Singapore to climb the peak. The girls are currently in Dingboche, located at 4,200 meters above sea level.
58 expeditions, 600 climbers
The base camp must be crowded these days with faces from all over the planet. Fifty-eight climbing teams have already received permits to climb Everest this season, according to Panday of the Mountaineering Division.
“We are still receiving applications,” he said.
Teams aiming to set foot on the top of the world include members who are Japanese, American, Columbian, Singaporean, Peruvian, Finnish, Croatian, Kazakh, Spanish, Canadian, Mexican, British, New-Zealanders, German, and Austrian.
Last month, a dearth of applications for permits had made the Mountaineering Division predict a lean season for climbing. Officials had feared that the global financial downturn would make it difficult for climbers to find sponsors as mountaineering is an expensive sport.
“It seems that was just initial jitters. The season is saved,” said Surendra Sapkota, Under-Secretary at the Ministry.
bikash@myrepublica.com
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