Almost there: Nima Rinji at the peak of Mount Annapurna, the 10th highest mountain in the world. With 13 of the world’s highest peaks already behind him, he is now just one summit away from becoming the youngest person ever to conquer all 14 mountains towering above 8,000m. — AFP
AT just 18 years old, Nepali mountaineer Nima Rinji Sherpa (pic) is on the brink of a remarkable achievement.
With 13 of the world’s highest peaks already behind him, he is now one summit away from becoming the youngest person to conquer all 14 mountains towering above 8,000m.
Nima Rinji, who already holds multiple records from his ascents of dozens of peaks, is on a mission to “inspire a new generation and redefine mountaineering”.
His final challenge, Shishapangma in Tibet, awaits him next month – if China issues a permit.
Summiting all 14 “eight-thousanders” is considered the epitome of mountaineering dreams.Italian climber Reinhold Messner first completed the feat in 1986, and only 40 climbers have successfully followed in his footsteps. Many other elite climbers have died in the pursuit.
All of the mountains are in the Himalayas and neighbouring Karakoram range, which span Nepal, China, India and Pakistan.
Reaching each summit requires entering the thin air of the “death zone”, where there is not enough oxygen to sustain life for long.
“When I am in the mountains, I may die anytime,” Nima Rinji said. “You need to realise how important your life is.
“Mentally, I have convinced myself... when I see an avalanche, bad weather, an accident in the mountains, I am not in a hurry, I don’t get nervous.
“I have convinced myself this is normal in the mountains. I think this has helped me a lot.”
Hailing from the Sherpa ethnic group, renowned for its mountaineering prowess, he is no stranger to the treacherous terrain.His uncle, Mingma Gyabu “David” Sherpa, currently holds the record of the youngest person to climb all 14 peaks. He achieved it in 2019 at the age of 30.
His father, Tashi Sherpa, grew up herding yaks before joining mountaineering as a teenager with his siblings.
The entrepreneurial brothers now lead the biggest mountain expedition company in Nepal, Seven Summit Treks, and its sister company, 14 Peaks Expedition.
“I come from a privileged family,” Nima Rinji said. “But going to the mountains taught me hardship and the real value of life.”In August 2022, he scaled his first of the 14 peaks, reaching the top of the world’s eighth highest Mount Manaslu (8,163m) at age 16, the first teenager to do so.
The last mountain he scaled was Kanchenjunga in June, again making a record for the youngest to climb the world’s third-highest mountain.
The teenager envisions a future where climbing is recognised as a demanding, athletic pursuit for Nepali climbers as well.
But having seen the impacts of climate change and commercial climbing on the mountains, he is keen on a sustainable approach to mountaineering, and intends to study environmental science.
“When I first started climbing, it was purely for myself. But then I realised there is a lot we can do in mountaineering sports, and there are many ways to help the community,” he said. — AFP
