Reaching Great Heights
A teenager from Nepal is the youngest person ever to climb to the top of the world’s 14 highest mountains.
14 Peaks Expedition, 14peaksexpedition.com
Nima Rinji Sherpa poses for a photo at a base camp during one of his climbing expeditions.
A teenager from Nepal is the youngest person ever to climb to the top of the 14 highest mountains in the world. Nima Rinji Sherpa, 18, checked number 14 off the list on October 9, when he reached the summit of Shisha Pangma, a 26,335-foot (8,027-meter) mountain in Tibet.
Nima began his quest in September 2022, when he reached the top of Manāslu, a 26,781-foot (8,163-meter) mountain in Nepal at age 16. He has spent the past two years climbing the rest of the 14 peaks, including Mount Everest, which at 29,032 feet (8,849 meters) is the tallest mountain in the world.
The 14 peaks are known as “eight-thousanders” because they are all more than 8,000 meters (26,245 feet) high, making them dangerous to climb. The human body struggles at altitudes above 8,000 meters because the air contains less oxygen. The low temperatures and high winds make it even harder for climbers to gather the strength they need.
Unlike many other climbers, Nima did not always carry a tank of oxygen with him, a decision that he said is not what experts recommend. He and his climbing partner also faced avalanches, slippery ice, and stomach cramps, which can occur when a climber doesn’t drink enough water.
“Regardless of the beauty of the mountains [and] the success of the summit, it’s always going to be a dangerous sport,” Nima later told CNN.
14 Peaks Expedition, 14peaksexpedition.com
Nima Rinji Sherpa climbs a snowy mountain along with a climbing partner.
Nima is part of the Sherpa ethnic group. Sherpas have lived in the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal for generations and have a long history as climbers. Nima’s father has climbed Everest nine times, and his uncle has reached the summits of the 14 peaks.
Many Sherpas have served as guides for tourists who are attempting to climb Everest and other tall peaks. But even though guides climb alongside tourists, they don’t often get the same recognition when they reach a summit. Nima wants to change this.
“Sherpas are not just mountain guides but elite athletes and adventurers capable of creating unique paths on the world stage,” he said in a statement he released after climbing the 14th peak. “I want to show the younger generation of Sherpas that they can rise above the stereotype of being only support climbers and embrace their potential as top-tier athletes, adventurers, and creators. We are not just guides; we are trailblazers.”
Click through the slideshow for photos of Nima’s 14 great achievements!
14 Peaks Expedition, 14peaksexpedition.com; © Viktor Tanasiichuk/Dreamstime.com
