Nima Rinji Sherpa is only 18 years old, but he has already achieved one of the “grails” of mountaineering: by reaching the summit of Shisha Pangma, in the autonomous province of Tibet (China), on Wednesday, October 9, the Nepalese became the youngest Climber who completed the ascent of fourteen peaks over 8,000 m high on the planet, located in the Himalayas and Karakorum massifs.
His predecessor, his compatriot Mingma Gyabu “David” Sherpa, succeeded in 2019… at the age of 30. The feat is all the more notable because, since the Italian Reinhold Messner did it in 1986, only fifty climbers have achieved it. This season, more than twenty climbers reached Shishapangma Base Camp (8,027 m), hoping to complete the quest for the fourteen “8,000s.”
“This summit is not only the culmination of my personal journey, but also a tribute to all the Sherpas who dared to dream beyond the limits that have traditionally been imposed on us”Nima Rinji Sherpa reacted. And to continue: “The high mountains are more than a job, it is a testimony of our strength, our resilience and our passion. »
“A moment of pride for our country”
Nima Rinji Sherpa started in the high mountains at the age of 16, climbing Mount Manaslu (Nepal), in August 2022. The young man comes from a family of Sherpas, which created the largest expedition company to the Himalayas. “I had trained well and was confident I could do it.” reacted his father, Tashi Sherpa, to the Agence France-Presse.
“This is a proud moment for our country”The president of the Nepalese High Mountain Association, Nima Nuru Sherpa, was also happy: “Nima has freed herself from all stereotypes, her success shows that anything is possible with great determination. »
Nepalese climbers, mostly from the valleys of Mount Everest, have long been considered the small hands of mountaineering, responsible for transporting equipment and equipping routes to the Himalayan peaks for many foreign climbers. Their exploits have recently made them accepted as mountaineers in their own right. In 2021, an expedition successfully made the first winter ascent of Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second highest mountain (8,611 m).
