Nima Rinji Sherpa, an 18-year-old mountaineer from Nepal, has written his name on the history pages. He has become the youngest person ever to summit the 14 highest peaks.
Nima started his expedition in 2022 and broke Mingma Gyabu “David” Sherpa’s previous record- which the latter achieved at 30.
Nima, who comes from a prominent Sherpa family for mountaineering, has dedicated his accomplishments to his family and the whole Sherpa community.
Rinji Sherpa has made headlines around the globe. However, he is not the only family member to write their names in the Guinness Book of World Records. His father, Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, was the youngest to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen when he was 19.
He said that his brother had also accompanied him on this journey. Climbing all 8000ers is considered the epitome of mountain climbing, and the Sherpa family has dominated it. Adventure and mountaineering seem to be in this Sherpa family’s blood.
Key Takeaways:
- Nima Rinji Sherpa, an 18-year-old mountaineer from Nepal, became the youngest to climb the summit of all 14 8000ers on October 9, 2024.
- Sherpa broke the record of his Uncle Mingma Sherpa, who was 30 in 2019.
- Nima started his expedition to conquer all 14 peaks in August 2022 and completed it in 2 years.
- Sherpa was eyeing to complete this achievement at just 17 before he had to abandon his plan after an avalanche killed four people in Shishapangma, including his coach.
Nima Rinji Sherpa Comes From A Family Full Of Record Holders In Mountaineering
Nima Rinji Sherpa learned to climb from his family. His father, uncles, and brothers are avid climbers and mountaineers, with several records in their names.
The 18-year-old wonder kid grew up in a household where his family’s mountaineering accomplishments were always the topic of conversation. So, Sherpa had already chosen his path before he even knew it.
His father, Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, became famous at 19 when he became the youngest to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen.
Likewise, his uncle Mingma Sherpa, a Nepalese mountaineer, was the youngest to reach the top 14 summits as of 2019. His niece broke this record five years later. Dawa and his brother Mingma Sherpa are the “first brothers to summit the 14 highest peaks,” a distinction they share.
Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Carlos Soria Fontán, Tente Lagunilla, and Sherpa’s team accomplished the first climb of Mt. Dome Khang (7,260m) on April 28, 2010.
Nima’s father and uncles currently run Seven Summits Hikes, an expedition firm that plans hikes and climbs in China, Pakistan, and Nepal.
Mingma Sherpa, Swiss climber Sophie Lavaud, Dawa Sangay, and Tenjing Sherpa achieved the first-ever summit of Kyungya Ri 2 peak (6506m) in Langtang Valley in December 2020. Records just follow this family of Climbers.
Nima’s mother, Leema Sherpa, is an entrepreneur and serial businesswoman with several positions.
She owns and is the CEO of 14 Peaks Tours Travel, a logistics company offering gear and service for 8000m Mountaineering Expeditions. She is also the Operations Director of the same business.
Nima Rinji Sherpa’s Father, Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, Laid the Foundation of Mountaineering to Him
Nima’s father, Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, started his journey in mountain climbing with his brothers quite early in life, and his son followed in his footsteps. Records and legacy followed the family’s name.
In his early years, Sherpa worked as a herdsman, grazing the sheep, goats, and yaks in the yards and the forest in the isolated village of Nurbuchour (Makalu) in the Sankhuwasabha District. At sixteen, he arrived in Kathmandu, the country’s capital, and received minimal rock and wall climbing training.
Tashi climbed Mt. Everest, his first mountain, and the first 8000ers in 2014. He joined his two brothers, Chhang Dawa and Mingma Sherpa, in climbing endeavors.
In addition to climbing other 7000—and 6000-meter summits, Tashi has ascended Mount Everest eight times and Cho Oyu twice. He has also scaled the Seven Summits. Vinson, Kociuszko, Kilimanjaro Aconcagua, Denali, Elbrus, and Everest.
Tashi is proud of his son and has not stopped showing his emotions. On his Facebook page, he wrote, “Congratulations, Nima! Your journey continues to inspire us all.”
Nima’s Journey to the Top of the World
Nima was born and raised in Kathmandu, far from the Himalayas, to ensure he has opportunities outside mountaineering.
While growing up in Kathmandu, the capital, he attended high school, experimented with photography, and dreamed of becoming a professional football player. However, he eventually returned to the family company.
He set out to climb the 8000ers at 16, a goal only a few dozen individuals have accomplished. “It’s about who can suffer the most when times are the worst,” he remarked, referring to physical or skill more than anything else.
In August 2022, Mr. Sherpa scaled Nepal’s 8,163-meter Mount Manaslu, the first of the 14 summits. He climbed the others over the following two years, including the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, as part of business trips his family planned.
In preparation for his final climb, he departed Mount Shishapangma, the smallest of the 8000ers. Part of this is that he had to wait for the Chinese government to allow him to ascend the peak, which was off-limits to climbers during the pandemic.
The 18-year-old Nima Rinji Sherpa and his partner Pasang Nurbu Sherpa ascended the 8,027-meter Shishapangma at 6:05 local time on October 9, the last of 14 “8000ers” peaks that the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation recognizes as being more than 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) above sea level.
Nepal Mountaineering Association verified Nima’s accomplishment. Hence, Sherpa became the youngest person to conquer all 14 8000ers.
Nima Sherpa Could Have Broken the Record At Just 17
Nima Rinji Sherpa, then 17 years old, was in Tibet this past fall getting ready to climb Mount Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world.
He knew that getting to the summit of the 26,335-foot (8,027-meter) peak would require him to enter the so-called death zone, where organs start to shut down minute by minute. However, tragedy struck before he could start his ascent.
Two climbers who were competing to become the first American woman to reach the top of the 14 tallest mountains in the world, along with the two Sherpas who were escorting them, were killed by avalanches on the peak. One of the deceased was Tenjen Lama Sherpa, a renowned mountain guide whom Mr. Sherpa regarded as a friend and mentor.
Therefore, he abandoned his record attempt to assist in rescuing other climbers stuck on the peak.
Soft-spoken and reflective, Mr. Sherpa stated in a September Zoom interview from his Kathmandu home, “We’re still in shock.” “I knew no stronger man than him.”
The 18-year-old Mr. Sherpa returned his mentor’s memory to Mount Shishapangma earlier this month.
People Also Ask
Nima Ranji Sherpa’s father, Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, is a mountaineer and a business owner, while his mother, Leema Sherpa, is an entrepreneur and a CEO.
Nima Rinji Sherpa was born and raised in Kathmandu, where she experimented with photography and dreamed of becoming a professional football player.
Nima Rinji Sherpa broke his uncle Mingma Sherpa’s record to become the youngest person to climb all 8000ers.
Did you find this article helpful? Please let us know by commenting below or following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Connect with us on YouTube and watch the latest news related to celebrities and players.
Bidhya Sagar Shrestha is an experienced content writer with a solid content creation and digital marketing background. His majors in entrepreneurship and marketing give him a deep understanding of business environments and marketing strategies.
Over his two-year career, Bidhya has worked with many clients, from startups to established businesses, producing over 700 blog posts and news articles. His passion for writing has driven his professional path and personal aspirations.
