Adriana Brownlee sets another mountaineering history; Gelje Sherpa breaks personal record

Record holding British climber Adriana Brownlee reached the summit of Mount Broad Peak (8,051m) becoming the youngest mountaineer to summit nine peaks above 8,000m

Jul 20, 2022 | Everest Chronicle

Nepali mountaineer Gelje Sherpa successfully led British climber Adriana Brownlee to the summit of Mount Broad Peak (8,051m) on Wednesday morning.

With this, Adriana becomes the youngest mountaineer to climb nine 8000ers. As for Gelje, he has now climbed 13 out of the 14 peaks above 8000m in the world.

“We reached the summit at 5.20 am local time,” Gelje told Everest Chronicle over phone from Broad Peak summit, overjoyed to tick off his 13th 8,000er. 

This is the sixth 8,000er for both of them this season. Eighteen days ago, the duo summited Nanga Parbat (8,125m), also known as killer mountain, in Pakistan despite adverse weather conditions. 

This spring, they had summited Annapurna (8,091m), Kanchenjunga (8,586m), Lhotse (8,516m) and Makalu (8,485m) in Nepal.

22 year old Adriana wants to become the youngest mountaineer in the world to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000.

20 year old Pakistani climber Shehroze Kashif is also pursuing the title of youngest 14 peak summiter. Kashif has summited eight 8,000ers till date. He had summited Nanga Parbat right after Adriana but went missing. Kashif and his guide Fazal Ali made it to Camp I after two days of being stranded, from where the duo were airlifted to Gilgit by a rescue team including Gelje. 

Had Gejle, 29, summited Cho Oyu last October from Nepal side, he would have clinched the title of youngest climber to summit all 14 peaks above 8,000m. Currently, Mingma Gyabu Sherpa who finished all 14 peak summit at 30 years old, holds the title. 

Now, Gelje has set another target: to become the youngest mountaineer to make double ascent of all 14 peaks above 8,000m. So far he has made double ascent of eight 8,000ers. 

Now this record-setting duo will go on to attempt K2.

“We will attempt to summit K2 within the first weather window. So, we will be heading to K2 immediately,” Gelje said.

According to Seven Summit Treks, three Italian climbers - Marco Camandona, Pietro Picco and Raffaele Barbolini, one Austrian Thomas Krapfl, one Polish Dorota Lidia Samocko, one Brazilian Moses Fiamoncini and Nepali Dawa Nurbu Sherpa also summited Broad Peak on Wednesday morning.

Related Articles

For Sherpas, by Sherpas

A pair of Sherpa entrepreneurs have introduced affordable high-quality technical gear into the Nepali market.

Dec 07, 2021 | Everest Chronicle

Thanks to COVID, Confusion Reigns around Extension of Everest Permits

Last spring, many expedition organizers and climbers cancelled their expeditions due to rampant COVID-19 infections at Everest Base Camp, nearly all of whom want to climb again. But Nepal’s Department of Tourism is giving mixed messages around the possibility of extending unused climbing permits.

Jan 22, 2022 | Everest Chronicle

Kami Rita Eyes 26th Ascent of Mount Everest

Kami Rita Sherpa, the legendary guide who has summited Mount Everest more than any other human in recorded history, is planning to climb the world’s highest peak one more time. Sherpa, who first climbed Everest in 1994, was planning to summit the peak twice last year. He later aborted his second attempt after reaching Camp III due to bad dreams. This year, he will be guiding a team of American climbers.

Feb 02, 2022 | Everest Chronicle

Jost Kobusch just doesn’t care 

The ambitious German mountaineer speaks to Everest Chronicle about his second attempt to climb Everest solo, in winter, and without supplemental oxygen.

Feb 07, 2022 | Dewan Rai

When a summit isn’t actually a summit, but still somehow is

Mingma G’s bold and public ascent to the true summit of Manaslu should have ended the debate over the mountain’s highest point entirely. But instead, it seems to have brought up more questions than answers.

Feb 11, 2022 | Dewan Rai

Bad weather delays Cho Oyu winter ascent 

Gelje Sherpa’s team is now considering a second push to the summit of Cho Oyu after strong winds and deteriorating weather conditions ended their summit bid. Another team led by Mingma Dorchi and Pioneer Adventure is at their base camp waiting for a weather window.

Feb 21, 2022 | Everest Chronicle

Everest expedition operators fear another chaotic year

With the ongoing covid pandemic, travel restrictions to China, and continued global uncertainty, Nepal’s expedition operators are facing another difficult year.

Feb 24, 2022 | Dewan Rai