A Norwegian climber and a Nepali Sherpa guide summited K2 as their fourteenth 8,000m peak on Thursday morning setting a record of climbing all 14 peaks within three months, expedition organizer said.
Kristin Harila and Tenjen Sherpa aka Lama reached the summit of world’s second highest peak at 10.45am local time, said Seven Summit Treks. “These fellow climbers have demonstrated great skill, determination, and teamwork to reach the top of Mt. K2 in the Karakoram range. Their accomplishment is undoubtedly inspiring to the world of mountaineering,” it said in its Facebook post, breaking the news to the world of the extreme record ever set in the mountains.
The duo had started off their mission to summit all 14 peaks in three months with Shishapangma (8027m), world’s 14th highest peak in Tibet. They summited the peak on April 26, and Cho Oyu (8188m) on May 3. With summit of two mountains in China, Kristin became the first female climber to make the fastest ascent of 14 peaks above 8000m. She summited all 14 peaks in a record one year and five days.
In 2019, Nirmal Purja Nimsdai, Nepal born British climber, summited all 14 peaks in six months and six days. Kristin wanted to break his record and started 14 peaks mission in 2022. She climbed 12 peaks in Nepal and Pakistan in mere 149 days with two climbing companions Dawa Ongju Sherpa and Pasdawa Sherpa of 8K Expedition. However, she could not get a visa to China that year as the country was still not open then.
This year, Kristin chose Seven Summit Treks, Nepal’s biggest expedition company run by two 14 peaks record holders Mingma Sherpa and Chhang Dawa Sherpa. The company provided her with Tenjen as her guide, one of the strongest climbers of the company.
Thirty six year old Tenjen from Sankhuwasabha district has already climbed many eight-thousanders in Nepal including Everest multiple times. “He always worked at the frontline and has never failed whenever he led any expedition. This is the reason why he was picked as Kristin’s climbing companion,” said Thaneswar Guragai, Manager at the Seven Summit Treks.
Kristin and Tenjen summited all seven peaks in Nepal in mere 29 days, less than the time one usually takes to acclimatize to prepare for attempting Everest. It was possible due to a strong army of Sherpa climbers, who would lay the ropes and manage all logistics beforehand for the duo.
Seven Summit Treks already has experience of managing speedy 14 peak climbs. The SST looked after the logistics of Nirmal Purja Nimsdai’s historic climb in 2019. “That experience had taught us where we can save time, how we can mobilize Sherpa and manage logistics for the most efficient outcome. For instance, we organized Manaslu expedition in Spring instead of autumn, which saved a lot of time,” said Guragain.
The expedition was planned to be completed in three months. “We just fell short by two days due to weather,” he said.
