Kristin Harila climbs Nuptse as part of "Triple Crown" quest
Norwegian climber scales Mount Nuptse as she pursues a record “Triple Crown” ascent of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse during the 2026 Himalayan spring season.
Norwegian mountaineer Kristin Harila, summited Mount Nuptse (7,861 meters) on Sunday, marking the first commercial ascent of the peak during the 2026 spring climbing season, officials said.
The ascent of Nuptse, a sister peak of Mount Everest, was confirmed by Khimlal Gautam, chief of the Department of Tourism’s Everest Base Camp field office. Nuptse lies along the same climbing corridor as Everest expeditions, sharing the South Base Camp in Nepal and the approach route through the Khumbu Icefall.
Harila is attempting to set another record this season by completing the so-called “Triple Crown” — summiting Mount Everest, Lhotse and Mount Nuptse in a single climbing campaign.
Harila, from Vadsø in northern Norway, left a management career to become a full-time high-altitude climber and has focused on Himalayan expeditions since 2019. Known for her rapid ascents across multiple 8,000-meter peaks, she has taken part in several record-setting expeditions in recent years.
In July 2023, Harila and Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa climbed all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters in a record 92 days. She also set speed records in May 2023 by summiting Everest and Lhotse in less than eight hours, according to her expedition profile.
A total of 56 fee-paying climbers have obtained permits to climb Nuptse during the ongoing spring season, according to the department.
