Nepali climber Sanu Sherpa is set to make mountaineering history as he sets off for Pakistan. He is on his way to climb all 14 of the world’s highest peaks twice, a feat never achieved before.
Sanu has climbed all the 13 peaks twice already except Gasherbrum II (8,035). If he succeeds in climbing Gasherbrum II, he will complete his double ascent victory of 14 peaks above 8,000m. While there are 44 climbers in the 14 peaks club, so far no climber has done double ascent of the 14 peaks.
Sanu is leading Japanese climber Naoko Watanabe to 4 peaks in Pakistan -Nanga Parbat Gasherbrum I, II and Broad Peak for Pioneer Adventures. Watanabe is on a mission to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000meter. She has already climbed 9 of the 14 peaks. Watanabe will be the first Japanese female climber to do all 14 peaks if she succeeds.
“This one is a special expedition for me. I will be completing double ascent of all 14 of the world’s highest peaks,” Sanu told Everest Chronicle before leaving for Pakistan last week. “Weather is unpredictable in Karakoram. I hope I can make it,” he said.
Sanu himself never thought about setting any record when he started career in mountaineering in 2006. Sanu completed the summit of all 14 of the 8,000-meter peaks for the first time in 2019. Two siblings Mingma Sherpa and Chhang Dawa Sherpa had completed the summit of all 14 peaks in 2011 and 2013. Sanu was the third Nepali to summit 14 peaks.
Nirmal Purja aka Nimsdai entered the 14 peaks club right after him with a record time of completing all in 6 months 6 days. Mingma Gyabu Sherpa also completed 14 peak with Nimsdai. By then, Sanu had climbed seven 8,000-meter peaks twice. Sanu has climbed Everest 6 times. “Climbing all 14 peaks twice was not on my mind until other climbers started suggesting me to do it,” he recalled.
So it was only in 2019 that Sanu started planning his mountain climbing with the record in mind. While the covid pandemic put a halt on his mission in 2020, he is back at it from 2021. “I am not sure if I should be climbing more mountains after this. I don’t have any plan for the future just yet, ” said the 48-year-old climber.
More Nepali climbers and guides along with their clients have reached the base of 8,000-meter peaks in Pakistan, expedition operators said.
Pakistan, a home of five 8,000 peaks– 8,000 peaks—K2 (8,611), Nanga Parbat (8,126m), Gasherbrum I (8,080), Broad Peak (8,051) and Gasherbrum II (8,035)– is very important for record eying climbers.
Norwegian climber Kristin Harila, who summited six 8,000-meter peaks in Nepal this spring, wants to climb all Pakistani mountains above 8,000 meters in this season with her two climbing guides–Pasdawa Sherpa, 30, and Dawa Ongju Sherpa, 49. She summited Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kanchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu with the Sherpa duo in 29 days, two days ahead of Nirmal Purja aka Nimsdai’s record of fastest climb of six peaks above 8,000m.
The 36-year-old Harila is on a mission to summit all 14 peaks in six months. She said that she wants to share the record with Pasdawa and Dawa, her guides. “The plan is to do all 8,000 peaks with them. They have a very hard job. It would not have been possible to do it without them. It will be amazing to share the record with them,” she told Everest Chronicle.
“Harilahas sold her apartment in Norway to fund her expedition. She has now reached Nanga Parbat base camp,” said Lakpa Sherpa of 8K, her expedition agency, adding, “Our team is assisting her to make the mission a success.”
Nanga Parbat is the first peak for many 14 peaks aspirants to begin their expedition in Pakistan. British climber Adriana Brownlee is set to attempt Nanga Parbat in the second phase of her 14 peaks mission with renowned guide Gelje Sherpa from Seven Summits. The 21-year-old wants to become the youngest climber to summit all 8,000-meter peaks. She has completed seven of 14 peaks so far.
Gelje, who has climbed 13 of 14 peaks above 8,000-meter, guided Adriana to five 8,000-meter peaks this spring in Nepal. Gelje, who is at Nanga Parbat base camp for the past two weeks, said there are more climbers there this season and that most of them want to climb more than one peak. “Over 80 climbers will attempt this holy mountain, and if weather permits within this month,” said Gelje.
Nepali climbers Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita and Dawa Yangzum Sherpa are also in Karakoram. They are also on a mission to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. They have already summited seven of the 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. They are the first Nepali female climbers to summit K2 in 2014. The duo is also set to start off their Karakoram mission from Nanga Parbat.
Nepali guide Mingma Gyalje Sherpa aka. Mingma G. of Imagine Nepal, member of the first successful winter mission in K2 last year, has arrived in Skardu. “My team started trekking on 17th June and I will start with my second team on 26th June.” Mingma G. said, “I’m here with 16 Nepalese friends and we will have 15 members in the team on K2, Broad Peak and then 8 members plus Sherpa on Nanga Parbat. “ he said.
Taiwanese climber Tseng Ko-Erh (Grace Tseng), who is already halfway through her mission of 14 peaks, will also attempt all five peaks in Pakistan this summer. She is accompanied by the seasoned climber Nima Gyalzen Sherpa, who will complete all 14 peaks this season if he succeeds. He has already climbed nine peaks above 8,000 meter, except the peaks of Pakistan. The duo had attempted K2 in winter last year, but was forced to retreat due to weather.
Besides that, two Pakistani climbing stars – Shehroze Kashif and Sirbaz Khan—along with their guides are also attempting summits. 20-year-old Shehroze is the youngest climber to summit five highest peaks of the world—Everest, K2, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse and Makalu. He is set to start off with Nanga Parbat and then Gasherbrum I and II.
Sirbaz has climbed 11 of the 14 peaks. He wants to become the first Pakistani to climb all 14 peaks. Gasherbrum I is the only peak in Pakistan he has left to summit. Then only Cho Oyu and Shishapangma will be amiss from his record. Both of these mountains are climbed from the Tibetan side. Nepali team of climbers are set to open a commercial route for Cho Oyu this October from Nepal side, making it much easier for climbers to scale this peak from this year onward.
A total of 672 permits have been issued for the 5 mountains in Pakistan for this spring.
