Kathmandu, Dec 8: Meet the Sherpa man who has etched his name in the Guinness World Record by climbing Mount Makalu (8,485m) thrice in 16 days. He now holds the distinction of becoming the only climber to make the most ascent of the peak in a single season.
Lakpa Sherpa, also popularly known as Makalu Lakpa, is a senior climbing guide at Seven Summit Treks, a leading trekking and expedition company in Kathmandu. With 11 years of experience in climbing, Lakpa’s zeal for conquering high peaks has brought him on this remarkable journey.
Starting as a junior expedition staff, Lakpa’s ascent of Mt Manaslu (8,163m) back in 2012 marked the beginning of his climbing career. He has already climbed over 12-8000ers peaks while maintaining 100 percent safety record.
It was in 2022 Lakpa set a world record by summiting Mt Makalu three times in 16 days. He stood atop the mountain on May 28 making a third consecutive attempt of the peak in 16 days.
Lakpa’s first ascent of Makalu was on May 12, second on May 20 and third on May 28.
Lakpa was also a member of the rope-fixing team on Makalu. So far, he has ascended Makalu six times.
His dedication and appreciation of the magnificence of the Himalayas, ensuring the safety of fellow clients and the responsibility for the entire crew serve as his motivating factors.
“Seven Summit Treks is proud to have such a dedicated and experienced mountain guide as Lakpa,” said the SST chairperson Mingma Sherpa.
Meanwhile, SST is set to organise Mt Makalu expedition in spring 2024 (April-May). The leading trekking and expedition is committed to ensuring a safe and successful climb through experienced Sherpa guides and the management of climbing equipment, said Mingma.
Aspiring climbers seeking to set about on a climbing adventure with an experienced guide like Lakpa can reach out to SST at info@sevensummittreks.com
Makalu
Soaring to an elevation of 8,481 metres (27,838 feet) above sea level, Mt Makalu is the world’s fifth highest peak located southeast of Mount Everest of Nepal on the Nepal-China border. Standing out as an isolated peak in the shape of a four-sided pyramid, the mountain was first climbed on May 15, 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy, who were a part of a French expedition led by Jean Franco.
Boasting two subsidiary peaks, Makalu II (7,678 metres) and Chomo Lonzo (7,804 metres), the mountain is considered highly challenging to climb due to its technical difficulty, unpredictable weather conditions and demanding terrains including steep sections, rock and ice faces and avalanches. However, the allure of jaw-dropping landscapes and surrounding mountainous view continue to attract climbers.
The popular route is via the southeast ridge while the best climbing time is the pre-monsoon (spring) and post-monsoon (autumn) as the periods offer the considerably stable weather conditions. Climbers are required to get a permit to scale the mountain.
