Nepal's 'Everest man' logs most ascents of world's tallest mountain

By Anadolu staff

A Nepali guide and a British climber on Sunday broke their own records by summiting Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain for the 29th and 18th time respectively, officials said.

Kami Rita Sherpa ascended the 8,849-metre (29,032 foot) peak using the Southeast Ridge route, which was pioneered by the first summiteers, New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, Rakesh Gurung, director of Nepal's Department of Tourism told reporters.

Simultaneously, British climber Kenton Cool, 50, also ascended the highest mountain to improve his previous record of 17 climbs.

The two were on separate expeditions guiding their clients.

Also known as the "Everest man," Rita first summited the mountain in 1994, and climbed it twice last year.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, and mountain climbing is a major tourism activity and a source of income as well as employment for the tiny Himalayan nation.