A team of at least 11 climbers along with Mingma G successfully reached the summit of Shisha Pangma at 4 p.m. local time in China, after an exhausting 14-hour push from their camp at 7,000 meters. The group battled through thin air and freezing temperatures to achieve this milestone.
Imagine Nepal has confirmed that their leader, Mingma G, summited without using supplementary oxygen, a remarkable feat at such high altitudes where oxygen levels are critically low. With this climb, Mingma G has become the first Nepali to complete all 14 of the world’s highest 8,000-meter peaks without the aid of bottled oxygen, cementing his place in mountaineering history.
Other Climbers Who Reached the Summit
Tracee Lee Metcalfe from the U.S., Naoki Ishikawa from Japan, and Sirbaz Khan from Pakistan also made it to the top. Each of them achieved a national milestone by completing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. Sasko Kedev from Macedonia, on his 12th 8,000m climb, also reached the summit. They were supported by an experienced Sherpa team: Dawa Gyalje Sherpa (finishing his last of the 14 peaks), Kili Pemba Sherpa, Phur Galjen Sherpa, Ngima Nuru Sherpa, Jangbu Sherpa, and Sensai Pema Waiba, who worked as the team’s photographer and videographer.
Imagine Nepal did not mention climbers from other teams, but earlier reports from Base Camp confirmed that Nirmal Purja had also joined the summit attempt. Purja, a UK citizen born in Nepal, said he would climb without supplemental oxygen to complete his own list of all 14 8,000-meter peaks without O2. Both Mingma G and Purja chose to ignore the China Tibet Mountaineering Association’s ban on no-oxygen climbs above 7,000 meters.
Spanish Route
The Imagine Nepal team reported that they followed “the Spanish route used by Edurne Pasaban.” Pasaban’s team took a variation developed by Inaki Ochoa de Olza, which involved crossing the upper slopes of the mountain to reach the summit ridge near the highest point.
Right now, the climbers are making their way down in tricky snow conditions. We’ll provide updates once they reach safer ground.
Source: ExplorersWeb
