KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A farmer-turned-mountain information who lately turned the primary particular person to climb all the world’s 14 highest peaks two occasions is deciding whether or not he ought to retire.
“I feel I need to stop climbing excessive mountains and journey to international nations as a vacationer for some time,” Sanu Sherpa mentioned Friday in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu.
Sherpa, 47, lately returned to Nepal after finishing his second spherical of all 14 peaks over the peak of 8,000 meters (26,240 ft). He has scaled Mount Everest seven occasions.
He started mountaineering later than most individuals in his neighborhood. His first profitable climb was in 2006, when he scaled Mount Cho Oyu at age 31. It was solely a yr after he started working in mountaineering, carrying provides and climbing gear on his again to the mountains and serving to out within the base camp kitchen.
Till then, he had labored in his distant mountain village rising potatoes, corn and wheat and serving to his mother and father graze yaks.
He mentioned he watched as some males from his village labored a number of months in mountaineering and got here again with good garments and cash, whereas he struggled on the farm and didn’t make sufficient to assist his household.
He determined to go away his plow and farm instruments behind and head to the closest mountain to work as a porter.
He was the primary of his 9 siblings to take up mountaineering as a profession, however was quickly joined by his two different brothers. His solely son, who’s now in faculty, has gone to the decrease reaches of mountains together with his father however doesn’t need to comply with his footsteps.
Sherpa has climbed peaks over 8,000 meters a complete of 37 occasions and has been concerned in high-altitude rescues in addition to the restoration of useless climbers.
“When rescuing, I get the thought that sometime I may be in the identical scenario, and I get scared. However I continued to climb as a result of it is just as a Sherpa information that I can get employment,” he advised The Related Press. “We would not have different abilities or schooling to get another work.”
He has turn into one of the crucial sought-after mountain guides since setting the brand new mountaineering document, however mentioned he is considering quitting as a result of his household doesn’t need him to proceed taking the danger.
“I’m receiving a lot of gives now from international purchasers who say they are going to give me superb cash to information them to the mountain peaks, however I’ve not replied,” he mentioned.
