18-Year-Old Conquers 13 of the World’s Highest Peaks

Nepal – Nima Rinji Sherpa, an 18-year-old mountaineer, has scaled 13 of the world’s highest peaks and is just one challenge away from completing all 14 mountains over 8,000 meters.

In August 2022, Nima climbed the first of the 14 mountains over 8,000 meters, reaching the summit of Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest peak at 8,163 meters, at the age of 16. This made him the youngest person to achieve this feat.

Nima reached the summit of Everest in May 2023. In June, he ascended Kanchenjunga, setting a record as the youngest person to summit the world’s third-highest mountain.

His final challenge will be Shishapangma, standing at 8,027 meters in Tibet, which he plans to conquer next month. Completing all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters is considered the pinnacle of mountaineering. Italian climber Reinhold Messner was the first to achieve this in 1986, and only 40 others have followed in his footsteps, with many losing their lives along the way. All these peaks are located in the Himalayas and the neighboring Karakoram range, spanning Nepal, China, India, and Pakistan.

To reach these summits, climbers must enter the “death zone,” where the air is too thin to sustain human life for long periods. “When on the mountain, I know I could die at any moment,” Nima said. “It’s important to recognize how precious life is.”

Nima shared that the mountains have taught him how to remain calm. “Mentally, I convince myself every time I see an avalanche, bad weather, or an accident, I don’t rush or lose hope,” Nima reflected. “I tell myself that these are normal occurrences in the mountains, and this mindset has really helped.”

Born into the Sherpa ethnic group, renowned for their mountaineering skills, Nima has been familiar with the mountains from a young age. His uncle, Mingma Gyabu ‘David’ Sherpa, holds the record as the youngest person to conquer all 14 peaks, achieving this title in 2019 at the age of 30.

Nima’s father, Tashi Sherpa, grew up in the remote Sankhuwasabha district, herding cattle before taking up mountaineering with his siblings. The two brothers now own Nepal’s largest mountaineering expedition company, Seven Summit Treks, and a subsidiary, 14 Peaks Expedition.

“I come from a well-off family,” Nima said. “But mountaineering has taught me about hardship and the true value of life.”

Growing up in Kathmandu, Nima initially preferred filmmaking and photography over following in his father’s footsteps. “My entire family is involved in mountaineering. I’ve been connected to the mountains and exploration since childhood,” Nima recalled. “But back then, I never wanted to pursue mountaineering seriously.”

Instead, he used to bring his camera to the mountains during school breaks. However, two years ago, Nima put aside his camera to pursue professional mountaineering and has since broken several records.

“I’ve learned so much about nature, the human body, and psychology,” Nima said. “I’ve learned everything there is to know about the world from the mountains.” When not climbing, Nima runs on a treadmill daily and avoids junk food.

“Physically and mentally, you are well-suited to tackle difficult mountains,” his father, Tashi Sherpa, told him, emphasizing the years of training that prepared Nima for these challenges.

“My son will inspire the next generation of climbers,” he added.

Nepalese mountain guides, often Sherpas from the valleys around Everest, are considered the backbone of mountaineering in the Himalayas. They carry equipment, food, fix ropes, and repair ladders for foreign clients who are willing to pay more than $45,000 to climb Everest.

Sherpas have long lived in the shadow of the clients who hire them, but in recent years, they have begun to receive the recognition they deserve.

“My goal is to turn mountaineering into a professional sport,” Nima stated.

His idol is Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, who, along with New Zealander Edmund Hillary, was the first to summit Everest, the world’s highest peak. Nima believes Norgay is a legend in mountaineering, akin to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in football. “Norgay is at that level,” Nima said.

Having witnessed the impacts of climate change and commercial mountaineering on the mountains, Nima aims to adopt a more sustainable approach to the sport and plans to study environmental science.

“That’s the bigger goal,” he expressed. “When I first started climbing, I did it just for myself. But later, I realized there are many ways we can help the community.”