Record holder Veteran Sherpa guide Kami Rita poses for a photo in front of the statues of New Zealander Edmund Hillary, left, and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay on the 70 anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest in Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
By Binaj Gurubacharya
Nepal's government honored record-holding climbers Monday during celebrations of the first ascent of Mount Everest 70 years ago.
The celebrations come amid a growing concern about temperatures rising, glaciers and snow melting, and weather being harsh and unpredictable on the world’s tallest mountain.
Hundreds of people from the mountaineering community, Sherpa guides and officials attended a rally in Kathmandu to mark the anniversary. Participants waved celebratory banners and walked in the center of Kathmandu to tunes played by military bands.
Among those honored were Sherpa guides Kami Rita, who climbed Everest twice this season for a record 28 times overall, and Sanu Sherpa, who has climbed all of the world's 14 highest peaks twice.
Hari Budha Magar, who became the first double above-the-knee amputee to climb Everest, was also honored by the country's Tourism Minister Sushila Sirpali Thakuri.
“May 29 is a day when we all always remember and be proud of when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing (Norgay) Sherpa reached the top of Everest and it is the day the Sherpas became known," Sanu Sherpa said.
Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay reached the summit on May 29, 1953. Nepal began celebrating the anniversary as Everest Day after Hillary's death in 2008.
Since their ascent, thousands of people have scaled the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak and hundreds have also lost their lives on the unpredictable slopes.
During the 2023 climbing season, hundreds of climbers and their guides scaled the peak, and 17 either died or went missing.
The popular Himalayan climbing season begins in March and ends in May after which monsoon winds and melting temperatures make the mountains too hazardous for climbing.
Deteriorating conditions on Everest are raising concerns for mountaineers and others whose livelihoods depend on the flow of visitors coming to climb the mountain each year. Warmer conditions mean climbers who made their way across snow and ice are now crossing bare rock.
Recent research found that Mount Everest’s glaciers have lost 2,000 years of ice in just the past 30 years.
Cheddar Innovates gets a look at the satellite that's searching for the earliest light from the big bang, plus a former Nike executive breaks down what the new era of sportswear looks like.
Stefan Olander, co-founder of sportswear company Omorpho, joins Cheddar Innovates to talk about his 'gravity sportswear' concept and why our workout clothes need an overhaul.
MARLOWE., the men's skincare and grooming brand, has announced 23-year-old professional boxer Ryan Garcia as "Chief Marlowe Officer" and co-owner of the brand. In this role, Ryan will help boost brand awareness, oversee product design, and strategize digital marketing content for his signature products. Ryan joined Cheddar to discuss the partnership and his boxing career.
A packed Thursday pod: Carlo and Baker cover the latest developments in the Ghislaine Maxwell, Jussie Smollett and Elizabeth Holmes trials. Plus, Dems are losing the Hispanic vote, Boris Johnson in trouble again, and is it possible that Adele has peaked?
Laine Higgins, college sports reporter for the Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell where she discusses the college football coaching carousel and says Lincoln Riley, Brian Kelly, and Mario Cristobal leaving for new schools this quickly is not normal.
The leading gaming organization and lifestyle brand 100 Thieves just raised $60 million in new funding closing its Series C. This new round of funding has raised the valuation of the organization to about $460 million. John Robinson, president and COO of 100 Thieves, joins Cheddar News to talk about what's next for the company.
Heather Smith, Founder and Chief Strategist at theHAUTEbar, discusses how the ski and resort industry is bouncing back after the pandemic; Mark Ellwood, Host of "Travel Genius" Podcast, breaks down the best travel destinations for winter sports before the 2022 Winter Olympics kick off; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Jeremy Jones' Higher.'
