By Sangam Prasain
Kathmandu, Oct 24 (EFE).- At just 18, Nima Rinji has scaled all 14 of the world’s highest peaks, redefining the role of Sherpas from guides to elite adventurers and making history as the youngest climber to conquer the planet’s deadliest mountains.
After his historic success, Rinji shared a message: he didn’t want to be recognized solely as a Sherpa known for enduring hardships but as an inspiration to young people worldwide.
Rinji began climbing at 16 and debuted on Sep 30, 2022, by scaling the world’s eighth tallest peak, Mt Manaslu (8,163 meters), shortly after completing his class 10 exams.
His journey is not only about his exceptional physical feats but also a testament to his unyielding determination and belief in himself.
Born in the remote village of Sankhuwasabha in eastern Nepal and raised in Kathmandu, Rinji is one of the most educated Sherpas in his community in which education was once a distant dream for many.
While many Sherpas began their careers as porters due to financial hardships and lack of education, later becoming climbing guides, Rinji did not face the same challenges. Yet, he remained driven to change how the world views the Sherpa community.
“My historic accomplishment is part of my larger vision for the ‘SherpaPower’ initiative, which aims to reshape the global perception of Sherpas,” he told Efe.
“Sherpas are not just mountain guides but elite athletes and adventurers capable of creating unique paths on the world stage. My success is a tribute to every Sherpa who has ever dared to dream beyond the traditional boundaries set for them.”
Rinji is determined to demonstrate that the younger generation of Sherpas can rise above the stereotype of being mere support climbers and realize their full potential.
“We are not just guides, we are trailblazers. Let this be a call to every Sherpa to see the dignity in our work, the power in our heritage, and the limitless.”
A new generation of sherpas
“He (Rinji) spent countless hours honing his technique, often practising for years. This level of commitment wasn’t just about becoming a mountaineer, it was a reflection of his desire to rise above and make a name for himself in the world of mountaineering,” veteran climber Kami Rita Sherpa, who has climbed Everest for the 30th time, and a countless number of mountains, told Efe.
“He has several projects in his mind, and he can achieve them,” said Rita, a senior guide at Rinji’s father’s expedition agency, 14 Peaks Expedition.
As a child, he dreamed of becoming a footballer. “I had a goal to become a football captain and play for my nation. When I grew up, I saw a level of scope in mountaineering.”
So, he decided to follow his family’s footpath.
His father, Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, holds the record for being the youngest climber to summit Everest without bottled oxygen, achieving the feat at 19. Rinji has since surpassed his uncle, Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, for the world record. Mingma Gyabu held the title for being the youngest to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters until 2019, when he did so at 30.
His eldest uncle, Mingma Sherpa, became the first South Asian to summit all 14 of the world’s highest mountains on May 20, 2011.
“All my family members are mountaineers. But it is not easy to climb mountains as it looks,” said Rinji. “It took me two and a half years to prepare.”
What’s next?
Rinji’s next challenge is even more daring. He and two mountaineers plan to climb Mt Manaslu in alpine style this winter, the most treacherous and unforgiving season in the Himalayas.
No one has ever summited an eight-thousander in alpine style—without fixed ropes, supplemental oxygen, guides, or camps.
The team will be led by Italian mountaineer Simon Moore, known for the winter ascents of four eight-thousanders: Shisha Pangma, Makalu, Gasherbrum II, and Nanga Parbat. However, Moore has yet to complete an 8,000-meter peak in winter alpine style.
The other team member is Polish climber Oswald Rodrigo Pereira.
“Yes, it’s challenging. But I’m determined,” said Rinji. “Our mission begins on December 21. We have started preparation for this daring mission.”
If successful, Rinji’s winter ascent would represent a new extreme in endurance and mountaineering, according to Kami Rita. EFE
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