British mountaineer Kenton Cool on Sunday reached the summit of Mount Everest for a record-breaking 19th time, setting a new milestone for non-Sherpa climbers. Cool, a British mountain guide from southwest England, extended his own record for the most climbs by a non-Sherpa, the AP reports. Cool, 51, made the ascent alongside several other climbers and was reported by his expedition organizer, Iswari Paudel of Himalayan Guides Nepal, to be well and descending safely.
Cool first summited Everest in 2004 and has climbed the peak nearly every year since. During three climbing seasons, he was prevented from doing so—the 2014 and 2015 seasons were canceled due to deadly avalanches, and the 2020 season was halted by the coronavirus pandemic. Cool's achievement puts him behind only Nepali Sherpa guides in the number of Everest ascents. The record for the most Everest climbs is currently held by Sherpa guide Kami Rita with 30, and Rita is expected to attempt the summit again in the coming days.
The spring climbing season draws hundreds of climbers and guides to Everest, taking advantage of a narrow window before monsoon weather makes summiting more hazardous. Many have already reached the peak this year, with additional attempts expected until the end of the month, when deteriorating conditions will signal the close of the season. But two climbers died on the mountain over the past week, the BBC reports. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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