Sherpa Climbs Mt. Everest for a Record 18th Time

In mid May, a 47-year-old Nepali mountain guide reached the summit of Mount Everest for the eighteenth time, breaking his own record that he set last year.

Apa Sherpa grew up in the foothills of Mount Everest and began working as a porter, carrying heavy loads up the mountain. Now, he is a well-paid guide and trek organizer. His first reach to the top was in 1989 and he has climbed the peak almost every year since then.

Since 1953, when Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of India first climbed Mount Everest, nearly 2,500 people have reached the top.

Interestingly, environmentalists say that far too much climbing is allowed there since the peak is littered with oxygen cylinders, abandoned camping gear and human waste.