Apa Sherpa summits Everest a record 20th time
Apa Sherpa near the Everest summit. Photo courtesy apasherpa.com
Apa Sherpa, the world record holder for most Mount Everest summits, broke his own record over the weekend when he stood atop the world’s highest peak for the 20th time.
On Saturday, May 20th at 8:40 a.m. the Draper, Utah resident reached his goal of mounting the peak once again to help organizations raise awareness and increase efforts to bring education to the children of the Khumbu Region located near the famous mountain.
In a statement posted on his website just before the summit push, Apa wrote, “I am thankful to have been able to climb Mount Everest for the 20th time. I climbed this year to raise awareness about the Apa Sherpa foundation, which is dedicated to increasing educational opportunities for people in the Himalayan Region. I also climbed to bring attention to the damage done to the Himalayas because of global climate change.”
Apa, originally from Thame, Nepal, now lives in Draper with his wife and children. He moved to Utah in 2006 to live with his business partner, Jerry Mika, after they founded the company Sherpa Adventure Gear, and so his kids could get a better education.
The Apa Sherpa Foundation was recently organized as a nonprofit organization to help Apa extend the educational opportunities that his children have to his fellow Sherpa in the Khumbu. For more information, go to www.apasherpafoundation.org.
For more information and to read Apa’s detailed blog from Everest Base Camp, check out www.apasherpa.com
