Sherpa plans to climb Everest in 15 hours
Discussion
An experienced Sherpa guide has left for Mount Everest in an attempt to become the fastest person to climb the world's highest mountain.
Lakpa Gyelu, 35, is aiming to race from the 5,200-metre base camp to the 8,850-metre summit in less than 15 hours.
Most climbers take about four days to cover the distance over the mountain's steep and icy slopes.
If successful, Gyelu would break the existing record of 16 hours and 57 minutes set by another Sherpa guide, Babu Chhiri, in May 2000. Chhiri died a year later in an accident on the mountain.
"I know Everest like it is my own backyard," Gyelu said before leaving Katmandu for the mountain Friday.
Gyelu grew up in the foothills of the mountain, and began carrying equipment and supplies for trekkers and mountaineers at an early age.
He has already scaled Everest nine times, and this year wants to climb it twice.
"First I will climb with my Western clients at a normal pace and then the second time I will attempt my record climb," he said.
Only one other person has scaled Everest 11 times. Appa, a veteran Sherpa guide, has made 12 trips to the summit and is attempting his 13th this May.
Gyelu plans his record bid around the middle of May, when there is a break in weather conditions and climbers generally have a several-day window to make their summit attempts.
He first climbed Everest in 1993 with a British expedition and has repeated his feat almost every year since then.
in 15 hours...good luck to the chap is all I can say
Lakpa Gyelu, 35, is aiming to race from the 5,200-metre base camp to the 8,850-metre summit in less than 15 hours.
Most climbers take about four days to cover the distance over the mountain's steep and icy slopes.
If successful, Gyelu would break the existing record of 16 hours and 57 minutes set by another Sherpa guide, Babu Chhiri, in May 2000. Chhiri died a year later in an accident on the mountain.
"I know Everest like it is my own backyard," Gyelu said before leaving Katmandu for the mountain Friday.
Gyelu grew up in the foothills of the mountain, and began carrying equipment and supplies for trekkers and mountaineers at an early age.
He has already scaled Everest nine times, and this year wants to climb it twice.
"First I will climb with my Western clients at a normal pace and then the second time I will attempt my record climb," he said.
Only one other person has scaled Everest 11 times. Appa, a veteran Sherpa guide, has made 12 trips to the summit and is attempting his 13th this May.
Gyelu plans his record bid around the middle of May, when there is a break in weather conditions and climbers generally have a several-day window to make their summit attempts.
He first climbed Everest in 1993 with a British expedition and has repeated his feat almost every year since then.
in 15 hours...good luck to the chap is all I can say 
hmmmm - next year's holiday? 
He has already scaled Everest nine times, and this year wants to climb it twice.
Don't tell me - he left his goggles at the top and has to keep going back to look for them.
Maybe he should tie some elastic to the summit and the other end to his belt. He could climb it twice a day, then
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