On Thursday, a Norwegian lady and her Nepali guide reportedly became the quickest people to reach the top of all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter (26,000-foot) peaks.
After three months and one day, Kristin Harila and Tenjin Sherpa, also known as Lama, reached the summit of Pakistan’s K2.
According to the team statement, the accomplishment is a result of “their unwavering determination, teamwork, and sheer tenacity throughout this monumental endeavor.”
Together, “Harila and Lama’s collaboration has showcased the essence of mountaineering unity, transcending borders and cultures to achieve greatness together.”
Together, they broke the 2019 record of six months and six days established by Nirmal Purja, a British explorer of Nepali descent.
In an effort to break the record for the quickest climb of all 14 summits without oxygen, Purja is making his way up them all right now.
Due to visa delays from China, Harila had to climb Shishapangma (which is located entirely inside Tibet) and Cho Oyu (which is typically ascended from the Chinese side) twice in her quest to break the record.
More than 40 individuals, including very few women, have reached the summits of the world’s 14 highest mountains.
In order to finance her journey, 37-year-old Harila had to sell her condominium last year, despite her demonstrated climbing skill.
In a May interview with AFP, she said, “I think to do this project if I was a man would be much easier.”
It’s not only the sponsorships; being a woman in the world is different.
Harila is from Vadso, which is located in the very north of Norway on the Barents Sea and has a maximum elevation of just 633 meters (about 2,000 feet).
As a kid, she was more into football, handball, and cross-country skiing than climbing.
She didn’t find her true calling until 2015, when she won a trip to Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro from her work, a chain of furniture stores.
Kristin’s guide Lama, who began his career at the age of 16, accompanied her on her historic trek.
The team’s statement credited Lama’s “invaluable expertise and profound connection with the mountains” for their safe passage across dangerous landscapes and in the face of severe weather.
There are a total of 14 “super peaks” in the globe, and the pinnacle of any mountaineer’s career is to summit all of them. Five of these peaks are located in Pakistan.