British climber Kenton Cool makes 19th ascent of Mount Everest

Kathmandu ( AFP) – British climber Kenton Cool has successfully climbed Mount Everest for the 19th time, extending his own record on Sunday for the most summits of the world’s highest mountain by a non-Sherpa.

More than 50 climbers have reached the summit since the spring climbing season began this month, taking advantage of a brief run of good weather and typically calmer winds.

Mountain guide Cool, 51, first climbed Everest in 2004 and has since taken paying customers up the world’s highest peak almost every year.

“Kenton summited Everest for the 19th time at 11am Nepalese* time (0515 GMT*) on Sunday,” a post on his Instagram account said.

His 15th summit in 2021 tied him with American Dave Hahn for the most summits by a non-Nepali climber, and his summit the following year gave him a solo title.

Cool was once told he would not walk unaided again after a rock-climbing accident in 1996 that broke both his heel bones.

He told AFP in a 2022 interview after his 16th ascent that his Everest record was “not that amazing” in the context of Nepali climbers’ achievements.

“I’m really surprised by the interest … considering that so many of the Sherpas have so many more ascents*,” he said then.

Nepali climber and Sherpa Kami Rita, 55, is also attempting to break his own world record for the most Everest summits with his 31st climb.

Cool’s latest summit comes after at least two people – a Filipino and an Indian climber – died on Mount Everest last week.

Nepal has issued 458 climbing permits* to mountaineers this season and a city of tents hosting foreign climbers and support staff has built up at the foot of Everest.

A climbing boom has made mountaineering a profitable* business since Sir Edmund Hillary* and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay* made the first ascent in 1953.

Last year more than 800 climbers made it to the peak of Everest, including 74 from the northern Tibet*.

Most Everest hopefuls are escorted* by a Nepali guide, meaning more than 900 climbers will tread the path to the summit this season.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of adventurers each spring.

20 May 2025

Photo : British mountaineer Kenton Cool has broken his own record and climbed Everest for the 19th time. Picture: Nisha Bhandari/AFP