In this file photo taken on May 31, 2021, the Himalayan Range is observed from the summit of Mount Everest, 8,849 metres in Nepal. A renowned US mountain guide has achieved the rare Mount Everest region triple crown of climbing the Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse peaks in one season, a hiking firm said on Friday, as the season's death toll on the world's highest mountain hit 12 points.
Garrett Madison, 44, climbed Lhotse, the world's fourth tallest peak, at 8,516 meters on Thursday, a day after he made his 13th ascent of Everest at 8,849 meters.
On May 8, Madison, who owns the company Madison Mountaineering based in Seattle, climbed the smaller but technical challenge Nuptse peak, at 7,855 meters.
It is very difficult to climb all three peaks in a single season and only a few other mountaineers have done it, Mr. Paudel said.
The department of tourism official, Khim Lal Gautam, said 63-year-old Petrus Albertyn Swart, 63, who fell sick in the death zone while going to the Everest summit, died on Thursday, bringing the total death toll to 12 for the season. There are at least three other climbers missing or out of contact.
Hiking company official Paudel said that Madison was accompanied by three sherpa climbers on all three peaks.
We are extremely proud of the team and this tremendous accomplishment, Mr. Madison said on his company website.
The mountain climber, an American and a Swiss, was killed by exhaustion.
Kenton Cool, a British climber who climbed the triple crown in 2013, said Garrett was an unflappable expedition leader who quietly goes about his job.
When I climbed what became known as the Triple Crown in one season, I said it wouldn t be done again for 10 years.
I'm happy now that it's Garrett who has managed to achieve the same feat bravo 10 years later. A mountain climber, Cool, 49, has set a new record of 17 summits of Everest, the world's highest peak.
A Nepali, Kami Rita Sherpa, climbed Everest this week for the 28th time, the most by any mountaineer.