By Anietie anii-bassey
Veteran British climber Kenton Cool has once again cemented his place in mountaineering history after successfully reaching the summit of Mount Everest for the 20th time, extending his own record for the highest number of ascents by a non-Sherpa guide.
The 52-year-old mountaineer from southwest England returned to Kathmandu on Sunday after completing another successful expedition on the world’s tallest mountain, standing 8,849 meters above sea level.
Despite previously suggesting that his climbing career on Everest might soon come to an end, Cool indicated he is not yet ready to retire from the Himalayan giant.
“Maybe another two or three more times,” Cool said after flying out from the mountain region following his latest ascent.
The achievement further strengthens his reputation as one of the most accomplished high-altitude guides in modern mountaineering. Cool has spent years leading climbers through the dangerous slopes, icefalls and extreme weather conditions of Everest, becoming one of the most recognizable foreign guides associated with the peak.
Last year, he hinted that he may scale Everest only once more before turning his attention to smaller mountains and other expeditions. However, his latest comments suggest the legendary climber still feels physically and mentally capable of continuing at the highest level of Himalayan mountaineering.
Cool was among hundreds of climbers and Sherpa guides who successfully reached the summit during a narrow weather window this week after dangerous ice conditions delayed earlier attempts.
Climbers had been forced to wait because of concerns over a massive unstable serac — a towering block of ice — hanging dangerously above part of the climbing route. The threat created anxiety among expedition teams and compressed summit attempts into a short period of favorable weather.
The result was one of the busiest summit pushes in Everest history.
Nepalese mountaineering authorities confirmed that 274 climbers reached the summit on Wednesday alone, setting a new single-day record for ascents from the mountain’s southern route in Nepal.
Images and reports from the mountain showed long lines of climbers ascending narrow sections near the summit ridge as teams rushed to take advantage of the brief opportunity before weather conditions deteriorated again.
Despite concerns over overcrowding, Cool said his own summit experience went smoothly.
“We had no issues. We had no crowds, we had a great summit,” he said, adding that he reached the top on Friday rather than during the busiest day earlier in the week.
Mount Everest can be climbed from two main routes — the southern route through Nepal and the northern route through Tibet in China. However, Chinese authorities closed access to the Tibetan side this year, placing additional pressure on Nepal’s southern route and contributing to the unusually high number of climbers on the same path.
Nepal issued permits to 494 foreign climbers for the current season, with each climber typically accompanied by at least one Sherpa guide or support staff member. The climbing season has therefore brought nearly a thousand people onto Everest’s slopes in recent weeks.
The growing number of climbers has once again reignited debate over whether stricter controls are needed on Everest expeditions.
Record-breaking Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa, widely regarded as the person with the most Everest ascents in history, recently urged authorities to reduce the number of permits issued each season, warning that overcrowding is becoming increasingly dangerous.
Cool, however, argued that limiting climber numbers alone may not solve the issue.
Instead, he believes expedition companies and authorities should place greater emphasis on ensuring climbers have the necessary skills and experience before attempting Everest.
“It is the various companies being a little more diligent on who they take,” Cool said. “They are making sure there is the experience of the climbers and then just being a little more careful with when they want to climb.”
Safety on Everest has become a growing concern in recent years as commercial expeditions attract larger numbers of inexperienced climbers willing to pay substantial fees for guided attempts on the mountain.
Currently, foreign climbers seeking to scale Everest from Nepal are mainly required to obtain a permit costing around $15,000, though Nepalese authorities have discussed introducing stricter regulations requiring proof of prior mountaineering experience.
Officials say the proposed changes are aimed at reducing accidents, easing congestion and improving overall safety standards on the mountain.
Everest remains one of the world’s most dangerous climbing challenges despite advances in guiding services, weather forecasting and climbing technology. Harsh winds, avalanches, altitude sickness and sudden weather changes continue to claim lives almost every season.
Yet the mountain’s appeal remains as powerful as ever for climbers from around the world seeking to stand atop the planet’s highest point.
For Kenton Cool, the attraction clearly has not faded.
After two decades of guiding climbers through Everest’s deadly terrain and repeatedly returning to its summit, the veteran British mountaineer appears determined to continue adding to a record that already places him among the most accomplished foreign climbers in Everest history.
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