Female mountaineer attempts her 10th summit of Everest

Breaking its own record for highest ascends of Mount Everest, Nepali female climber Lhakpa Sherpa again is attempting her 10th summit this spring.

Breaking her own record for highest ascents of Mount Everest, Nepali female mountaineer Lhakpa Sherpa is again attempting her 10th summit this spring.

The 48-year-old Nepali citizen, who has a residence permit in the United States, is heading for her another record-setting summit attempt this weekend, she announced as she was bid farewell in Kathmandu.

"I am ready to start for my summit. All the packing is complete now and I will be following the old school climbing technique, adopted by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary. I would first go to Salleri from here and walk upwards following the old style. The new style would be followed by the young generation. I have been taught in old school format. The new generation isn't aware about it. But they tend to follow whatsoever technique I follow. That's why I would follow the traditional climbing technique," the alpinist who stood atop the Everest in the year of 2000 told reporters.

Sherpa plans to start off to the base camp region from the Khumbu region on foot which as per her is the real summit of the world's highest mountain.

Claiming it to be a trial for her planned summit of the Everest following same route set by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary, Sherpa claims she would make the summit attempt in coming years.

Living in suburban Connecticut in the United States, Sherpa, mother of two daughters and a son has climbed Everest eight times from the north side and once from the south side.

"I still feel strong and healthy. I might go for the summit with my children, all 3 children who are very sporty," the record holder female Nepali climber said.

This spring she would try to climb Everest from Nepal side (South) which is regarded as more technical and full of difficulties.

Lhakpa stood atop the Everest for the first time on May 18 of 2000's spring season from South Side and continued to return back to the mountains in certain intervals. As per the expedition record of Nepal Government Lhakpa stood atop Mount Everest in the year, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Claiming to be attracted and fascinated by mountains, the Guinness Book of World Records entry holder as most ascends- Female also made through on the list of BBC's 100 Women of the year in 2016.

"In Nepal we usually consider ourselves to be aged if they cross 50 or 60 years but this is different in other parts of the world. Somewhere the life just starts from that age. Their activities are better in comparison to ours. If we think and give up saying 'I have aged' then it would bring complete distrust and giving up before starting something. That would end all sort of activities. We must do outdoor activities. There's record of people standing atop the Everest at the age of 70 years. Everest and outdoor sports also are meant for old ones also. It's not like they can't do it. Aged ones also can do these activities," the quadragenerian climber claimed.

Lhakpa who didn't attend any formal training on mountain climbing, grew up with 11 siblings. She also had summited the Everest, eight months after the birth of her first daughter and while she was two months pregnant with her second child.

( With inputs from ANI )