Kathmandu, May 26: Nepalese sherpa Lhakpa Gela, 36, today clipped almost two hours off the Everest speed climbing record that was set just three days ago, reaching the summit from base camp in a time of 10 hours 56 minutes, mountaineering sources said here. The tourism ministry said it was still awaiting confirmation of the claim.

Lhakpa, making his tenth ascent of the world's highest peak, set out at 5:00 pm (local time) yesterday on his quest and undertook the entire climb in darkness, the sources said.


On Friday, Pemba Dorje sherpa, 25, smashed the previous record set in 2000 of 16 hours 56 minutes by the legendary sherpa Babu Chhiri, when he reached the summit in a time of 12 hours 45 minutes.
The two climbers have been assisted in their feats by the fact that some 500 climbers are bidding to scramble to the top of Everest ahead of Thursday's celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the first conquest of the mountain by Tenzing Norgay sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary.

The crowds on the mountain have helped compact the snow on the main climbing routes via the South Col, while ropes and ladders have been fixed in place.
Regular expeditions up Everest can take several weeks to reach the summit from base camp.

Bureau Report