The Template Temple

June 8th, 2008

Climber from Nepal, 76, oldest person to reach the top of Chomolungma or Mount Everest

He was reported in good health as he began making his descent. They flexed their muscles this year all the in name of the Olympics, but it was hardly spirited at all.” More than 3003 people have climbed to the summit since it was first conquered in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary, who died in January, and Nepal’s Tenzing Norgay. With the Chinese preparing for the impending summer Olympic Games, Bahadur Sherchan noted that the government’s actions hardly reflected the Olympic spirit. Andrew Brash last attempt resulted in the rescue of Lincoln Hall, an Australian climber who was left by his team in the “death zone.” The Chinese were flying their airplanes over the mountain and had Chinese officials in Kathmandu. Further, the decision to actualize a long-time personal goal left Min Bahadur Sherchan with some internal uncertainties, he cited the political actions of China and Nepal as providing the greatest adversity he faced on his journey. Hall was frostbitten and severely disoriented due to altitude sickness. Min Bahadur Sherchan returned a hero to Calgarians. This was Bahadur Sherchan second attempt up the mountain. Andrew Brash returned this week from Nepal after successfully climbing to the summit of Chomolungma. “The Chinese weren’t allowing anybody on the mountain. They ended up commandeering it for themselves, even though the mountain is shared by two countries. This year French alpinist Anthony Loeff is reporting the scales for Mount Everest after he reached the summit of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania earlier this season. They basically coerced the Nepali government to not allow any climbers past camp two on the Nepali side. As he planned for the climb, Sherchan told reporters he wanted to inspire fellow senior citizens. He also said many Nepalese have established records on the Mount Everest, so it was only fitting that the record for the oldest climber to reach the summit should also belong to a Nepali. The 76-year-old man from Nepal is now the oldest person to have reached the top of Chomolungma or Mount Everest. His first found him within 150 metres of the peak when his team stopped to help a fellow mountaineer who was left for dead. One year later, Bahadur Sherchan, a University of Calgary alumni, returned to Mt Everest to finish what he had started. Now that Min Bahadur Sherchan has successfully scaled the tallest mountain in the world, he is once again ready to focus on his family. Bahadur Sherchan and four climbing guides reached the 29,035-foot (8,850-meters) summit of the world’s highest mountain early Sunday, said Ramesh Chretri, an official with Nepal’s ministry of tourism. Sherchan just 25 days away from his 77th birthday beat the age record set last year by 71-year-old Japanese teacher Katsusuke Yanagisawa. Therefore, he was all too aware of the potential dangers the mountain could bring. Certain parts of the climb are more dangerous than others and it is important for climbers to remain focused “Everest this year became a political pawn,” he said with some frustration.