the sherpas - Cascade Images

T H E S H E R P A S
Sherpas and Mt. Everest—A History Intertwined
Ever since Sir Edmund Hillary first climbed Everest in 1953 with the invaluable assistance of Tenzing
Norgay Sherpa, climbers have developed close relationships with Sherpa people.
It is widely recognized that without the Sherpa, westerners would rarely be able to climb the great
peaks successfully. Because Sherpa guides and assistants have become such an integral part of any
successful team, westerners now use the word “Sherpa” to mean a local guide or assistant, sometimes
without realizing that this is in fact a clan name.
Who are the Sherpa?
The Sherpa are one of the original mountain people of Nepal. Most Sherpas live in the eastern regions
of the country known as Solu, Khumbu, and Pharak . However, some live farther west in the Rolwaling
valley and in the Helambu region north of Kathmandu. Pangboche is the Sherpa’s oldest village in
Nepal, and is estimated to have been built over 300 years ago.
Sherpas speak a Tibetan dialect, and traditionally are traders and farmers cultivating high altitude
fields of potatoes, barley, wheat, and buckwheat. If they live within a day’s walk of Namche Bazaar,
some will raise water buffalo and slaughter them for the Saturday market in Namche.
Today Sherpas are renowned in the global climbing and mountaineering community for their
hardiness, expertise, and experience at high altitudes. In Nepal, Sherpas often insist on making a
distinction between themselves and general porters, as they generally serve in a more guide-like role
and command higher pay, as well as greater respect from the community.
Giving Back
The Sherpa are the unsung heroes of Everest. From those early days of Sir Edmund Hillary first
successful summit, to modern mountaineers’ attempts on treacherous Himalayan peaks, these
incredible high-altitude climbers have been there every step of the way—guiding, hauling food and
gear, setting ropes, and rescuing sick and injured climbers. Unfortunately, Sherpas still often live in
impoverished conditions.
In order to honor their heroic feats, Sherpa Adventure Gear is setting aside a portion of proceeds from
the sale of all products to benefit the health, education, and welfare of underprivileged Sherpa children.
Sherpa Athletes
We are proud to work with the following three remarkable and accomplished Sherpas to produce
superior adventure gear and help reward Sherpa families for their decades of experience, labor and
sacrifice.
Lhakpa Rita Sherpa - One of the world’s most experienced climbers, having
ascended Mt. Everest 9 times.
Raised in Thame, the hometown of famed Everest climber Tenzing Norgay, Lhakpa Rita Sherpa is on
track to be the first Sherpa to attain all of the “seven summits” (the highest peaks on each of the seven
continents.) Already, Lhakpa has guided on numerous mountains worldwide and successfully summitted
Everest nine times, Cho-Oyu three times, Mt. Vinson (in the Antarctica), Denali, Aconcagua and numerous
other peaks in the Cascades including Mount Baker and Rainer.
Known as the “Best Sirdar in the Khumbu”, Lhakpa Rita is recognized by other mountain guides, sirdars,
and climbers for his unique expertise and experience, and is one of only a few Sherpas working as a fulltime
mountain guide around the world.
Lakpa Rita guides primarily for Alpine Ascents and resides in Shoreline, Washington with his wife and
children.
Pemba Doma Sherpa - The first woman to scale Everest from two faces.
As a little girl growing up in Namche, Pemba Doma Sherpa often followed her beloved mountaineering
grandfather into the mountains. Seeing him and the other mountaineers climb various peaks inspired her
to dream of going higher and higher.
Pemba’s first climb above 5,000 meters came before the age of seven, and as a teenager she climbed Island
Peak and Lobuche. On May 19, 2000 she made her first trip to the top of Mount Everest, becoming the
second Nepalese woman to attain the top and the first to do so from Tibet. Two years later, she made the
summit again, but this time from the South side, becoming the first woman to scale the mountain from
both the northern and southern faces.
Because of her amazing accomplishments, Pemba inspires women around the world to reach for the top in
their own lives.
Nuri Sherpa - Professional Himalayan alpinist, with ascents of four 8,000meter
peaks.
Born in 1970, Nuri Sherpa is the youngest of our gear atheletes. An extremely skilled climber, his
mountaineering resume shows a range of experience that belies his youth—he has already summitted
Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, Pumori, Dhalulagiri, and a host of other high peaks in the Himalayas.
His charming gold toothed smile hides a sharp intellect and an extensive knowledge of the mountains.
Nuri is a perfectionist, eminently dependable, and honest with his comments on our gear. Always ready to
help, never flustered, Nuri Dai (big brother) has endeared himself to the Sherpa Adventure Gear team in
Nepal.
Nuri divides his time between leading expeditions for Climb High during the climbing season to now
helping our research and development team during the off season. He lives in Kathmandu with his wife
and two children. This spring season, he will lead an expedition to Everest and will be testing our gear
personally, all the way to the summit and back.
4 www.sherpaadventuregear.com 1.877.724.8735 1.877.SAG-TREK www.sherpaadventuregear.com 5
Lhotse, South Face
Photo: Roger Kehr
Lhakpa Rita
Pemba Doma
Nuri