Norwegian Woman & Nepali Guide Break Speed Record on 8,000-Metre Peaks

Norwegian mountaineer Kristin Harila and her Nepali guide Tenjin Sherpa, also known as Lama, have completed the quickest ascent of all 14 8,000-meter (26,000-foot) summits in the world. Their team announced the accomplishment in a statement on July 27, 2023.

With the top of Pakistan's K2, the final peak on their quest, Kristin and Lama concluded their amazing adventure in an astonishing three months and one day. Their extraordinary collaboration, steadfast resolve, and sheer perseverance during this enormous undertaking were praised in the team statement.

Their accomplishment not only demonstrates their extraordinary climbing abilities, but also the essence of mountaineering togetherness, as they crossed boundaries and cultural barriers to succeed as a team.

The pair broke the previous record, which was set in 2019 by British explorer Nirmal Purja, who was born in Nepal and accomplished the task in six months and six days. It is worth noting that Purja is currently attempting to set another record for the fastest ascent of all 14 peaks without supplemental oxygen.

On her way to breaking the record, Kristin Harila overcame several obstacles. Due to difficulties in getting permits from China to climb Shishapangma, which is entirely in Tibet, and Cho Oyu, which is typically climbed from the Chinese side, she had to summit 12 of the summits twice, including K2.

Their accomplishment is especially impressive in light of the fact that, of the more than 40 persons who have successfully completed this difficult job, only a handful of women have been able to climb the top 14 mountains in the world.

In order to set this amazing record, Kristin had to overcome several obstacles. Despite her shown climbing skill, she had trouble finding sponsors, which forced her to sell her flat in order to fund her mission. In discussing the difficulties women encounter in such endeavours, Harila noted that the landscape of sponsorship is different for women compared to males.

Kristin didn't start climbing until 2015. She comes from Vadso, a town in northernmost Norway on the Barents Sea, where the highest peak is just 633 metres (2,000 feet) high. Prior to winning a trip to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania from her employers, a chain of furniture stores, she originally dedicated herself to sports like football, handball, and cross-country skiing. It was during this trip that she found her passion for climbing.

As Kristin's travelling partner on this record-breaking expedition, Lama, a seasoned guide since the age of 16, was extremely important. He was able to negotiate hazardous terrain and endure severe weather because to his knowledge of and deep attachment to the mountains.

Pakistan, which has five of the world's 14 "super peaks," is regarded as the ideal location for any climber hoping to reach this incredible feat. K2 stands out among these summits for its technical difficulties and infamously unpredictable weather, which have only let around 425 individuals, including roughly 20 women, to successfully summit it since 1954.

Kristin and Lama's success in ascending all 14 8,000-meter peaks in a sprint is a true monument to their everlasting commitment and love of mountaineering, and it has motivated many people to set and achieve their own lofty aspirations in the realm of high-altitude climbing.