KATHMANDU: Nima Rinji Sherpa, the world's youngest climber to have summited all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks, has added Denali in Alaska to his climbing resume, reaching the summit on June 19 as part of a family-led expedition that marks the next chapter of his mountaineering journey, a bid to complete the Seven Summits.

The Denali summit was achieved alongside his father Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, Founder and CEO of 14 Peaks Expedition, and his uncle Pasang Phurba Sherpa, Board Member of 14 Peaks Expedition, along with the rest of their team. The ascent adds North America's highest peak to a list that already includes Everest and Aconcagua, with Kilimanjaro and Elbrus planned for later this year.

"This achievement reflects exceptional leadership, experience, teamwork, and determination," 14 Peaks Expedition said in its announcement, congratulating the entire team and wishing everyone a safe descent and return.

For Nima Rinji, the Seven Summits pursuit follows what is already one of the most remarkable careers in the history of mountaineering. Originally from the Makalu region and raised in Kathmandu, he completed his historic 14-peak journey on Shishapangma in Tibet in October 2024, reaching the summit at around 6:05 am alongside climbing partner Pasang Nurbu Sherpa. According to Tashi Lakpa, the full 14-peak quest was completed in just two years and 40 days, making Nima Rinji the youngest person in history to achieve the feat at 18 years and five months, shattering the previous record held by his own uncle, Mingma Gyabu 'David' Sherpa, who accomplished it in 2019 at age 30.

What makes the story unusual is that climbing was not Nima Rinji's first interest. He grew up preferring football, photography and filmmaking before picking up his crampons just two years before completing the 14-peak record. His achievements have since brought him global recognition, including a feature on CBS's 60 Minutes filmed in the Everest region, where he reflected on the psychology of extreme altitude. "You have to be more careful when you're in the mountains because every time you go, you feel like nothing is going to happen to you," he told the programme, adding that witnessing accidents and fatalities at high altitude brings a sobering perspective.

Tashi Lakpa, who holds the record for being the youngest person to summit Mt Everest without the use of supplementary oxygen,  said his son's global visibility has helped Nepal's mountains reach a wider international audience and inspired a new generation of young climbers. "He will inspire newcomers," the senior Sherpa has said, noting that the exposure reinforces Nepal's standing as the heart of Himalayan mountaineering.

Beyond the summits, Nima Rinji has expressed ambitions in environmental advocacy and has been appointed, alongside Purnima Shrestha, as one of UNDP Nepal's first climate influencers, raising awareness about climate justice in Nepal. He has also said he intends to study environmental science, a direction that signals his interests extend well beyond the summit.

With Kilimanjaro and Elbrus still on the calendar for 2026, the completion of the Seven Summits now appears firmly within reach for a climber who, just four years ago, had yet to set foot on a high-altitude peak.