KATHMANDU: Renowned Sherpa climber Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, popularly known as Mingma G, today announced that he would no longer attempt to scale the world’s highest peak, saying that his seventh ascent on May 22 this season was his last.

“My May 22 summit on Everest was my last on the world’s highest peak,” said Mingma G, who holds many records in the climbing world. Mingma G led a group of international climbers to the top of Mt Everest on May 22. From his company, Imagine Nepal Treks, at least 44 climbers made successful summits on Mt Everest that day.

Mingma G said he would probably attempt to scale Mt Lhotse next spring season, wrapping up his climbs in the Everest region. Mingma G holds many records in climbing history. He is the first Nepali climber to have scaled all 14 peaks above 8,000m without using supplemental oxygen. In 2024, he made history in mountain climbing as he scaled Shishapangma (8,027m) in Tibet, completing all 14 peaks without using bottled oxygen.

Earlier, Mingma G climbed Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Kanchenjunga and Mt Everest in 2022 without supplemental oxygen. The IFMGA guide scaled Manaslu in 2021, Gasherbrum-II in 2019, Lhotse and Broad Peak in 2018, K2, Makalu and Nanga Parbat in 2017, Gasherbrum-I in 2016, and Annapurna in 2015 – all without bottled oxygen.

Mingma G, who started his climbing career in 2006, has climbed Everest seven times (2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2022 and 2026), K2 five times (2014, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2024), Manaslu seven times, Kanchenjunga twice, Makalu twice, Broad Peak twice, Cho Oyu twice, Dhaulagiri twice, Annapurna twice, as well as Lhotse, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, and Shishapangma once. On 27 December 2024, he completed another challenge: the ‘Seven Summits’ (the highest peak on each of the seven continents).

Hailing from Rolwaling village, a climbers’ valley in Dolakha district, Mingma G is also the first summiteer on Mt Cheki-Go (6,257m), Mt Bamongo (6,400m) and Mt Chobuje (6,685m) via the west side.

Mingma G, who runs Imagine Nepal Treks Pvt Ltd, also holds the record for the most summits of Manaslu without oxygen. Out of his seven summits, he reached the fore‑summit four times and the main summit three times. His 2021 summit – while opening the route to the main summit – was with oxygen, whereas his other six ascents were without supplemental oxygen.

Mingma G's Nanga Parbat summit in 2017 was also the first autumn summit of that peak. He was one of 10 Nepalese climbers and the leader of his team for the first winter ascent of K2. In 2024, he also reached the South Pole on skis. Only a few Nepalese have made it to the South Pole, and he is one among them.