53 year old Kami Rita, a veteran Sherpa guide who makes a living by leading people to the top of Mt. Everest, set a record yesterday for the most climbs of anyone to the 29,000+ foot summit. He’s been there 28 times.
Since May of 1953 when Edmund Hillary and his guide Tenzig Norgay successfully made the ascent, over 7,000 people have followed in their foot steps at a cost that can easily approach $70,000, which includes the price of an $11,000 permit. The lure of Mt. Everest is now responsible for 10% of Nepal's GDP each year.
Some climbers have not been as fortunate and would never return. 300 people have perished while making the climb and over 200 of them still remain on the mountain, mostly because it’s either too expensive or physically impossible to retrieve them.
Some of these frozen bodies, still clad in colorful gear, serve as reverential markers for other climbers as they navigate the treacherous terrain to the peak.
