Sherpa breaks Everest record

[wubbathompson]

KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) -- A Nepalese Sherpa has broken the record for the fastest ascent of Mt. Everest, scaling the world's highest mountain in 8 hours and 10 minutes.

Pemba Dorji Sherpa, 26, surpassed the previous record by more than two hours, reaching the summit at 2:10 a.m. local time on Friday (2015 GMT Thursday), officials said.

The previous record of 10 hours and 46 minutes was set last year by fellow Sherpa, Lakpa Gheylu.

Pemba and Lakpa had been competing against each other to chip away at the record.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/05/21/everest.record/index.html

Apparently reaching the summit is not quite the feat it used to be.

[DrWeird]

1. Sherpas have been running up that thing since time began.

They don't need extra oxygen. They're acclimatized (sp?) since birth.

Hillary was just the first white guy to the top. And only then because he had a sherpa dragging his ass up.

[wubbathompson]

2. I think it is acclimated.

[kimchi]

5. both words are correct

and are interchangeable.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. No, not quite

I've never heard anyone claim that any Sherpa beat Tenzing Norgay to the top. He needed oxygen - it took years before anyone did it without. Hilary wasn't dragged, either - he led the step now named after him. It was a proper partnetship between the two.

[BrotherBuzz]

7. Sherpas need to acclimate, too.

and they do, they are just better at it because it's part of their trade. A good read on the whole Everest thing is "Into thin Air' by Jon Krakauer. I recommend reading it only on hot summer days.

[toopers]

8. You are right, it is a great book.

There is a special addition that has tons of pictures of the climb that Krakauer participated in. Worth the extra money.

[progressiveBadger]

3. It still is quite a feat

It takes a lot of determination. But the Sherpa... they are amazing. There was that one guy who actually spent the night on the summit. Can you imagine what type of endurance you would need?

[LastDemocratInSC]

9. Americans also spent the night near the summit in 1963 (?)

One of the American expeditions led by Jim Whittaker and Barry Bishop had 2 climbers who spent the night down from the summit on the north face, if I remember correctly. They were on and off their oxygen during the night. Even with acclimatization it is difficult for any person to perform at those altitudes. There are accounts of small teams of climbers (2 and 3) who attempted the climb without oxygen waking up to hear things, and when looking outside their tents saw dozens of Chinese soldiers walking past - hallucinations, in other words.

[Teaser]

6. Sherpa Supermen are Our Superiors.

Just wanted to let everyone know.

[LastDemocratInSC]

10. You should see how they can swim and run at sea level

One was clocked at an average of 33 miles while running over a 1 mile course at Daytona. He swam at over 5 miles per hour without fins and at 8 miles per hour with fins. He later suffered from hyperoxia because of the high oxygen concentration at sea level and had to be hospitalized ... on the 25th floor.

(just kidding)