Pemba Dorje Sherpa

Pemba Dorje Sherpa
Personal information
CitizenshipNepal
Born1977 (age 48–49)
Beding, Dolakha District, Nepal
Climbing career
Known for
  • Formerly recognized fastest ascent of Mount Everest (rejected in 2017)
  • Summited Mount Everest 21 times
  • Guinness World Record for "Most siblings to have climbed Everest", together with 7 of his siblings

Pemba Dorje Sherpa (born 1977) is a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer. He was formerly recognized as setting the record for the fastest ascent of Mount Everest.

Climbing career

He was born in the village of Beding in Rolwaling Valley, Dolakha District. According to The Himalayan Database, he made his first successful ascent of Mount Everest on 17 May 2000, at the age of 23.

Record Everest ascent and following disputes

On 23 May 2003, Pemba Dorje Sherpa set a record for the fastest ascent of Mount Everest. He started from Everest base camp at 5,350m and reached the summit in 12 hours and 45 minutes, over four hours faster than the previous record set in 2000 by Babu Chiri Sherpa (16 hours and 65 minutes).[1] This record was broken just three days later by Lhakpa Gelu, who finished the ascent in 10 hours and 56 minutes.[2]

The following year, Pemba Dorje claimed to have beaten the record with a new fastest ascent of Mount Everest, taking just 8 hours and 10 minutes on 21 May 2004.[3][4] Once at the summit, Pemba Dorje established radio contact with the liaison officer at base camp and described items that had been left behind by other climbers the previous day, to prove his successful summit.[5] However, there is no photographic evidence, nor are there any eyewitnesses that could confirm the record, as Pemba Dorje was climbing alone that day. Only his starting time at Everest base camp was clearly documented. The record was subsequently called into question by the previous record holder and other climbers.[5][6] After an investigation, the record was officially confirmed by Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in September 2005, and Pemba Dorje was recognized as the world record holder by Guinness World Records.[7]

In 2013, previous record holder Lhakpa Gelu filed a case against Pemba Dorje at the Supreme Court of Nepal.[8] In November 2017, the court ruled in favour of Lhakpa Gelu and ordered Pemba Dorje to be stripped of his record, citing lack of evidence.[9][10] Pemba Dorje's record has since been revoked by the Nepal Ministry of Tourism and Guinness World Records and Lhakpa Gelu is formally recognized as having set the Everest speed record.[11]

Other achievements

Between 2000 and 2021, Pemba Dorje Sherpa has reached the summit of Mount Everest 21 times, which places him in the list of people with most Everest ascents.[12][13]

Pemba Dorje Sherpa holds the world record for "Most siblings to have climbed Everest", together with seven of his siblings.[12][14]

He has summited the eight-thousanders Lhotse and Manaslu.[15]

He works in Nepal as a mountain porter and expedition coordinator on Mount Everest and other mountains.[16] In 2021, he was part of the team that helped Hong Kong climber Ada Tsang Yin-Hung become the fastest women to climb Mount Everest in a record time of 25 hours and 50 minutes.[17][18]

References

  1. ↑ "Sherpa makes record Everest ascent". ABC News. 23 May 2003. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Fastest Time on Everest Settled in Nepal Court". Gripped Magazine. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Khadka, Navin (21 May 2004). "Sherpa sets record Everest time". BBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "At Height of Everest's Climbing Season, 4 Deaths and Record Ascent". New York Times. 22 May 2004. Archived from the original on 6 September 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Sherpas row over Everest record". CNN. 10 June 2004. Archived from the original on 1 September 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Tall stories claim over Everest". BBC News. 1 June 2004. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Nepal ruling in Everest speed record: Pemba it is". MountEverest.net. 16 September 2004. Archived from the original on 13 October 2004. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Pokhrel, Rajan (29 November 2017). "Everesteer Pemba Dorje Sherpa to be stripped of Guinness World Record". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Highest court of Nepal scraps Everest record". DW. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Nepalese Court Strikes Down Everest FKT". Outside. 6 December 2017. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Pemba Dorji stripped of everest speed climb record". The Kathmandu Post. 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Most siblings to have climbed Everest". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on 15 August 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "Pemba Dorjee Sherpa scales Everest for 21st time". The Himalayan Times. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Eight siblings set record scaling Mt Everest". The Himalayan Times. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "The Himalayan Database". Retrieved 16 August 2026. – Expedition IDs: MANA-061-06 and LHOT-231-14
  16. ↑ "Pemba Dorje Sherpa". himalayanshepherdnepal.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "Hong Kong teacher records fastest Everest ascent by a woman". Al Jazeera Media Network. 28 May 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "Hong Kong climber claims world record of fastest woman climber on Mt Everest". The Himalayan Times. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2026.
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