The answer to “Has anyone ever climbed Everest in one day?” is a very simple yes. Everest is the tallest point on Earth and is naturally a very tough mountain to ascend. You must have a myriad of questions regarding this strange mountain and its ascents. Just the answer to this question must have brought forth so many other questions regarding Everest and its ascent. You will get answers to most of those questions in this article. However, setting those queries aside, the simple answer to if anyone has climbed Everest in a day is, yes, they have.
Not just one but several people have attempted and successfully reached Everest’s summit in a day. Here we have a list of such achievements by various climbers, along with their stories. We will also try to find out how climbing Everest in a day might be a possibility. On the other hand, why is it very uncommon? Stick with us to know more!
Popular climbers who have ascended Everest in a day
Pemba Dorje Sherpa
Pemba Dorje Sherpa is a popular mountaineer from Nepal who has climbed Everest twice. During his first mountain attempt, he set a record by finishing the climb within 12 hours and 45 minutes. This happened on May 23, 2003. His record was short-lived as another climber, Lakpa Gelu, succeeded in beating his record.
Dorje also has another record concerning Everest for his second climb. He ascended the mountain with his girlfriend the second time in 2005 May 30th. The couple got married at the summit and are the first couple to get married on the top of Everest.
Lakpa Gelu
Lakpa Gelu, a native of Solukhumbu, holds the record for the fastest ascent to the top of Everest. He started his ascent on the 25th of May 2003 at 5 pm and reached the summit on May 26 at 3:46 am. His return to the base camp was marked at 11:20 am on the same day, making the journey less than 24 hours. His record was counted at 10 hours 56 min and 46 sec from the start of the climb to the summit.
Hans Kammerlander
Kammerlander holds the record for climbing Everest the fastest without supplemental oxygen. He finished his climb within 16 hours and 45 minutes. This ascent recorded the fastest climb via the northern Base Camp. Kammerlander was a very experienced mountaineer with past ascents of most eight-thousanders. He was also popularly known as a climber who would ski down mountains. Despite planning to ski from Everest and K2, he chose not to due to their risks.
See also:
- What Are The Chances Of Dying On Mount Everest?
- What is the scariest part of climbing Everest?
- How Many People Have Reached The Top of Mount Everest?
Famous mountain ascents on speedrun by Nirmal Purja
Nirmal Purja, known as Nims Purja, has set numerous mountain climbing records. His works are quite fascinating and noteworthy within the mountaineering community. Some of his records are as follows:
The quickest time to summit all 14 eight-thousanders
On October 29, 2019, Nirmal Purja set a world record by climbing all 14 of the world’s eight-thousanders in the shortest time. He did so in just six months and six days. South Korean climber Kim Chang-ho set the previous record in seven years, ten months, and six days.
Fastest time to reach both poles and conquer all seven summits:
Purja achieved another world record in December 2019 after completing the seven summits. This refers to the highest point on each of the seven continents. He then reached both the North and South Poles. Hence, finishing this record in seven months and ten days and breaking the previous nine years and seven months record.
Fastest time to ascent Nepali eight-thousanders in one season.
In 2019, Purja became the first to climb all six Nepalese peaks above 8,000 meters of Nepal in a single season. He climbed Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Lhotse, Everest, and Cho Oyu all at once in the autumn of 2019.
Other Records
- Purja achieved a new speed record in September 2019 by ascending Manaslu. He climbed this world’s eighth-highest mountain in eight hours and ten minutes.
- Purja ascended Ama Dablam, one of the most challenging summits in the Himalayas, in under six hours and 15 minutes in 2018, setting a new speed record for the mountain.
- Purja became the first person to climb all three of Pakistan’s highest summits (K2, Nanga Parbat, and Broad Peak) during the winter season in February 2021.
How do people ascend mountains so quickly?
It is clear from the accounts mentioned above that the answer to “Has anyone ever climbed Everest in one day?” is a simple yes. But if you analyze the reports clearly, you will notice a trend. Most of these mountaineers are well-established, trained, and experienced mountaineers. They did not attempt and achieve such a record on their first go.
A lot of hard work and experience in the mountains will make you capable of summiting the world’s peak in a day. It sounds like a miracle, but it is a possibility. Take this with a grain of salt, as such records do not occur daily. However, it does happen occasionally.
