Pasang Dawa Sherpa: Quest to conquer the world’s summits

Mountaineer Pasang Dawa Sherpa has summited several peaks in Nepal including Mount Everest. He has conquered the world’s highest peak multiple times, performed high-altitude rescues, and built a sterling reputation for bravery. 

A native of Lukla in Khumbu region of Nepal, Sherpa started his career in mountaineering by working in the trekking sector. He was just 15 when he began working as a kitchen help and later as a porter.

He says after the death of his father, it was upon him to look after this family. It was Sherpa’s uncle who saw that he would make a great mountain guide and offered him a month-long training. 

Soon, Sherpa began working as a mountain guide and in 2008, he attained his first success by summiting Ama Dablam (6,812 meters). His determination was fueled by this first taste of accomplishment, leading him to join the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) team from the United States in 2009 to summit Mount Everest.

“Over the years, I’ve climbed Everest nine times,” says Sherpa. 

He is still young but exceptionally talented in his field. Besides conquering some of the world’s highest mountain peaks several times over, Sherpa has also made his name for his mountain rescue works. 

During one of the mountain expeditions in 2010, he had famously offered his oxygen unit to a fellow climber.

But it is not always the tales of derring-do when you are on a mountain expedition. As a mountain guide, says Sherpa, sometimes you must take tough calls for the safety of the team. 

He recalls one incident where he had to call off the mission in order to save the life of a climber who had a medical emergency at an altitude of 8,500 meters. 

“A mountain guide requires a quick wit and a strong heart,” says Sherpa, for  whom the wellbeing of climbers is important. 

Sherpa has embarked in numerous operations to save lives, and the mountaineering world respects him for his leadership. 

His humble beginnings from a simple village boy to scaling the world's highest peaks and becoming a renowned climbing guide has inspired many.
But Sherpa has not grown tired of scaling mountains. His dream is to climb every mountain peak in the world and this month, he is planning to conquer Mount Baker in the US.