Nineteen Climbs to Mount Everest Summit!

Serial Everest climber Kenton Cool is cool by name, cool by climate, reaching the summit of the world’s highest peak for the 19th time, extending his record for most climbs by a non-Nepali

British climber Kenton Cool has successfully climbed Mount Everest for the 19th time, extending his own record on Sunday for the most summits* of the world’s highest mountain by a non-Sherpa*.

More than 50 climbers have reached the summit since the spring climbing season began this month, taking advantage of a brief run of good weather and typically calmer winds.

Mountain guide Cool, 51, first climbed Everest in 2004 and has since taken paying customers up the world’s highest peak almost every year.

“Kenton summited Everest for the 19th time at 11am Nepalese* time (0515 GMT*) on Sunday,” a post on his Instagram account said.

His 15th summit in 2021 tied him with American Dave Hahn for the most summits by a non-Nepali climber, and his summit the following year gave him a solo title. Cool was once told he would not walk unaided again after a rock-climbing accident in 1996 that broke both his heel bones.

He told AFP in a 2022 interview after his 16th ascent that his Everest record was “not that amazing” in the context of Nepali climbers’ achievements.

“I’m really surprised by the interest … considering that so many of the Sherpas have so many more ascents*,” he said then.

Nepali climber and Sherpa Kami Rita, 55, is also attempting to break his own world record for the most Everest summits with his 31st climb.