Tenjen Sherpa, Record Breaking Mountaineer Swept by Shishapangma Avalanche
Tenjen Sherpa, who broke records with Kristin Harila, was swept by second avalanche on Shishapangma along with American Mountaineer Gina Marie
Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa was a mountaineer and a guide working under a Nepal-based mountaineering company, Seven Summit Treks. On Saturday 2023, October 7, a massive avalanche left the mountain guide missing when he was with Gina Marie, an American mountaineer. Gina was looking to become the first woman to summit 14 peaks in the world and was competing against another American mountaineer Anna Gutu with the same goal at the same time. Both the mountaineers and their respective guides were on the same mountain until the tragic incident happened twice and took the lives of the mountaineer Anna Gutu, her guide Mingmar Sherpa, and Tenjen Sherpa. As for Gina, the mystery of her life is still not revealed, and the search for the mountaineer is on.
Though Tenjen Sherpa was announced only missing, and hopes still remained on whether or not the mountaineer was alive, it was made official on October 9, two days after he went missing, that he perished due to the avalanche in Shishapangma mountain in China’s Tibetan Autonomous Region.
Who was Tenjen Sherpa?
Tenjen Sherpa was a mountain climber who worked as a mountain guide for Seven Treks. He had been successful in climbing the deadliest and the tallest mountains in the world. His expertise and skills as a mountaineer had always been known far and wide among those in the mountaineering community. Nepali mountaineering company Seven Summit Treks very often boasted about the accomplishments of Tenjen Sherpa as he was one of their most valued mountaineers.
Some of the mountains that Sherpa has summited includes Everest (4 Times) in 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, K2 1 Time in 2023, Kangchenjunga 2 Time in 2019, 2023, Lhotse 4 Times in 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, Makalu 3 Times 2022 (2 Times), 2023, Cho-Oyu 1 Time in 2023, Dhaulagiri 3 Times in 2016, 2021, 2023, Manaslu 4 Time in 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, Nanga Parbat 2 Times in 2022, 2023, Annapurna 1 Time in 2023, Gasherbrum I 1 Time in 2023, Broad Peak 1 Time in 2023, Gasherbrum II 1 Time in 2023, Shisha Pangma 1 Time in 2023, and Ama Dablam 3 times in 2017, 2018, 2021.
Tenjen Sherpa’s climb of 14 peaks within 92 days
There had been no record of anyone surpassing the climbing record of Nirmal Purja for 14 peaks that took him 189 days to complete. But, Tenjen Sherpa, alongside mountain climber Kristin Harila, used their skills and determination to climb 14 peaks of the world within only 92 days. It is almost impossible for even the most accomplished mountaineers in the world to think of beating this record as the mountains, 14 peaks, are all tall, high, and frighteningly fatal for the climbers. The death rates in either of these mountains are quite high as well.
Tenjen Sherpa, alongside the mountaineer-guided Kristin Harila, was the first to have climbed all fourteen peaks within only 92 days, which is no more than four months.
What happened to Tenjen Sherpa in Mount Shishapangma?
Tenjen Sherpa passed away in Mount Shishapangma after an avalanche swept him along with an American mountaineer he was guiding. Tenjen was missing for around 2 days until he was finally announced dead on October 9, 2023.
The avalanche that happened earlier on October 7 took the lives of Anna Gutu and Mingmar Sherpa at 11 p.m. In contrast, the second avalanche around 1 p.m. was responsible for the death and disappearance of Tenjen Sherpa and Gina Marie, respectively.
Harila mourned for her mountaineer partner after hearing the tragic news. She also extended her help in the rescue and assistance of his family in Nepal after learning about the incident. As for Sherpa’s family, they are deeply devastated by the loss of him.
Moreover, Seven Summit Treks made sure to write a post paying tribute to him that says, “Our hearts were heavy as we received news of Tenjen Sherpa (Lama), who went missing on Mt. Shisha Pangma on October 7, 2023. Lama’s indomitable spirit has always inspired us all with his dedication and kindness. His mountaineering legacy will forever shine brightly, and his memory will be etched in our hearts. Our prayers go out to Lama and his family, as well as to those who went missing and perished on Shisha Pangma.”
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