Phunjo Lama from Nepal has shattered the record for the fastest female ascent of Mount Everest, conquering the peak in a gruelling 24 hours and 26 minutes. This incredible feat involved a 14-hour and 31-minute climb to the summit, followed by a nine-hour and 18-minute descent. Ms Lama began her ascent on May 23rd at 3:52 PM and reached the “top of the world” by 6:23 AM.
Everest’s notoriously short climbing season and harsh conditions create a narrow window for reaching the summit. Photos often depict long lines of climbers, with “traffic jams” stretching for hours. To overcome this obstacle, Lama strategically chose a nighttime climb. She informed CNN that this tactic helped her avoid the massive crowds. Her estimation suggests a staggering 6,700 people between Camps Two and Four between May 21st and 22nd. By the morning of the 24th, she only encountered “60 or 70” climbers.
Strict record-keeping for Everest ascents begins at Base Camp, a crucial step for climbers to adjust to the extreme altitude. Phunjo Lama spent three weeks acclimatizing before her record-breaking push, joined by her climbing partner Samantha McMahon. McMahon is aiming to become the first Australian woman to conquer all 8,000-meter peaks – a truly ambitious goal!
Towering at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), Mount Everest presents a formidable challenge. This climb marked Lama’s second attempt at the summit, having previously set the record in 2018 with a time of 39 hours and six minutes (according to Guinness World Records, which considers the entire round trip from Base Camp). However, that record was broken in 2021 by Hong Kong’s Ada Tsang (25 hours and 50 minutes). Notably, the current fastest ascent record for men belongs to Nepali climber Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, who reached the top in a staggering 10 hours and 56 minutes (set in 2003).
Despite this incredible feat, Lama downplays the pursuit of records and recognition. In fact, someone else submitted her 2018 record to Guinness World Records on her behalf! Her background might offer some clues as to her natural talent for high-altitude challenges. Having grown up in Nepal’s remote Tsum Valley (4,500-5,000 meters above sea level) amidst a yak herding community, Lama initially spoke only a local dialect. It was only after moving to Kathmandu as a teenager that she learned Nepali and then English. This unique upbringing instilled in her a deep connection to the mountains and perhaps a natural ability to thrive at high altitude.
“Mountains are my playground and my home,” she told CNN. “A mountain never says that you are a woman and you are a man. Which is why I like mountains, because a mountain is always equal.”
The mountaineering guide told the publication that her climbing clients are about 75% male and 25% female, but she’d like that to become fifty-fifty someday.
“I’m sure my dream will come true,” she says.
