Lakpa Gelu facts for kids
Lakpa Gelu, also known as Lhakpa, is a famous climber from Nepal. He was born on June 23, 1967, in a place called Solukhumbu. Lakpa Gelu is a Sherpa, a group of people known for their amazing climbing skills. He holds a world record for climbing Mount Everest super fast. Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. Lakpa Gelu climbed it in just 10 hours, 56 minutes, and 46 seconds! This amazing climb was his tenth time reaching the top of Everest.
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Lakpa Gelu's Early Life and Family
Lakpa Gelu was born in the Solukhumbu area of Nepal. Sherpa people often do not record exact birth dates. So, his exact birthday is not known.
Lakpa Gelu comes from a family of climbers. His older brother sadly passed away in 1991 while climbing Annapurna. His youngest brother has also climbed Mount Everest. Lakpa Gelu is married to Fulli, and they have three children.
Life in the United States
In December 2006, Lakpa Gelu moved to Utah in the United States. Even though he was a very successful climber, he found it hard to earn enough money. Sherpa guides are often paid much less than Western guides.
In Utah, it was difficult for him to find work as a mountain guide. So, he worked at a coffee shop, installed signs, and delivered pizzas. He kept looking for a job as an expedition guide. In 2008, Lakpa Gelu started working for Alpine Ascents International. He has guided climbing trips up Mount Rainier and Aconcagua with them.
Breaking the Everest Speed Record
Lakpa Gelu started his record-breaking climb on May 25, 2003, at 5:00 p.m. He reached the top of Mount Everest at 3:56:46 a.m. on May 26. He then returned to Base Camp at 11:20 a.m. on the same day.
When he reached the summit, Lakpa Gelu proudly raised the Nepalese flag. The total time for his climb from Base Camp to the top and back was 18 hours and 20 minutes.
Lakpa Gelu broke a record that was set just a few days earlier. On May 23, 2003, another Sherpa climber named Pemba Dorjie had climbed Everest in 12 hours and 45 minutes. Lakpa Gelu was the climbing leader, called a Sardar, for a team of 12 climbers. He started his climb from the Southeast Ridge of Everest.
Other Mountain Climbs
Besides climbing Mount Everest many times, Lakpa Gelu has also reached the tops of other famous mountains. These include Cho Oyu and Ama Dablam in the Himalayas.
In 2007, Lakpa Gelu climbed Everest to help his hometown. He raised money for an elementary school there. He also wanted to show how important Sherpa people are to climbing in the Himalayas.
See also
- List of Mount Everest summiters by number of times to the summit
- List of Mount Everest records
- Lhakpa Sherpa (female Everest mountaineer)
- List of Mount Everest guides
