One of the world’s best climbers and first Sherpa to climb the Seven Summits
Raised in Thame, Lakpa Rita Sherpa has been professionally guiding and climbing around the world for nearly two decades. This spring he became the first Sherpa ever to climb the "Seven Summits" (the highest peaks on each of the seven continents). He has guided on numerous mountains worldwide and summited Everest 13 times, Cho Oyu three times, Mt. Vinson (in the Antarctica), Denali, Aconcagua and numerous peaks in the Cascades including Mount Baker and Rainier.
Known as the "Best Sardar in the Khumbu," Lakpa Rita is recognized by other mountain guides, sardars and climbers for his unique expertise and experience, and is one of only a few Sherpas working as a full-time mountain guide around the world. Lakpa Rita guides primarily for Alpine Ascents International and lives in Shoreline, Washington with his wife and three children.
Favorite Sherpa Gear: Cho Oyu Jacket and Pant
Born in Lukla, the starting point for most expeditions, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa has always been interested in climbing. However, she didn’t actually start climbing until 2003, after attending college in Kathmandu.
Serap Jangbu, age 40, is our newest athlete and he’s on a big mission—to become the first Sherpa to climb the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. He already is the first Sherpa and Nepali to have stood atop the eight 8,000-meter peaks in his own country, including Everest three times, and has climbed K2 twice in less than a year. If all goes according to plan, he’ll complete the ‘8,000-ers’ in 2011 with climbs of Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and Nanga Parbat.
Mingma Tenjing Sherpa started working as an assistant guide to his father during holiday vacations when he was just 14 years old. After attending the Hillary School in Khumjung, he went on to high school and college in Kathmandu. Though Mingma has a degree in Physical Science, he has always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. He regularly climbs Lobutse, Island Peak and Mera Peak. Although Mingma Tenjing would like to climb higher peaks, his family doesn’t allow him to due to the risk. Recently, Mingma started his own climbing and trekking agency in Nepal called 
Nima, our youngest Gear Athlete, is an experienced high-altitude, long-distance marathon racer with 12 major races under her belt, including the Everest Marathon (42 km from Everest Base Camp to Namche), the Annapurna Mandala Trail Race (300 km), and The Ultimate Trail Race (1,000 km from Kathmandu to the Dolpa Himal). She regularly places in the top four with several 1st and 2nd place finishes. Last fall she placed 2nd in women’s and 9th over all in the 300 km Solu Khumbu Trail Marathon and this spring she won the women’s division and placed 8th overall in the Annapurna Mandala Trail Race.
Born in Namche, Fur Kancha Sherpa has been working as a professional mountain guide since 2002. In just ten years, at the age of 35, he has summited Everest 6 times and Cho Oyu twice. He is not only developing his skills as a professional mountain guide, but has completed the Ice and Rock Climbing training from the Khumbu climbing school as well as completing extreme altitude medical training at the Khunde hospital. We are very excited to welcome our newest athlete to the Sherpa family.