Ang Rita Sherpa
Ang Rita Sherpa (1948–2020), known throughout the Himalayas as 'The Snow Leopard', was a Nepali high-altitude mountaineer who summited Mount Everest 10 times entirely without supplemental bottled oxygen between 1983 and 1996. In 1987, he made the only winter ascent of Everest without supplemental oxygen in human history.
Mountain Safety & Conditions Disclaimer: High-altitude climbing, glacial travel, and technical ascents entail severe objective risks including avalanches, serac collapses, rapid weather collapse, and altitude illness. Historical route descriptions and summit claims on Mountanity reflect documented archival sources and must not be used as live operational safety assessments. Local regulations, permits, and physical glacial topography change continuously.
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Biographical Record & Archival Chronicle
Ang Rita Sherpa was born in 1948 in the high alpine village of Yillajung in the Solukhumbu region of eastern Nepal. Like generations of Sherpa boys in the shadow of Mount Everest, Ang Rita had no formal schooling, spending his early youth herding yaks across rugged glaciated passes. At age fifteen, he began working as a low-altitude porter for trekking expeditions, quickly catching the attention of European mountaineers for his effortless balance, quiet calm in dangerous terrain, and astounding natural physiological adaptation to hypoxia.
In 1979, Ang Rita made his high-altitude breakthrough by summiting Dhaulagiri I (8,167m) without supplemental oxygen. In 1983, he made his first summit of Mount Everest (8,848m) alongside an American expedition, climbing without bottled oxygen via the South Col. Over the next thirteen years, Ang Rita achieved a feat unprecedented in the annals of world alpinism: he scaled Mount Everest ten separate times (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996), never once turning a valve on an oxygen bottle. His supernatural lung capacity and resistance to extreme cold earned him the revered nickname 'The Snow Leopard' (*Himchituwa*).
Ang Rita's crowning achievement took place on December 22, 1987, alongside Korean climber Heo Young-ho. Enduring astronomical winter conditions with temperatures plummeting beneath -40°C and hurricane winds stripping the Southeast Ridge down to bare rock, Ang Rita reached the summit of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. To this day, it remains the only winter ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in human history, certified by Guinness World Records.
Beyond Everest, Ang Rita conquered Dhaulagiri four times, Cho Oyu four times, Kangchenjunga, and Makalu—every single ascent completed without bottled gas. For his historic contributions to the nation, the King of Nepal decorated him with the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu (First Class) and the Order of Tri Shakti Patta. Ang Rita Sherpa passed away in Kathmandu on September 21, 2020, at age 72, recognized worldwide as one of the purest, most formidable physiological titans ever to walk the Earth.
Notable Milestones & Ascents
- Summited Mount Everest ten times entirely without supplemental bottled oxygen (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996)
- Completed the first and only winter ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in history on December 22, 1987
- Holds the Guinness World Record for the most successful ascents of Mount Everest without bottled oxygen
- Summited four additional 8,000-meter peaks without oxygen: Dhaulagiri I (4 times), Cho Oyu (4 times), Kangchenjunga, and Makalu
- Conferred Nepal's highest civil decorations: Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu (First Class) and Order of Tri Shakti Patta
- Pioneered ethical high-altitude guidance, safety protocols, and route-opening across the Nepal Himalaya
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Lifespan
- 1948–2020 (Age 72)
Solukhumbu & Kathmandu, Nepal
- Everest Summits Without O2
- 10 Summits
Guinness World Record (1983–1996)
- Winter Everest Without O2
- December 22, 1987
First & Only in Human History
- Total 8,000m Summits
- 18 Summits (All No O2)
Everest, Dhaulagiri, Cho Oyu, Kangchenjunga, Makalu
- National Honor
- Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu
Conferred by King of Nepal
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“The mountain is my temple. When the winter wind screams, you do not fight it; you breathe with it and keep moving.”
“Ang Rita Sherpa was a national treasure who elevated Nepal’s mountaineering prestige to the highest pinnacle.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- Himchituwa (Snow Leopard)
- The Nepali and Sherpa honorific given to Ang Rita in tribute to his supernatural agility and cold tolerance in the high Himalayas.
- Oxygenless 8,000m Winter Summit
- Standing atop an 8,000-meter peak in astronomical winter without compressed gas apparatus, exposed to temperatures below -40°C.
- Solukhumbu
- The mountainous district in north-eastern Nepal that encompasses Mount Everest and is the ancestral homeland of the Sherpa people.
Frequently Asked Questions: Ang Rita Sherpa
Who was Ang Rita Sherpa and why was he called "The Snow Leopard"?
Ang Rita Sherpa (1948–2020) was a legendary Nepali mountaineer nicknamed "The Snow Leopard" (Himchituwa) for summiting Mount Everest 10 times without supplemental bottled oxygen.
What world record did Ang Rita Sherpa achieve on Mount Everest in winter?
On December 22, 1987, Ang Rita completed the first and only winter ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in human history, certified by Guinness World Records.
How many times did Ang Rita summit Mount Everest without oxygen?
He summited Mount Everest ten times without bottled oxygen (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 1996).
Which other 8,000-meter peaks did Ang Rita climb without oxygen?
Ang Rita climbed Dhaulagiri I (4 times), Cho Oyu (4 times), Kangchenjunga, and Makalu—all without supplemental bottled oxygen.
What national honors were bestowed upon Ang Rita by Nepal?
The King of Nepal conferred upon him the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu (First Class) and the Order of Tri Shakti Patta for national sports heroism.
Where was Ang Rita Sherpa born and what was his early life like?
He was born in 1948 in Yillajung, Solukhumbu, Nepal, and worked as a yak herder before starting his climbing career as an expedition porter at age 15.
Did Ang Rita ever use supplemental bottled oxygen on any 8,000-meter peak?
No. Ang Rita never used supplemental bottled oxygen on any of his eighteen summits of 8,000-meter mountains.
When did Ang Rita Sherpa pass away?
Ang Rita Sherpa passed away in Kathmandu on September 21, 2020, at the age of 72.
Associated Summits (4)
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level on Earth, standing at an official elevation of 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 ft). Straddling the international frontier between Nepal and China, it is known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepali ('Goddess of the Sky') and Chomolungma in Tibetan ('Mother Goddess of the World'). The peak rises into the extreme upper troposphere, where oxygen levels drop to barely one-third of sea-level pressure. Climbers face hurricane-force jet stream winds, severe frostbite conditions, shifting ice crevasses in the Khumbu Icefall, and the dangerous Death Zone above 8,000 meters.
Kangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga, at 8,586 meters (28,169 ft), is the third-highest mountain on Earth, rising on the border between Nepal and Sikkim, India. Honored as sacred by locals, early ascent teams respected local beliefs by stopping short of the actual highest crest. It features immense vertical relief and notorious storm cycles.
Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu, at 8,188 meters (26,864 ft), is the sixth-highest mountain in the world, situated 20 km west of Mount Everest. Meaning 'Turquoise Goddess' in Tibetan, it stands on the glaciated Nangpa La trade route between Nepal and Tibet. Its moderate northwest slopes make it the most accessible 8,000-meter peak.
Dhaulagiri I
Dhaulagiri I, at 8,167 meters (26,795 ft), is the seventh-highest mountain on Earth and the highest peak situated entirely within Nepal. Rising steeply above the Kali Gandaki Gorge—the deepest gorge on Earth—opposite Annapurna, Dhaulagiri forms a staggering 7,000-meter vertical rise from the river valley.
Pioneered & Associated Routes (8)
Cho Oyu Northwest Face & Ridge (Normal Route)
The Northwest Ridge is the standard and most climbed route on Cho Oyu, approached from the Tibetan plateau via the Gyabrag Glacier. First climbed in 1954 by an Austrian expedition, the route features relatively moderate snow slopes of 30 to 40 degrees, punctuated by a single prominent technical crux known as the Ice Cliff at 6,700m. Above Camp 3, climbers cross the Yellow Band and emerge onto a vast, gently rising summit plateau.
Dhaulagiri I Northeast Ridge (Normal Route)
The Northeast Ridge is the standard climbing route on Dhaulagiri I, first ascended in 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian team. The route begins on the glaciated Mayangdi Khola valley, climbs to the Northeast Col (5,700m), and works its way up the mountain's north-northeast face. The upper section traverses steep, wind-scoured blue ice shelves below the summit rocks and negotiates a final, exposed couloir leading directly to the 8,167m summit.
Mount Everest North Face (Hornbein Couloir Direct)
The North Face of Mount Everest via the Japanese Couloir and the sheer Hornbein Couloir is one of the most direct and formidable ice lines in the Himalayas. Rising 3,000 vertical meters from the Rongbuk Glacier to the summit, it funnels through a narrow 60-degree snow-and-ice cleft slicing straight through the Yellow Band and upper limestone cliffs of the North Face. In August 1986, Swiss alpinists Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet executed one of the most audacious speed climbs in mountain history: climbing the entire face in a single 31-hour push at night without supplemental oxygen, tents, or fixed ropes. After summiting on August 30, they glissaded down the 3,000-meter face on their backs and buttocks in just 3.5 hours, completing the entire round trip in an astonishing 43 hours.
North Col & Northeast Ridge Route
The historic northern route on Mount Everest (8,848.86m), ascending from the Rongbuk and East Rongbuk glaciers to breach the icy wall of the North Col (7,020m). From the col, the route traverses the wind-blasted Northwest Ridge onto the North Face before joining the razor-like Northeast Ridge, navigating the notorious First, Second, and Third Steps in the Death Zone. This was the stage of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's fateful 1924 climb and was first definitively surmounted on May 25, 1960, by Chinese climbers Wang Fuzhou, Qu Yinhua, and Gongbu.
Mount Everest Southwest Face (Bonington Route)
The Southwest Face of Mount Everest (8,848.86m) rises 2,300 vertical meters from the Western Cwm to the summit, presenting one of the largest and most forbidding rock and ice faces in the world. Dominated by the vertical 300-meter 'Rock Band' at 8,200–8,500 meters, the face repelled six international attempts between 1969 and 1974. In autumn 1975, a legendary British expedition led by Chris Bonington breached the face when Paul Braithwaite and Nick Estcourt unlocked the key ramp through the Rock Band. On September 24, 1975, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston climbed to the South Summit and pushed on to the main summit, becoming the first Britons to conquer Everest. Trapped by nightfall during their descent, they survived an epic open bivouac at 8,760 meters without oxygen, sleeping bags, or frostbite.
Mount Everest Complete West Ridge (Yugoslav Direct)
The Complete West Ridge of Mount Everest is one of the most formidable and sustained technical routes on the mountain. Pioneered in spring 1979 by an elite Yugoslav expedition led by Tone Škarja, the route tackles the integral knife-edge crest directly from the Lho La col (6,026m) all the way to the 8,848.86m summit. Unlike the 1963 American West Ridge route which diverted into the Hornbein Couloir from the North Face, the Yugoslav line stayed strictly along the razor-edge crest of the West Ridge, surmounting technical rock buttresses up to Grade V+ at extreme altitude before traversing around the Yellow Band. On May 13, 1979, Andrej Štremfelj and Nejc Zaplotnik achieved the first ascent of the complete ridge, followed two days later by Stane Belak, Marjan Manfreda, and Ang Phu Sherpa in one of the greatest feats in Himalayan history.
Kangchenjunga Southwest Face (Normal Route)
The Southwest Face route is the classic line of ascent on Kangchenjunga, climbing out of the Yalung Glacier cirque in eastern Nepal. First forged in 1955 by British mountaineers Joe Brown and George Band, the route negotiates heavily broken glacial icefalls, ascends the vast hanging snow terrace of The Great Shelf, and threads steep rock gullies in the Sickle Couloir before reaching the delicate summit crest.
South Col & Southeast Ridge (Normal Route)
The South Col Route along the Southeast Ridge is the historic path of the 1953 first ascent and the most popular route on Mount Everest. Starting from Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier in Nepal, climbers navigate the shifting seracs of the Khumbu Icefall into the Western Cwm. The route then scales the icy 45-degree slope of the Lhotse Face to the South Col at 7,925 meters, launching the final summit bid through the Balcony, South Summit, and Hillary Step to the summit of Earth at 8,848.86 meters.
Documented Expeditions (1)
1987 Ang Rita Mount Everest Winter Oxygenless Expedition
On December 22, 1987, Nepali mountaineer Ang Rita Sherpa completed the first and only winter ascent of Mount Everest (8,848m) without supplemental bottled oxygen in human history, certified by Guinness World Records.
Associated Chronicles & Stories (1)
The Snow Leopard's Coldest Hour: Ang Rita Sherpa's Historic 1987 Winter Ascent of Everest Without Oxygen
On December 22, 1987, legendary Nepali mountaineer Ang Rita Sherpa completed the only winter ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen in human history, facing temperatures below -45°C.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- The Himalayan Database: Ang Rita Sherpa Career Record(Elizabeth Hawley / The Himalayan Database)
Supporting claim: Official verification of 10 oxygenless Everest summits and the 1987 winter ascent
Accessed/Documented: 2020 - BBC News: 'Snow Leopard' Ang Rita Sherpa Dies at 72(BBC News)
Supporting claim: Obituary and international retrospective of world records and civilian honors
Accessed/Documented: 2020-09-21 - Guinness World Records: Most Everest Summits Without Oxygen(Guinness World Records)
Supporting claim: Official world record certification for 10 ascents without bottled oxygen
Accessed/Documented: 2021