According to modern historical records, 7,269 recorded individuals have summited Mount Everest, from Edmund Hillary’s history-making climb in 1953 through the end of 2024. Not only is Ang Dawa Sherpa one of those people, but he’s stood at the top 10 times.

Ang, who is originally from Nepal and now lives in South Burlington, is a Sherpa—a name that is both an ethnic group and a job. The Sherpa people, who are native to the mountainous regions of Nepal, have long been known for their skills in mountaineering and serve as essential guides for visiting adventurers.

Ang grew up in Solukhumbu, Nepal—about a five-day walk to the base of Mt. Everest, which sits on the border of Nepal and Tibet. He followed family members into the mountain guide business at age 21, when his uncle hired him on as part of a group expedition he was leading. But without having had any formal training, Ang barely survived that trip.

Ang and his client, a climber from New Zealand, hit bad weather as they descended from the north (Tibet) side, which is more remote and has more challenging weather conditions. “The day we were coming down from Camp 3, it was very windy and snowing hard. The others stayed just below Camp 2, but I came down by myself to Camp 1. It was very hard. Then, when I arrived at camp, I didn’t zip my tent correctly. I didn’t get frostbite, but the conditions were very challenging, and my friends thought I was finished,” he says. “Now I realize how risky it was for me to do that without any experience.”

. . .