British climber scales Everest for record 20th time, officials say

Published on 22/05/2026 - 9:12 GMT+2

British mountaineer Kenton Cool has completed a historic 20th climb to the summit of Mount Everest, hiking officials said on Friday.

Cool already held the record for most climbs by a non-Sherpa and extended it after once again scaling the mountain's ⁠8,849-metre peak alongside his Sherpa guide Dorjee Gyelzen.

He is thought to have reached the summit at around 4 am local time.

“More ​Everest summits than any non-Sherpa ever… and still making it look like just another walk in the ‌hills. ⁠Absolute legend," ​four-time Everest climber and expedition organiser Lukas Furtenbach of the Austria-based firm Furtenbach Adventures told Reuters from Everest base camp.

Officials reportedly said a record 270 climbers and guides had successfully climbed Everest from its Nepal side on Wednesday, taking advantage of clear weather during the popular spring climbing season.

It comes as two Indian climbers are reported to have died while descending the mountain, after climbing the peak on Thursday.

Seasoned mountain guide Kami Rita Sherpa had earlier in the week climbed Everest for a record 32nd time. According to his website, Kami Rita has been an active climber for more than three decades and has completed over 40 summits of more than 8,000 metres.

New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepalese Sherpa, became the first known explorers to reach Everest's summit in May 1953.

Mount Everest is the crown jewel of the Himalayas mountain range, sitting at the border of Nepal and Tibet.