A man wearing a red and blue down jacket, black leggings, sunglasses, and a cap stands in front of a towering, snow-covered mountain face, looking upward. The rugged alpine backdrop suggests a high-altitude location, likely in the Himalayas.

They’re Coming Back to Everest – With Very Different Goals

Anano Atabegashvili | March 11, 2026
Himalaya, 8000m, News
A man wearing a red and blue down jacket, black leggings, sunglasses, and a cap stands in front of a towering, snow-covered mountain face, looking upward. The rugged alpine backdrop suggests a high-altitude location, likely in the Himalayas.

Every spring, hundreds of climbers gather beneath the towering slopes of Mount Everest. Most remain anonymous clients chasing a personal dream. But each season also brings back a handful of climbers whose names are already well known in the mountaineering world.

This year will be no different. Several familiar figures are preparing to return to Everest – each pursuing a very different objective on the mountain. 

A renewed speed duel

American ultrarunner Tyler Andrews is once again targeting the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on Everest without supplemental oxygen. However, this year he has been forced to change plans after the Tibetan side of the mountain closed to climbers. Instead, he will attempt the record from the Nepalese South Side. 

But Andrews may not be alone in chasing speed. Ecuadorian climber Karl Egloff is also pursuing the same goal – aiming for the fastest round-trip time from Base Camp to the summit and back. Egloff has reportedly spent thousands of hours training in hypoxic chambers to prepare for the effort. 

The Everest legend returns

Another climber returning is the Sherpa guide widely known as the “Everest man”: Kami Rita Sherpa.

The 56-year-old has already reached the summit 31 times, more than anyone in history. This season, he plans to guide an international team while attempting summit number 32, continuing a career that began on Everest in 1994. 

Majestic Mount Everest through Vibrant Prayer Flags

Harila’s unfinished objective

Norwegian climber Kristin Harila is also returning to Everest. Harila became famous in 2023 after climbing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks in just 92 days alongside Tenjen Lama Sherpa.

This season she plans to attempt Everest without bottled oxygen, something she tried unsuccessfully last year. If conditions allow, she also hopes to complete what is sometimes called the “Triple Crown”: Everest together with nearby peaks Lhotse and Nuptse. 

Purja keeps climbing

Meanwhile, Nepali-British climber Nirmal Purja, who previously held the record for the fastest ascent of all 14 eight-thousanders, continues to expand his already extraordinary tally of high peaks.

Purja is currently attempting to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter mountains for a third time, while also guiding clients through his expedition company. 

Everest never stops attracting attention

Love it or hate it, Everest continues to draw global attention every year. Among hundreds of climbers heading toward the world’s highest mountain this season, a few returning figures ensure that the story will once again include record attempts, unfinished goals, and the possibility of new milestones. 

Anano Atabegashvili

About Anano Atabegashvili

Anano Atabegashvili is a journalist with over 7 years of experience in broadcasting and online media. She combines her two greatest passions - writing and mountains - through in-depth reporting on the world of high-altitude exploration. Though not a climber herself, she has covered remote stories, interviewed leading alpinists, and built a unique voice in expedition journalism. As the author of the Summiters Club blog, Anano delivers timely, insightful coverage of climbs, challenges, and the evolving culture of alpinism - with a journalist’s precision and a deep admiration for the mountain world.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *