Lakpa breaks his own record, route to Makalu summit opens – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, APRIL 10

Renowned climber Lakpa Sherpa has successfully summited Mt Makalu (8,485 meters) for the eighth time. He also led the rope-fixing team to the top, officially opening the route to the world’s fifth-highest peak for the 2025 spring season.

The summit push was completed at approximately 10:20 AM on Wednesday, with Kipa Sherpa also reaching the top alongside the team, according to the Seven Summit Treks. With the route now open, climbers who have completed their acclimatization rotations are preparing to make their summit bids, while others are en route to the base camp, SST added.

This successful ascent marks the first summit of Makalu this season and the fifth 8,000-metre peak to be scaled this spring.

Icefall Doctors

Meanwhile, on Mt Everest, the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has announced the successful completion of route fixing through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall.

The team of Icefall Doctors reached up to the Nuptse face, laying 2,200 metres of rope in a single day, according to the SPCC CEO Tshering Sherpa.

Despite harsh weather conditions, the Icefall Doctors worked for 18 continuous hours to secure the path. Their efforts officially mark the opening of the 2025 Everest climbing season, Sherpa added.

An eight-member team of icefall doctors on March 9 left for the Mt Everest base camp from Namche Bazaar to fix a climbing route up to Camp II in the world’s highest peak.

The team is responsible for fixing and maintaining the Khumbu icefall route for climbers attempting Mt Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse in the spring 2025 climbing season, Sherpa informed.

SPCC has been assigned to handle icefall doctors and garbage in the Everest region by the government. Annually, SPCC deploys a team of icefall doctors at the base camp to fix a climbing route after world climbers planned to summit different peaks, including Mt Everest, in the spring climbing season.

The experienced ice doctors work tirelessly to open climbing routes by fixing ladders and ropes for the main climbing season, Sherpa informed.