In 1953, a 33-year-old beekeeper named Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, an Everest veteran with six previous attempts under his belt, summited the highest peak on Earth. They were the first of many. Now, all these years later, thousands of people travel to Mount Everest to stand at the top of the world, and nearly all of them use guides. Guides like Apa Sherpa, who has been to the top of Mount Everest a staggering 21 times.
When Apa was 12-years-old, he became a high-altitude porter—basically someone who would carry gear for climbers. And although he didn’t have many other options, growing up in the shadow of the highest peak on Earth gave him one very big opportunity: he became the world-record holder for Everest summits. In May of 2011, he made his 21st Mount Everest summit, then called it quits.
Although Sir Edmund Hillary had been on four Himalayan expeditions in the two years prior to his summiting of Everest in 1953, longtime Everest guide Russell Brice once said he was “the first guided client on Everest.” Sherpas are a necessity on one of the planet’s great adventures. But even though they guide the wealthy to the top, many of them are poor with no real opportunities for education beyond the mountains.
Now, Apa Sherpa is working to make a brighter future for the children of Nepal, because although the mountain gave him everything, not everyone ends up in the same position. “I climbed Everest 21 times,” he says. “But I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”
The video you see above is part of National Geographic‘s Short Film Showcase. It “spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the web.”
