Nepal Now / Stories / Archive 2016
Sherpa Akita wants to encourage more young women to take up mountaineering
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Mountaineer Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita spoke to FOX 31 Denver following her ‘National Geographic 2016 People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year’ win.
“This award is important to me to promote and encourage young woman in mountaineering.” – Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita
Sherpa also shared the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry, her relief efforts post-earthquake and her summit experience of K2.
When news first broke that she was nominated for the coveted National Geographic 2016 People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year, posts calling for people to vote for her went viral on social media platforms in Nepal.
On February 4, National Geographic announced that Sherpa Akita had indeed won the title of ‘People’s Choice Adventurer of the Year’. She was one of the ‘10 Adventurers of the Year 2016’ from around the world whose extraordinary achievements in exploration, conservation, humanitarianism and adventure sports was deemed exemplary including Dawn Wall climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson.
Sherpa was born in Khumjung village in Solukhumbu and has ascended Mount Everest, K2, Nangpai Gosum II, Ama Dablam and many other peaks in and outside of Nepal. She is considered one of the best mountaineers in Nepal. Sherpa also played a crucial role in relief efforts post the Gorkha quake in April, last year and is an advocate of girls’ rights to education.