A British climber has broken his own record by climbing Mount Everest for the 19th time.
Kenton Cool reached the 29,032ft peak for the 19th time this morning, the most times a non-sherpa has ever achieved that feat.
The adventurer from Gloucestershire first trekked up the world’s tallest mountain in 2004 and has been doing it almost every year since.
The 51-year-old was once told he would never walk unaided again after injuring both his feet in an accident.
But he has now scaled 551,000ft worth of Everest, and has a host of other incredible records to his name.
Kenton’s team told Metro he has now reached Camp 2 on his descent down the mountain and should arrive at Base Camp tomorrow.
The explorer’s first ascent of Everest took place in 2004, but the climbing seasons were cancelled in 2014 and 2015 due to tragedies, and the coronavirus pandemic also stopped him in 2020.
This time around he took the most popular Southeast Ridge route to reach Everest’s top.
This is the standard route to the top pioneered by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, when the mountain was first scaled.
Since then a number of people have completed the route multiple times.
Sherpas, who are local guides and highly skilled climbers, have done it the most.
Sherpa Kami Rita holds the record for the greatest number of ascents of Everest at 30, and he is currently on another climb up to the ton in pursuit of number 31.
But Kenton holds the record for the most Everest climbs for any non-sherpa, having first claimed the title after his 16th go in 2022.
Before setting off on the climb this time around, Kenton told his 93,000 Instagram followers that he had been waiting for days at Everest’s base camp for a clear forecast.
The explorer said four days ago: ‘We finally have a forecast that looks favourable.
‘Fingers crossed it all goes well. I am a little concerned about what the crowds may be.
‘At last we are moving again. Very exciting times.’
Michael and his sherpa Dorji Gyaljen safely made it to Camp 3 two days later.
They then reached the summit at 11am Nepalese time (5:15am BST) on May 18.
This achievement is not the only record Kenton has broken.
He also claims to be the first person to have completed the ‘Everest triple crown’ – climbing the giant Himalayan mountains Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse in a single season without returning to base camp.
This is all from the man who was told in 1996 that he would never walk unaided again.
He had shattered both his heel bones in a rock-climbing accident but defied expectations to get back on his feet.
Nepal has issued 468 permits, to the tune of £8,200 each, for the climbing season that ends this month.
More than 8,000 people in total have scaled the world’s tallest mountain.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.