16/10/2025
Kanchha Sherpa (1933 – 2025): The Last Survivor of the First Everest Expedition Dies at 92
The Himalayan climbing community is mourning the death of Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the 1953 British expedition that first reached the summit of Mount Everest. He passed away early Thursday in Kathmandu, aged 92, marking the end of a living link to one of humanity’s greatest mountain achievements.
From Namche to the Roof of the World
Born in Namche Bazaar in 1933, Kanchha Sherpa grew up herding yaks and carrying supplies along the rugged trails of the Khumbu Valley. At 19, with no prior mountaineering experience, he joined the legendary team led by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.
Assigned as a high-altitude porter, he helped haul tents, food, and oxygen cylinders through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall on a 16-day trek to Base Camp. His journey eventually took him above 8,000 meters (26,200 ft)—a height few humans had reached at the time.
Kanchha Sherpa witnessed history unfold on May 29, 1953, when Hillary and Tenzing stood on the summit of the world’s highest mountain, 8,848 meters (29,029 ft). For the young porter, it was the beginning of a lifelong bond between the Sherpa community and the modern mountaineering world.
“We’ve Lost Our Guardian”
Family members said Kanchha had been unwell for several days before his death. His grandson Tenzing Chogyal Sherpa told AFP:
“He had been weak for a few days. He passed peacefully early this morning.”
The president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Fur Gelje Sherpa, described him as a cultural treasure:
“He was a living legend and an inspiration for everyone working in the mountains. We’ve lost our guardian.”
After the historic expedition, Kanchha continued working in the Himalaya for nearly two decades. He later retired at his wife’s request, following the deaths of many fellow Sherpas on commercial climbs.
The End of an Era
With Kanchha Sherpa’s passing, the last eyewitness to the 1953 ascent is gone. The expedition not only placed two men atop Everest but also transformed Nepal’s identity, opening the door to global adventure tourism and professional guiding.
Sherpas—once village porters—became elite high-altitude specialists. Today, hundreds of Nepali climbers assist international teams each spring, continuing the legacy that Kanchha helped begin.
Historians note that his death symbolizes the close of Everest’s pioneering chapter, when courage outweighed technology and faith carried climbers into the unknown.
A Legacy Beyond the Summit
In his later years, Kanchha lived quietly in Namche Bazaar, sharing stories with young guides and advocating for safer climbing conditions and education for Sherpa children. Visitors often found him outside his teahouse, smiling beneath the towering white peaks that defined his life.
His humility, endurance, and devotion to the mountains remain woven into the cultural fabric of the Khumbu region.
📸 Photo: Prakash Mathema / AFP / File
🔗 Sources: AFP, Nepal Mountaineering Association, Himalayan Database
https://www.extremetur.com/kanchha-sherpa-1933-2025-the-last-survivor-of-the-first-everest-expedition-dies-at-92/
