San Francisco Frontiers - Missing climber Nirmal Purja redefined mountaineering

Purja, 43, served with Britain's Brigade of Gurkhas and then the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines before becoming a full-time mountaineer and guide.

In 2019, he famously completed the summit of the 14 highest peaks in the world in just over six months, shattering the previous record of seven years.

The determined climber had the 14 mountains tattooed across his back, complete with swirling clouds and Tibetan prayer flags.

His efforts were chronicled in a 2021 Netflix documentary, inspiring a new wave of climbers.

But Purja has also faced criticism for his use of guides, oxygen and fixed ropes, as well as helicopters to go from one base camp to another.

In 2021, Purja made history with the first winter ascent of the treacherous K2, the world's second-highest peak, along with a team of nine other Nepali climbers.

Purja wrote on X this week that he was close to becoming the first person to climb all 14 "super peaks" twice without oxygen.

"Broad Peak, I ask for nothing but safe passage up and back down," he wrote.

"My purpose has never been about me. It's about what I represent. It's about showing YOU that your own mountains -- whatever they are -- are climbable."

Broad Peak, part of the Karakoram range in northern Pakistan, is the world's 12th-highest mountain and is regarded as one of the toughest and most technical climbs of all the 8,000-metre plus ascents.

- 'Everyone asks you about Everest' –

Born in a village in western Nepal, Purja joined the Gurkhas -- a brigade of Nepalis in British army famous for their fearlessness -- in his teens.

He later served in the elite special forces as an extreme cold weather warfare specialist.

The adventurer told AFP in a 2019 interview that even a pair of flip-flops were a luxury for him when he was a child.

Known by the nickname "Nimsdai", his tryst with mountaineering began on a trek to an Everest base camp in 2012 when he summited the 6,119-metre (20,075-foot) Lobuche.

He climbed his first "8,000er" in 2014. Two years later, when a period of leave following a deployment to Afghanistan coincided with the climbing season, he made his first ascent of Everest.

"If you are from Nepal, everyone asks you about Everest. So I then used my breaks for mountaineering," he said.

Next year he was back on the mountain, leading a successful Gurkha climbing expedition and was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his work in high-altitude mountaineering.

Later, he swapped his army boots for crampons, quitting the military after 16 years of service.

- Inspiration –

He then re-mortgaged his house to raise funds for his high-altitude, high-speed quest of the 14 highest peaks.

After his record-breaking feat, he opened a mountain expedition company, taking climbers up the highest peaks across the world every season.

He became a much sought-after guide after the Netflix documentary gave him global recognition.

In 2024, two women mountaineers accused Purja of sexual harassment and assault, which he denied.

In the 2019 interview with AFP, Purja had said he hoped his feat would inspire the next generation of Nepali climbers to break his records.

"As a Nepali, I hope my climbs put a spotlight on the talented climbers here," he said.

Nepali guides, usually ethnic Sherpas from the valleys around Everest, are the backbone of the country's lucrative climbing industry, but often do not get as much credit or accolades as international climbers.

Long relegated to supporting roles, Nepali climbers began gaining recognition in their own right as Purja's global profile shone a spotlight on their achievements.

Through his foundation, Purja funded education and mountain clean-ups. He also built a porter's house on the Everest route to provide safe housing for them.

Despite several records under his belt, Purja constantly sought new adventures.

"There are always (new) boundaries," he told AFP.

"(That's) human, that's what we do."

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Y.Harris--SFF