Famed Sherpa guide Kami Rita reached the summit of Mount Everest for the 31st time Tuesday, breaking his own record for the most climbs to the top of the world's highest mountain. Kami Rita, 55, guided a group of clients to reach the summit in the early morning, according to Mingma Sherpa of the Kathmandu-based Seven Summits Treks. He was in good health and descending from the summit with other climbers to the base camp, he said.

Before heading to the mountain, Kami Rita had told The Associated Press he would try to climb to the top for the 31st or even possibly 32nd time. He made two successful climbs last year.

He had attempted to climb to the summit a few days ago but was forced to turn back due to bad weather.

Hundreds of climbers have attempted to climb Mount Everest from the Nepali side of the peak in the south this season, which ends this weekend. Most climbing of Everest and nearby Himalayan peaks is done in April and May, when weather conditions are most favorable.

Kami Rita, 55, first climbed Everest in 1994 and has been making the trip nearly every year since. He is one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success of foreign climbers aspiring to stand on top of the 29,032-foot mountain each year.

Known as "Everest Man," Kami Rita climbed the world's highest peak twice in the space of just two weeks last year, reaching the summit on May 12 and then on May 22, 2024, for the 29th and 30th times.

His father was among the first Sherpa mountain guides. In addition to Everest, Kami Rita has climbed other peaks that are among the world's highest, including K2, Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Lhotse.

His closest competitor for the most climbs of Mount Everest is fellow Sherpa guide Pasang Dawa, who has made 29 successful ascents of the mountain.

The fast-changing conditions on Everest make the ascent treacherous even with the Sherpas' expert guidance, and two climbers died on the mountain earlier this month. Indian climber Subrata Ghosh died just below the summit while he was returning from the top, while Philipp Santiago, from the Philippines, died on his way up after reaching Camp 4, the highest camp on the mountain.

Everest was first climbed in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepali Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

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