Norwegian mountaineer Kristin Harila successfully summited Mount Lhotse (8,516m) on Thursday morning, marking the second major step in her ambitious “Triple Crown” challenge in the Khumbu region. The expedition involves a rare single-season ascent of three Himalayan giants, Nuptse, Lhotse and Mount Everest, without the use of supplemental oxygen.
Back-to-Back Ascents Without Supplemental Oxygen
Harila’s successful Lhotse summit on May 21 comes just days after she climbed Nuptse (7,861m) on May 17, both achieved without the use of supplemental oxygen. According to Chhang Dawa Sherpa, who is managing the expedition through Seven Summit Treks, Harila is now expected to attempt Mount Everest within the next day or two, weather and conditions permitting. He confirmed that the Lhotse ascent was completed successfully under controlled conditions, further strengthening her progress toward the rare Himalayan objective.
The Rare Triple Crown Challenge
The “Triple Crown” challenge, linking Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest in a single season, is considered one of the most demanding objectives in modern high-altitude mountaineering.
Completing all three peaks without supplemental oxygen would place the achievement in an exceptionally rare category, given the extreme altitude, technical difficulty and tight weather windows in the Khumbu region.
Strong Sherpa Partnership and Expedition Support
Harila is being accompanied by experienced Sherpa climber Mingtemba Sherpa, with whom she also summited Nuptse in a single push from Everest Base Camp earlier in the season. Mingtemba Sherpa also played a key role in fixing the Everest summit route on May 13, ensuring safer passage for climbers during the current season.
Record of Extreme High-Altitude Achievements
Kristin Harila is already among the world’s most accomplished high-altitude climbers. She has previously summited all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters and set a world record in 2023 by completing all 14 in just 92 days. Her ongoing Himalayan expedition is now being closely watched by the global mountaineering community as she moves closer to completing one of the rarest multi-peak challenges in the region.
