Dawa Yangzum Sherpa | |
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Born | 1990 (age 34–35) |
Other names | DaYangzum Sherpa |
Occupation | Mountain guide |
Employer | Alpine Ascents International |
Known for | Mountain guide, first Nepalese woman to summit all 14 eight-thousanders |
Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, also known as Dawa Yangzum, is a Nepalese mountaineer and the first woman to become an international mountain guide from Nepal. In October 2024, she became the first Nepalese woman to summit all 14 eight-thousanders.
Dawa Yangzum started her professional mountain climbing in 2009 with Yala Peak marking her first summit. [1] She became one of the iconic Nepali mountain climbers in the history after climbing Mount Everest in 2012. [2] In 2017, she received a certification from the International Federation of Mountain Guides Association and qualified to become an international mountain guide in the same year. [1] [3] In March 2019, she signed a professional agreement with a US outdoor recreation product company, making her one of the few professional Nepali mountaineers to be paid as an athlete by a major western company. [4]
Dawa Yangzum has climbed Everest several times [5] and she became the first female Nepali woman to summit the fifth highest peak Makalu on 29 May 2019. [6] [7] On 26 July 2014, she was part of the all female 3-member Nepali contingent to summit K2. The other prominent members were Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita and Maya Sherpa. [4] She also became the first woman to reach the true summit of Manaslu in autumn 2021. [8]
On 9 October 2024, Sherpa summitted Shishapangma, her final eight-thousander. With this climb, she became the first Nepalese woman to summit all 14 of the eight-thousanders. [9]