Night trail run in Kathmandu marks 73 years since first Qomolangma ascent

By Zheng Yiwen and Ram Kaji Tiwari

Kathmandu (CNS) -- More than 400 runners wound through trails in Kathmandu after dark on Friday in a night trail run marking the 73rd anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Qomolangma, known in the West as Mount Everest.

The event, titled “The North Face Mountain Quest at International Everest Day,”  also featured a panel discussion with climbers and mountain professionals.

It marked Nepal’s first 7.5-kilometer night trail race.

According to the organizers, all places sold out on the day registration opened. 

The organizers also pledged to donate $5 in the name of each finisher toward waste cleanup and environmental protection in the Qomolangma region.

The event attracted notable mountaineers, including Kami Rita Sherpa, who holds the record for the most Everest summits with 32 ascents, and Lhakpa Sherpa, an 11-time Everest summiteer often referred to as the “Mountain Queen.” Both of them met with participants.

Ahead of the run, the panel brought together Dawa Yangzum Sherpa, a The North Face Global Athlete and the first Nepali woman to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks; Nepali mountaineer Maya Sherpa; high-altitude photographer Manish Tamang; and mountain guide Riten Tashi Sherpa.

They shared insights on high-altitude expeditions, challenges faced by Nepal’s female mountain guides, and mountain conservation efforts.

The event came just as Nepal wrapped up another busy Everest season. As of May 15, tourism authorities had issued a record 494 climbing permits for the spring, renewing concern over waste and environmental pressure on the mountain’s southern slopes.