Where is lhakpa sherpa now

Overview

Lhakpa Sherpa is a legendary Nepali mountaineer who has redefined what's possible for women in high-altitude climbing. Born in 1973 in the remote Makalu region of Nepal, she grew up in poverty without formal education, working as a porter from age 16. Her journey from carrying loads for expeditions to leading them represents one of mountaineering's most remarkable transformations. Today, she stands as the most accomplished female Everest climber in history, with achievements that have shattered gender barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Sherpa's current life balances her Himalayan climbing career with her home in Connecticut, USA, where she moved in 2006. She works seasonally as a climbing guide while raising her two daughters and running her nonprofit organization. Despite facing significant challenges including language barriers, cultural adjustments, and financial struggles, she has maintained her climbing career for over two decades. Her story represents not just athletic achievement but also cultural adaptation and women's empowerment on a global scale.

How It Works

Lhakpa Sherpa's current activities and lifestyle reflect her dual identity as both a world-class mountaineer and an immigrant mother building a new life in America.

• Current Residence and Family Life: Sherpa lives in West Hartford, Connecticut with her two daughters, Shiny Dijmarescu and Nima Dijmarescu. She moved to the United States in 2006 after marrying Romanian-American climber George Dijmarescu, though they later divorced. Her daily life involves balancing motherhood with training, often using local gyms and nearby mountains to maintain her climbing fitness while ensuring her daughters receive American education opportunities she never had.
• Climbing Career and Guiding: Each spring, Sherpa returns to Nepal to guide Everest expeditions, typically working with Seven Summit Treks or other reputable companies. Her guiding season runs from late March through May, during which she makes the dangerous journey up Everest's standard Southeast Ridge route. At age 51 (as of 2024), she continues to demonstrate remarkable endurance, having completed her 10th summit in 2022 despite being older than most commercial guides on the mountain.
• Nonprofit Leadership: In 2021, Sherpa founded Cloudscape Climbing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women in mountaineering. The organization provides gear, training, and mentorship to aspiring female climbers from disadvantaged backgrounds. Through this initiative, she channels her experience into creating opportunities for other women, particularly from Nepal's remote regions where climbing remains largely inaccessible to women.
• Record-Breaking Achievements: Sherpa's climbing resume includes not just her 10 Everest summits but also ascents of other major peaks. She has climbed Cho Oyu (8,188 meters) and has attempted K2, the world's second-highest mountain. Her Everest record began in 2000 when she became the first Nepali woman to summit and return alive, breaking a tragic pattern where previous Nepali women had died on descent.

Key Comparisons

Why It Matters

• Gender Barrier Breaking: Sherpa's 10 Everest summits have fundamentally changed perceptions of women's capabilities in high-altitude mountaineering. Before her record-breaking career, only 11% of Everest summiteers were women; today that number has increased to approximately 20%, partly due to trailblazers like Sherpa. Her achievements prove that women can not only summit Everest but do so repeatedly and successfully guide others.
• Cultural Representation: As a Sherpa woman from an impoverished background, her success challenges stereotypes about both gender and ethnicity in mountaineering. While Sherpa men have long been recognized as essential to Himalayan climbing, Sherpa women were largely excluded until recent decades. Her career has opened doors for other Nepali women, with female participation in Nepali mountaineering increasing by 300% since her first summit in 2000.
• Immigrant Success Story: Sherpa's transition from Nepali village life to American suburbia while maintaining her climbing career represents a unique immigrant narrative. She has navigated language barriers, cultural differences, and single motherhood while continuing to excel in her profession. Her story inspires not just climbers but anyone facing adaptation challenges in new environments.

Looking forward, Lhakpa Sherpa shows no signs of slowing down despite being in her fifties—an age when most high-altitude climbers have retired. She has expressed interest in attempting Everest again and continuing to expand her nonprofit's reach. Her legacy extends beyond summit records to changing how the world views women in extreme sports, particularly from developing nations. As climate change and commercialization transform Everest, Sherpa's experience-based wisdom becomes increasingly valuable for future generations of climbers seeking to balance achievement with safety and sustainability in the world's highest mountains.