Oct 8, 2026 · 55 min · 23 segments
Mount Everest record-holder Lhakpa Sherpa has spent her life climbing—mountains, barriers, and her way through extraordinary hardship. We talk about becoming the first Nepali woman to summit Everest…
Lhakpa SherpaGuest
Cheryl StrayedHost
We met, uh, back in 2024 in Telluride, Colorado, when we were both there at the Mountain Film Festival, and of course, the beautiful film about you, Mountain Queen, that Lucy Walker, uh, made, her documentary, uh, that has really touched so many around the world since, since I saw it at that festival back in 2024.
We chatted a little bit, and I want to tell you, Lhakpa, you are truly a personal inspiration to me, so it's my great privilege to get to talk to you here.
That is, that is a h- hard work things is coming and people like it, and I'm so happy, you know, people really appreciate my documentaries.
It is, um, th- that film is very much, I think, uh, a look at not just, you know, your most recent achievements, but really a lifetime of achievements and a lifetime of, of struggle and hardship and also resilience and excellence.
And then here we are, 26 years later, another May, May of 2026, you broke your own record.
You summited Mount Everest for the 11th time, um, you know, now in your early 50s.
And I'm curious, let's start, let's start at the end, and then we'll work our way back to the beginning.
How did that feel, uh, for you, uh, you know, last May to be standing there knowing that you did that 11 times, um, and that you, that you are the woman who has summited Everest the most?
At that time, no have a social media, no camera, and, uh, I'm very young, a young girl looking opportunity myself, no school.
I born wrong area Uh, I born in Hunariste, maybe I'm very good with sport children.
Uh, my mom was born this very wrong mountains, village, you know? They no have any sport.
We met, uh, back in 2024 in Telluride, Colorado, when we were both there at the Mountain Film Festival, and of course, the beautiful film about you, Mountain Queen, that Lucy Walker, uh, made, her documentary, uh, that has really touched so many around the world since, since I saw it at that festival back in 2024.
We chatted a little bit, and I want to tell you, Lhakpa, you are truly a personal inspiration to me, so it's my great privilege to get to talk to you here.
That is, that is a h- hard work things is coming and people like it, and I'm so happy, you know, people really appreciate my documentaries.
It is, um, th- that film is very much, I think, uh, a look at not just, you know, your most recent achievements, but really a lifetime of achievements and a lifetime of, of struggle and hardship and also resilience and excellence.
And then here we are, 26 years later, another May, May of 2026, you broke your own record.
You summited Mount Everest for the 11th time, um, you know, now in your early 50s.
And I'm curious, let's start, let's start at the end, and then we'll work our way back to the beginning.
How did that feel, uh, for you, uh, you know, last May to be standing there knowing that you did that 11 times, um, and that you, that you are the woman who has summited Everest the most?
At that time, no have a social media, no camera, and, uh, I'm very young, a young girl looking opportunity myself, no school.
I born wrong area Uh, I born in Hunariste, maybe I'm very good with sport children.
Uh, my mom was born this very wrong mountains, village, you know? They no have any sport.
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