Bad dream stopped Everest guide from climbing peak 26th time

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A record-holding Sherpa climber halted his attempt to scale Mount Everest for a 26th time because of a bad dream but plans to try again next year.

Kami Rita already reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain for a record 25th time earlier this month but stopped his most recent climb more than halfway to the top.

“I was making (the 26th) attempt and had reached up to Camp Three but the weather turned bad and I had a really bad dream,” Rita said on return to Kathmandu on a helicopter from the mountain on Tuesday.

“The gods were telling me not to go and because I really believe in God, I decided to return,” he said but would not elaborate on the dream.

Sherpas believe Everest to be a goddess and have a religious ceremony before stepping on the mountain to make their climbs.

Rita said he would certainly return next year to try to scale the peak a 26th time.

His wife, a few of his friends and government officials greeted him at the Kathmandu airport, but there was no celebratory parade like in the past because the capital is under lockdown due to spiking cases of coronavirus.

Rita and 11 other Sherpa guides reached the summit on May 7 and fixed ropes that enabled hundreds of other climbers to use the icy route to the top.