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On October 29th, Nirmal Purja Magar—aka, Nims, as he likes to be called–reached the top of Shishapangma. And with this summit he also achieved a goal that had long been considered logistically, if not physically, impossible: climbing all of the world’s 14 8,000-meter mountains in a single year.
In fact, Nims needed just seven months to do it.
8,000-meter peak bagging is sport unto itself. These mountains attract a certain type. Most of us might guess that type to be C-level executives at fortune 500 companies, or perhaps descendants of British colonialists and African safari hunters who razed down black rhinos on Kenyan plains just for fun. There’s a certain European stuffiness to the club of 8,000-meter conquistadors.
Nims is not really part of that club, which perhaps explains why his style was so heavily critiqued in the aftermath by the in-crowd. Nims used all the means necessary to get the job done: fixed ropes, helicopter rides between peaks and base camps, Sherpa support, and oxygen.
It’s hard to know what to make of any of this, especially given how little Chris and I fucking care about 8,000-meter climbing. Which is why we brought in some help, our good friend and fellow journalist Freddie Wilkinson, who interviewed Nims at Everest base camp earlier this spring.
This is Andrew Bisharat, and I’m here as always with Chris Kalous, and you’re listening to the Run Out. Please enjoy our conversation with the always entertaining and informative Freddie Wilkinson.
One response to “RunOut #32: Nims Conquers All”
Just listened to this today and and enjoyed it. You guys are always interesting and entertaining and Its always great to get Freddie’s take on mountain matters.
I was kinda struck, though, by C. Kalous’ comment suggesting that Nims’ accomplishment was somewhat tainted (my word, not his) by his any means necessary approach to accomplishing his goal (e.g., using fixed ropes, oxygen, etc.). Having just seen Reel Rock and the technique Honnold and Caldwell used to set the speed record on the Nose (e.g., pulling on gear), like those before them, I was thinking that rock climbing purists (whatever/whoever that/they are) would frown on their style. But everyone (it seems) respects their accomplishment. Why? Because it’s in its own category. Now if someone were to beat Honnold’s time free soloing the Captain people might not be so forgiving of the current any means necessary speed record. But until then, we’ll keep watching people trying to climb that thing faster and faster and applaud their efforts (unless they deck). So, basically, what Nims accomplished is in a different category than the prior record holder (honestly though, I don’t know if the prior record holder use ox, or fixed ropes, etc) or other contemporary 8000m climbers in the elite category, but a damn impressive accomplishment nonetheless.
Anyway, as I’m sure we can agree, none of this really matters in the big scheme of things ‘cause, after all, it’s just climbing.
Keep up the good work.