He was among the support Sherpas in the historic 1953 Everest expedition and remained the final living connection to that climb.
Passing Marks End of an Era
Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the 1953 expedition that saw Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquer Mount Everest, passed away at age 92.
He died at his home in Kapan, Kathmandu, Nepal, after a period of illness, as confirmed by Phur Gelje Sherpa, President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
His last rites are scheduled for Monday.
Role in 1953 Everest Expedition
- Kanchha was one of 35 members of the 1953 British expedition that supported Hillary and Tenzing during history’s first successful summit of Mount Everest.
- He was among three Sherpas who reached the final camp before the summit push, though his wife had asked him not to attempt the final leg due to safety concerns.
- Kanchha never summited himself, but his contributions were vital in forging the route later used by countless climbers.
Life, Legacy & Later Years
- Born in 1933 in Namche, in Nepal’s Everest region, he began working in mountaineering as a teenager.
- After the historic expedition, he continued in the mountaineering field until his wife urged him to stop.
- In later years, Kanchha voiced concerns about the commercialization and pollution of Everest, calling for fewer climbers and greater respect for the mountain sacred to Sherpas.
Significance of His Death
| What Kanchha Represents | What’s Lost Now |
|---|---|
| A direct living link to Everest’s first summit | Firsthand memories of the 1953 expedition |
| Custodian of Sherpa mountaineering history | A symbolic chapter in Himalayan mountaineering closes |
His passing is more than a personal loss—it marks the closing of a direct human link to one of the greatest achievements in mountaineering history.
