Sanu Sherpa : “Just Doing His Job” – From Carrying Salt to Historic 14 Peaks Twice
In the village of Walang in Nepal’s Sankhuwasabha district, where the mighty Makalu towers over stone houses, a legend was born on April 30, 1975.
Sanu Sherpa, now 50 years old, has achieved something no human being has ever accomplished before he has climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks twice, making him the first and only person to hold this historic record.
But Sanu’s story isn’t just about breaking records or climbing mountains. It’s about a village boy who carried salt for half a month just to reach the nearest market, who herded yaks in tattered clothes while dreaming of wearing proper mountain gear, and who turned his childhood struggles into the foundation of an unprecedented mountaineering career.
The Boy Who Carried Salt
Growing up in Walang, Sanu’s childhood was shaped by the harsh realities of mountain life. At just 13 years old, he was already making the grueling journey to Hile Bazaar to fetch salt – a round trip that took half a month on foot.
This wasn’t unusual for children in his village, where trading yak butter for essential supplies like salt, clothing, and kerosene was a way of life.
“As a child, I heard a lot about vehicles in the town, and my longing to see one encouraged me to go,” Sanu recalls. These early journeys, sleeping under trees, in caves, or near water bodies, were his first taste of the toughness that would later make him a mountaineering legend.
Most of his childhood was spent herding cattle and helping with household chores. School was a luxury he could barely afford attending classes only twice a week before stopping altogether by grade three. The mountains were his classroom, and hardship was his teacher.
The constant threat of leopards attacking his sheep, losing cattle in the highlands, and facing his father’s scolding for missing livestock made village life incredibly challenging. “At such times, I wished to flee my village,” Sanu remembers, “but with no money in my wallet and torn pants, I didn’t have the guts to leave.”
From Herder to Porter
At 15 or 16, Sanu got his first job as a porter, carrying loads for trekking expeditions. The sight of well-equipped foreign trekkers with their proper boots, bags, and clothing mesmerized him. While he and other village boys struggled with heavy loads in worn-out shoes and tattered clothes, he wondered, “How wonderful it would be to wear such nice things!”
His first porter job paid him 200 rupees a day (about $1.50), and after six days of work, he earned 1,200 rupees. True to his character, he gave all the money to his parents, keeping only 50 rupees as pocket money. “It was a huge blessing to get loads back then,” he reflects.
But portering was seasonal work, and during off-seasons, Sanu continued herding livestock. The cycle of poverty seemed endless, and he often missed opportunities for tourist work while tending to cattle in remote highlands.
Marriage and the Great Departure
Following village tradition, Sanu married at 17. Three years later, he separated from his parents’ household and received a modest plot of land and about a dozen sheep and goats. But this wasn’t enough to support his growing family. In the early 2000s, while most people from his village went to Darjeeling, India, for work, Sanu had bigger dreams he wanted to reach Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital.
At 31, with his wife borrowing 1,500 rupees from a local grandmother, Sanu made the life-changing decision to leave his village. He kept 1,000 rupees and left the rest for his family’s expenses. The journey to Kathmandu took him three days two days walking to reach the nearest bus stop, then a night bus ride to the capital.
For a man from a remote village, Kathmandu was overwhelming. He stayed with relatives initially, eventually borrowing 5,000 rupees from them to rent his own room. His relatives had borrowed this money from others, showing the community spirit that would follow Sanu throughout his career.
The Mountain Calls
Sanu’s entry into mountaineering was neither planned nor glamorous. He and a friend knocked on doors of trekking companies during the off-season, looking for any work available. He finally got a job as a porter with a company that served British tourists, carrying 40 kilograms of gear to the Manaslu region via Larkey Pass.
When poor weather and snowfall prevented the team from crossing the pass, other porters abandoned their loads and returned to camp empty-handed. But Sanu was different. “As the strongest of all the porters, I found it easy to carry the hefty burden,” he recalls. He not only carried his own load but also gathered all the abandoned equipment and brought it back to camp.
This act of dedication caught the attention of Ang Phurba, a guide who became impressed by Sanu’s work ethic. He recommended Sanu to other guides and companies as the “muscular and diligent man,” marking Sanu’s entry into the tourism industry.
For nine years, Sanu worked for Trekking Camp Nepal, owned by Wangchu Sherpa, who became like a godfather to him. “He helped me get employment when I first started out,” Sanu says with gratitude. Wangchu later sent him on expeditions to Island Peak, Annapurna, and ABC regions, always carrying the full weight of climbing equipment in a bamboo basket.
The Accidental Mountaineer
In 2006, everything changed when Wangchu told Sanu to get a passport. The purpose became clear when his boss assigned him to accompany Korean clients on a Cho Oyu expedition from the Chinese side. Sanu was amazed: “How could a porter like me get a chance to climb an 8,000-meter peak so soon?”
That year, at 32, Sanu successfully climbed Cho Oyu (8,012m) on his first attempt, officially becoming a mountaineer. The expedition included 19 Korean climbers and only two Sherpas. Despite being inexperienced compared to his companions, Sanu learned quickly, offering tea and snacks to other Sherpas in exchange for knowledge about using climbing gear on big mountains.
“I imagined that 8K peaks are unique and require specialized knowledge. But technical proficiency, however, was not different from other smaller summits,” he discovered. The expedition taught him that physical strength and mental determination were more important than technical complexity.
The Everest Dream
In 2007, Sanu joined a team of 16 foreign climbers and 7 Nepali Sherpas to climb Mount Everest. He had eagerly awaited this moment, knowing that Everest climbers were in high demand in the market. The expedition took nearly 50 days, but when he finally reached the summit of the world’s highest peak, it was a moment of pure joy.
“For me, ascending mountains was an easy task despite hardship, fatigue, or risks associated with climbing,” Sanu explains. This first Everest summit opened doors to more opportunities, and expedition companies began seeking him out regularly.
The Unintended Record Breaker
Between 2006 and 2019, Sanu climbed all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, becoming the 41st person in the world and the third Nepali to achieve this feat. But his journey didn’t stop there. By 2019, he had double summits on half of the 14 peaks when a foreign climber suggested he try to complete the double set.
“I never intended to scale peaks for records,” Sanu emphasizes. “I am just doing my job for livelihood.” This humble approach to what others might see as glory defines his character.
On July 21, 2022, after climbing Gasherbrum II, he created history by becoming the first person to double summit all 14 eight-thousanders. When controversy arose about Manaslu’s real summit versus fore summit, he quietly climbed the real summit twice in five days during autumn 2022, settling the debate through action rather than words.
The Philosophy of a Mountain Man
Today, Sanu Sherpa has completed 40 successful ascents of 8,000-meter peaks and 53 climbing expeditions to these mountains. He has climbed Mount Everest eight times, making it his most frequently summited peak. His achievement record includes multiple ascents of every major peak: Manaslu five times, K2 three times, Kanchenjunga three times, and the list goes on.
But when asked about attempting a triple summit of all 14 peaks, he simply shakes his head. “No.” His concerns have shifted from personal achievement to larger issues affecting the mountains and the climbing community.
“Two things that concern me are the garbage heaps and the impact of climate change in the mountains,” he explains. He urges the government to pay attention to the future of mountain workers, their social security, insurance, accidental loss, and other needs.
Sanu has seen the dark side of his profession he said to the BBC. “I have seen many dead bodies while going up or descending the mountain,” he says soberly. “I am walking the same route or the same mountain. How would my family and children live if I met the same fate?” On average, 14 people die every year on Nepal’s eight-thousanders, with about a third of Everest deaths being Nepali guides and porters.
The Man Behind the Legend
Despite his extraordinary achievements, Sanu remains remarkably humble. He lives with his wife Kidiki Sherpa, four daughters, and a son. His family often tells him he has faced enough challenges in the mountains and should hang up his boots, but for Sanu, the mountains are more than just his workplace – they’re his identity.
“Sometimes I want to go and sometimes I don’t want to,” he admits. “What to do except climbing? There is no other job. That’s the only skill I achieved so far.”
In 2025, at 50 years old, Sanu completed four high mountains this year before taking a break. “Now simply on my resting phase after cancellation of my Pakistan plan. I will continue my journey from September,” he says, showing that his passion for climbing remains strong.
A Legacy Beyond Records
Sanu Sherpa’s story represents more than individual achievement. It portrays the spirit of the Sherpa community, whose members serve as the backbone of the Himalayan climbing industry. They carry equipment, fix ropes, repair ladders, and guide foreign climbers, often at great personal risk.
Sanu’s approach has always been about the work, not the fame.
“What I have done is not something that is impossible,” he tells those who marvel at his achievements. “I was just doing my job.”
From a village boy who carried salt in a bamboo basket to the first person to double summit all 14 eight-thousanders, Sanu Sherpa’s journey is one of quiet determination, dedication, and humble service. His story reminds us that true greatness often comes not from seeking glory, but from simply doing your job with integrity, day after day, step by step, summit after summit.
As he prepares for his next climbing season, the shy, modest, and soft-spoken village herder who became a legendary mountaineer continues his journey. “I will keep climbing mountains,” he says simply, carrying the dreams of his village and the pride of his nation to the world’s highest peaks.
