Nirmal Purja summits 5th eight-thousander in 12 days, ends 1st phase of "Project Possible"

Dream Wanderlust | May 24 , 2019

Nirmal Purja, ex-Gurkha soldier, in his ambitious mission – "Project Possible", summited Makalu today morning at 6am, thus completing the Phase 1 of the project. This is his sixth eight-thousander in this session, after Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kangchenjunga, Everest and Lhotse. By the latest report of statistics so far, today’s Makalu summit marks his 5th eight-thousander in 12 days since he climbed Dhaulagiri (8167m) on 12th May, alongside Mingma “David” Sherpa, Zekson Son, Geljen Sherpa, and Tensi Kasang. They also stood tall atop the summit of Annapurna-I on 23rd April at 3pm, making the first summit of this spring season. Therefore, upon conquering six eight-thousander summits in one mouth, Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja is already way ahead of his predicted timeline to finish the 1st phase of ‘Project Possible’. According to the recent statistics, Nirmal climbed 3 eight-thousanders - Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu within 2 days 30 minutes (record achieved on 24th May, 2019), breaking his own previous record of 5 days 3 hours 35 minutes (record achieved on 1st June, 2017).

His Achievements in Spring 2019 (so far)

1. Summited Annapurna on 23rd April, 2019 at 3pm.

Also Read: Alex Txikon Team completes their third rotation on Annapurna, loses their materials at Camp-3

View this post on Instagram

. When this kind of testimony comes from the legend himself @donbowie on the summit of the world’s extreme 8000m mt Annapurna ; I would like to leave the thoughts to those who doesn’t believe in "Project Possible 14/7 “ I.e climbing all the 8000m peaks in 7 months breaking the previous record of 8 years. . Every climbers who summited Annapurna told me "Nims if you and your team weren’t here ; summit wasn’t possible on these snow conditions . ??? . With only less than 4 weeks remaining and with 5 big mountains ( Everest, Kanchenjunga, lhotse , makalu and Dhaulagiri) to climb, my biggest worries remains the funding for the second phase of my mission in Pakistan. ( K2, Broadpeak, Nangaparbat, G1&G2) . I will deliver this 5 mountains within 4 weeks but can we as a team deliver the funding/sponsorship for the second phase? Right now, my team should have start rolling the admin and logistic for Pakistan phase but unfortunately we don’t have the funds to buy anything. We need to buy all the fixing gear, pay salaries to my Sherpa team, visas , airfare , food etc etc . . I strongly believe if all 55.9 k of people who are following this journey do something about this, we can make it happen .. . Let’s share and tag this post and hopefully someone can help us.. . Never asked anyone anything but I’m asking help for the shake of project possible 14/7. Let’s unite and make the difference together. . Who’s with Project Possible team?. . . . #nimsdai #believer #uksf #sbs? #projectpossible #14peaks7months #annapurna19 #gurkhas #sherpas #persistence #nolimits #humanendeavour #limitless #selfbelief #determination #positivemindset #beliveinyourself #hamasteel #digi2al #antmiddleton #summitoxygen #inmarsat #blackdiamond #everence #bremont #visitnepal2020 #elitehimalayanadventures #alwaysalittlehigher

A post shared by Nirmal Purja MBE - Nims (@nimsdai) on May 5, 2019 at 12:15am PDT

2. As a part of the rescue team, Nirmal rescued Malaysian mountaineer Wui Kin Chin, who was stranded on Annapurna during his descent from the summit.

View this post on Instagram

The level of damage and risk to Dr Chins life may have been avoided, if the emergency insurance company had acted quicker. . If you aren’t willing to act at the point of emergency, why sell the service in the first place ? . I’m very upset and angry with the rescue company that Mr Chin was a customer of. . Bare in mind Annapurna 1 is not Everest or any other 8000ers. It’s one of most dangerous and hardest 8000m peak to climb. . As a leader of fixing lines/ropes on this mountain, I hadn’t slept for days during the summit push as we had to start early so that the ropes and trail blazing is done before the main team commits. Almost all of the season mountaineers thought it was impossible to summit Annapurna due to snow conditions. . After knowing that Dr Chin was missing, I held my team and some of the strongest members on the Expedition for the rescue of Dr Chin at camp 4. . We were waiting for Oxygen to get dropped off at us by helicopter so we could go start searching for him on the mountains. (This is all what his insurance company had to do , just drop 6 bottles of Oxygen at Camp 4 where I was on standby with my rescue team) . I was told that the rescue company denied the emergency help and I couldn’t hold my team any longer at the extreme altitude risking their life. I was the last man to leave camp 4 and I had thought he was possibly dead by then on those dangerous slopes. . I arrived at the base camp with my team very late that night. Next morning, I could hear a helicopter which went on Recce and I was told Dr Chin is alive. His wife paid for the helicopter to go and confirm. . After sleeping for only 4 hrs, Project Possible 14/7 team (@nimsdai, @mingma_david_sherpa , @galjen_s2009 @gesmantamang ) were triggered for the rescue mission . What it took us 16 hrs to get to Dr Chins location on the summit push from camp 3, we covered the same distance in 4 hrs at this emergency situation. . Finally we got him down to camp 3, from where he was picked by heli on longline. He’s critical at the hospital and his life is still in danger and even if he survive he may lose his limbs. This could have been easily avoided. . . #projectpossible #nimsdai

A post shared by Nirmal Purja MBE - Nims (@nimsdai) on Apr 27, 2019 at 8:34am PDT

3. Summited Dhaulagiri on 12th May, 2019 at 6:15pm.

View this post on Instagram

This season only one our team in Dhaulagiri 6 Nepalese Guide. People thinking Nepalese are only supporting role That is Absolutely wrong we are always leading role on mountain ? ??5 summiteers Summit 12 may 06:15PM @nimsdai @mingma_david_sherpa @zeksonson @adventure_tensi @ice_doctor_geljen_sherpa • #nepal #dhaulagiri19 #dhaulagiri #elitehimalayanadventures #projectpossible #thermowave #humanendeavour #selfbelief #travelphotography #hamstee #nepaltourismboard #visitnepal2020 #sonamgear #climber #climbing #rescue #rescuenepal #mountainrescuenepal #mingmadavidsherpa

A post shared by Mingma “David” Sherpa (@mingma_david_sherpa) on May 18, 2019 at 7:52pm PDT

4. Summited Kangchenjunga on 15th May, 2019 at 11:19am.

View this post on Instagram

Big thanks to my sponsors and supporters @bremontwatches @antmiddleton , DIGI2AL, @hamasteel , @summitoxygen Royal Hotel, Ad construction group, MTC/FSI , @everence.life @brandingscience Premier Insurance, OMNIRISC, Intergage @inmarsatglobal @elitehimalayanadventures @sst through which the 1st phase has been funded and I’m glad to be representing your brand with pride. 3x8000 m summits on extreme rarely climb peaks and 2 rescues over the death doze; led the fixing team and open the route on Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. . I’m now looking to climb everest, lhotse and Makalu within 3 days which then will be the end of the 1st phase. . Unfortunately, despite how hard I have tried, even from remortgaging my house , emptying my saving , taking risk and time away from families . I think PHASE 2 is a BIG QUESTION MARK due to fundings. . No hard feelings, one can only give the best of what he can and I can now put my hands on my heart and say - "Nims you gave 100 percent and that’s all what one can give. . Once again big thank to everyone who believed in this vision and supported project possible 14/7. Big thanks to those who have supported this project via GoFundMe page. . . . Edited by @imsegang & @alit_madesire #nimsdai #believer #uksf #sbs? #projectpossible #14peaks7months #persistence #humanendeavour #selfbelief #positivemindset #beliveinyourself #elitehimalayanadventures #alwaysalittlehigher

A post shared by Nirmal Purja MBE - Nims (@nimsdai) on May 18, 2019 at 5:05am PDT

5. As a part of the rescue team, Nirmal tried to rescue Indian climbers Kuntal Karar and Biplab Baidya. But due to lack of proper support from the agency and sufficient supplemental oxygen, he and his team failed to do so. Kuntal and Biplab perished on the mountain on 16th May.

6. Summited Everest and Lhotse on 22nd May, 2019 at 5:30am and 3:45pm.

View this post on Instagram

On 22 nd of May, I summited everest at 5:30 am and lhotse 3:45 pm despite of the heavy traffic ( roughly 320 people ). Today I have just arrived at the Makalu base camp, I will be going for the summit push from the base camp directly. . Like it, tag it and share it if you love how the project possible 14/7 is rolling ?? . I will update more once I’m done with Makalu . Much love to all my supporters and sponsors. @antmiddleton @bremontwatches , DIGI2AL, @hamasteel , @summitoxygen Royal Hotel, Ad construction group, MTC/FSI , @everence.life @brandingscience Premier Insurance, OMNIRISC, Intergage @inmarsatglobal . . . . #nimsdai #believer #uksf #sbs? #projectpossible #14peaks7months #persistence #humanendeavour #selfbelief #positivemindset #beliveinyourself #elitehimalayanadventures #alwaysalittlehigher

A post shared by Nirmal Purja MBE - Nims (@nimsdai) on May 22, 2019 at 10:46pm PDT

7. Summited Makalu on 24th May, 2019 at 6am.

His Eight-thousanders Career (before Spring 2019)

1. Summited Dhaulagiri on 18th May, 2014
2. Summited Everest on 13th May, 2016
3. Summited Everest on 15th May, 2017
4. Summited Everest on 27th May, 2017
5. Summited Lhotse on 27th May, 2017
6. Summited Makalu on 1st June, 2017

His Records

1. Guinness World Record: Fastest double-header of the Higher Eight-thousanders - In 2017, 27th May, Nirmal reached from the top of Everest (5:45am*) to the top Lhotse (3:55pm) in 10 hours and 25 minutes, with the aid of supplemental oxygen.
2. Guinness World Record: Fastest triple-header of the Higher Eight-thousanders - In 2017, 27th May, Nirmal summited Everest at 5:45am*, followed by another summit to Lhotse at 3:55pm on the same day. On 1st June, 2017, he summited Makalu at 9:20am. In total, he summited three Eight-thousanders in 5 days 3 hours and 35 minutes, with the aid of supplemental oxygen and the assistance of a helicopter to fly to Makalu Base Camp from Lukla.
3. Nirmal summited Everest twice, Lhotse and Makalu in a single session in 17 days.

14/7 Project Possible Timeline

Phase 1.0 (15th March, 2019 - 1st June, 2019)
Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Kangchenjunga, Everest, Lhotse and Makalu

Phase 2.0 (1st June, 2019 - 1st August, 2019)
K2, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II

Phase 3.0 (1st September, 2019 - 1st November, 2019)
Manaslu, Shishapangma and Cho Oyu

* According to Guinness World Record's official website. However, the Himalayan Database denotes the time as 5:35am. However, the Guinness World Record's official website denotes the time as 5:45am, if we take the same from Himalayan Database, the timeperiod of the record becomes 10 hours and 25 minutes. This session, he summited Everest and Lhotse on 22nd May, 2019 at 5:30am and 3:45pm. Hence, the time to reach from the top of Everest to the top Lhotse was 10 hours and 15 minutes in 2019, which was 10 minutes less than that of 2017.

Nirmal Purja on Lhotse [Courtesy: Nirmal Purja Instagram profile]