KATHMANDU: Norwegian mountaineer Kristin Harila, who holds the record for the fastest ascent of all 14 eight-thousanders, is set to return to Nepal within a week for one of her most ambitious challenges yet — an attempt to summit Nuptse, Lhotse, and Everest without supplemental oxygen.

Harila will join Seven Summit Treks expeditions on all three peaks. The so-called "triple crown" combination of Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest — neighbour peaks in the Khumbu region — is a formidable undertaking even with oxygen support. Attempting all three without it adds a significant physiological dimension to the challenge.

"The plan is similar to last year: Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. And to try without oxygen. As an athlete, I'm always curious about how my body reacts to different conditions," Harila wrote in a social media post announcing her departure.

A return to the mountains — and to unfinished business

Beyond the climbing objectives, Harila has expressed a deeply personal reason for returning to the Himalayas. She hopes to travel to Shishapangma in Tibet to conduct a fresh search for her former climbing partner, Tenjen Lama Sherpa, who has been missing since October 2023.

Tenjen Lama Sherpa was the record-holding Sherpa climber who, alongside Harila, completed the historic ascent of all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres in just 92 days — finishing on July 27, 2023. Months later, on October 7, 2023, he went missing on Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world, after two consecutive avalanches struck the main climbing route just a few hundred metres below the summit.

"I would really like to return to Shishapangma and do a new search for Lama, who is still missing after the avalanche," Harila wrote, adding a heartfelt tribute to her missing partner.

Access to Shishapangma, however, remains uncertain as the peak lies in Tibet and requires Chinese permits. Harila noted that travel logistics, including her flight through Doha, also remain subject to how regional developments unfold.

Record-holder with more to prove

Harila made history by becoming the first woman to complete the fastest ascent of all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres, finishing the feat in one year and five days. She began the record-setting campaign on April 28, 2022, with an ascent of Annapurna I — the tenth highest peak in the world.

Despite her extraordinary record, Harila says her motivation this season is less about performance and more about experience. "This time I just want to be present, explore, and enjoy the mountains and nature," she wrote. "I'm looking forward to seeing how my body feels."