Who Was Gyalu Sherpa, The Record Setting Nepali Climber Lost On Broad Peak?

A Veteran Climber Lost On Broad Peak

Gyaljen Sherpa, widely known as Gyalu, was a veteran Nepali high-altitude guide from Okhaldhunga who lost his life when a major avalanche struck Broad Peak in Pakistan on July 30, 2026. He was among six Nepali climbers killed in the disaster, which became a major loss for Nepal’s mountaineering community because the group included some of the country’s most experienced and accomplished high altitude climbers.

A Career Built Over A Decade

Gyalu began his commercial mountaineering career in 2015 and spent years developing his skills on some of the Himalayas’ most challenging mountains. He was associated with Seven Summit Treks for nearly eight years and became an experienced professional climbing guide.

Over his career, Gyalu successfully climbed Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, Manaslu, Cholatse, Himlung Himal, Lenin Peak, Mera Peak and Lobuche. His record reflected experience across both major 8,000 metre mountains and technically demanding lower peaks.

Three Kanchenjunga Summits In One Season

Kanchenjunga became one of the most important mountains in Gyalu’s career. In the 2025 spring season, he reached the 8,586 metre summit three times, an extraordinary achievement on the world’s third highest mountain.

Seven Summit Treks director Chhang Dawa Sherpa described the achievement as a Guinness World Record. Independent international mountaineering reporting from the same season also recorded Gyalu reaching Kanchenjunga’s summit three times that spring.

Winter Success On Manaslu

Gyalu’s experience was not limited to regular climbing seasons. On January 6, 2023, he was part of a Seven Summit Treks team that successfully reached the 8,163 metre summit of Manaslu during winter.

The team faced severe cold, unstable snow, strong winds and difficult winter conditions. The successful ascent added another important achievement to Gyalu’s growing high altitude climbing career.

Everest Again In 2026

Gyalu continued climbing at a high level until the final months of his life. On May 21, 2026, he was listed among Seven Summit Treks climbers who successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest.

It was another Everest success in a career that included multiple ascents of the world’s highest mountain. Only around two months later, he travelled to Pakistan and joined the Broad Peak expedition.

Years Behind The Achievements

Behind Gyalu’s summit record was years of professional experience. High altitude guides work in extreme conditions while helping expedition teams move safely through difficult terrain and supporting climbers attempting some of the highest mountains on Earth.

By the time of the Broad Peak expedition, Gyalu had spent more than a decade in commercial mountaineering and nearly eight years working with Seven Summit Treks. His experience had been built through repeated expeditions across the Himalayas.

A Major Loss For Nepali Mountaineering

The July 30 avalanche on Broad Peak claimed Gyalu’s life alongside Nirmal Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa and Nawang Thindu Sherpa among the Nepali victims.

Their deaths represented the loss of years of combined high altitude knowledge and experience. Nepal’s expedition industry has stressed that guides of this level cannot be replaced quickly because their skills are developed through years of training, difficult expeditions and practical experience in some of the world’s most dangerous mountain environments.

Remembering Gyalu Sherpa

Gyalu Sherpa leaves behind a mountaineering career that stretched from smaller Himalayan peaks to Everest and repeated summits of Kanchenjunga. From beginning his professional career in 2015 to climbing Everest again in 2026, he spent more than a decade building his life around the mountains.

His three Kanchenjunga summits in a single season stand among the most remarkable achievements of his career, while his years as a professional guide reflect the experience and dedication behind those records. His contribution will remain part of Nepal’s rich mountaineering history.