June 2nd, 2016: Lhakpa Sherpa

[xoxoxoBruce]

Who gets higher than other women? Lhakpa Sherpa, a divorced Mom from Hartford, CT, who has a permanent US Visa, can’t drive,
can't read or write, and works two jobs totaling $400 a week. But right now she’s on Mt Everest attempting her 7th summit, and
that’s about as high as you can get. You never heard of Her? You're not alone.

Lhakpa’s parents, both still alive, and own several teahouses in Makalu. Her brother Mingma Gelu Sherpa, who has summited
Everest eight times, is a director at Seven Summits Club, a successful expedition outfitter based in Kathmandu.
Growing up in Makalu, a middle child among 11 siblings, Lhakpa was something of a tomboy. “I am very different kind of girl,”
she told me. “I have seven sisters, but my mama say I mostly look like a boy. ‘Whatever boy doing, you doing. You never
doing girl things. Mostly you’re doing boy things.’ ”
Like many Sherpa women in the late seventies and early eighties, she received no schooling.
In her family, that meant going into the trekking and climbing business. Like the boys, she started carrying loads for an
outfitting company at age 15. Her uncle hired her as a kitchen boy for expeditions attempting 27,838-foot Makalu.
But Lhakpa quickly moved to carrying loads, ferrying tents and sleeping bags up the trails leading to base camp. She carried
between 25 and 50 pounds, often walking on ice.

........On her couch in Hartford .......................... Being carried into the kitchen tent, beaten by her Ex.

Lhakpa was working for an Indian army expedition when she broke her femur, and it took her two weeks to make the three day trek
back to Kathmandu. The next year she worked as a porter but also gave climbing a try, first on mere 6,000 meter(20,000 ft) bumps.
As a Sherpa she isn’t hampered by fees and permits, she don’t need no stinkin’ permits.

You can see her complete tumultuous life here.