Lhakpa Sherpa – 10 Summits, the “Monkey System,” and the Hard Truth About Life in America

In this powerful episode of Fireside with Rupesh Shrestha, we sit down with the legendary Lhakpa Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to successfully summit Mount Everest ten times. While the world knows her as the record-breaking "Mountain Queen" featured in a major Netflix documentary, Lhakpa reveals the gritty reality behind the glory: the immense struggle of raising her daughters as a single mother while working low-wage jobs like dishwashing and housekeeping in America. Lhakpa takes us back to her roots in the remote village of Balakharka, Sankhuwasabha, where she learned to climb trees and cliffs using what she calls the "Monkey System"—climbing by hand without ropes or modern gear. She offers a blunt critique of the current state of Everest, comparing modern commercial mountaineering to "herding sheep" and warning of a looming crisis as experienced Sherpa guides migrate abroad or leave the profession. From summiting while two months pregnant to "breaking the law" of traditional society to open doors for female climbers, this conversation is a masterclass in resilience, motherhood, and the true cost of a record-breaking life. Key Topics: The "Monkey System": How a girl who never attended school used her natural environment as a classroom, learning the technical skills of climbing long before reaching Everest. From Everest to Whole Foods: The jarring contrast between being a world-renowned climber and surviving as a "low-wage worker" in the United States to secure her children's future. The Value of Education: Why she tells the next generation to become doctors or pilots first, and only climb for adventure once they are financially stable. Breaking Social Norms: How Lhakpa defied the mockery of those who said a woman shouldn't be among men on the mountains, ultimately paving the way for a new generation of Nepali women.