Mount Everest

Connecticut Mother-Daughter Duo Talk About Reaching Mount Everest's Summit

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A Connecticut mother-daughter duo who reached the summit of Mount Everest spoke with NBC Connecticut about their experience.

Lhakpa Sherpa reached the 29,032-foot summit for a 10th time last week.

"I like the mountain, I go up the mountain. The mountain is my best friend," Sherpa said.

When she reached Mount Everest's summit on Thursday, she became the first woman to climb the most summits of the world's highest mountain. She's 48 years old.

"My tenth summit is very hard for me this year," Sherpa said. "All of my Sherpas look like they're beat up by Mount Everest. Me too!"

She was on the mountain for nine days and is now sharing this incredible feat with her daughter, Shiny, who attends Conard High School in West Hartford.

"It was kind of like a last minute idea, I was originally supposed to stay in Kathmandu, but I just wanted to come here and support her," Shiny said.

She stressed the bitter cold, high winds and rough terrain made it difficult to stay in touch with her mom.

"It's hard, especially when she was on the mountain. I couldn't really talk to her that much. Like, I think we talked on the walkie talkie maybe like three or four times and it wasn't for long and I was obviously just really worried about her. I'm just happy she can do it," Shiny said.

Philip Henderson has climbed Mount Everest before in 2012 - but he got bronchitis and stayed in a camp before he could reach the top. He said he would be ready to go back, for the right reasons - and now he will lead the first all-Black expedition to the top of the mountain. Climbers will have to dig deep mentally and brave the harsh elements on the 60-day journey next year.

Happy is an understatement. The pair shared photos on their social media once they reached the summit. The truth is, the climb is dangerous and not everyone can do it.

Everest has been climbed 10,657 times since 1953, when it was first scaled from the Nepali and Tibetan sides.

Many have climbed it more than once and 311 people have died.

"People keep dying, people keep coming," Sherpa said.

But like a magnet, she's drawn to its beauty, its breath-taking views and the challenge.

"This mountain touches my heart. You know, I like going again and again for some reason. I love this mountain," Sherpa said.

When asked if it was her last time, Sherpa told us she isn't finished yet.

"I wanna show them my life, how I can work hard, I feel [like] I'm dead, almost dead, but I wake up. That is how I wanna feel," she said.

Her daughter Shiny said she's not sure she's going to be able to beat her mother's record, but she's sure going to try.

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