“By 2015, Sherpa climbers were making first ascents sans clients and promoting their feats on social media.”
An 18-year-old Sherpa just summited all 14 eight-thousanders. For decades, Sherpas did the dangerous work while Western climbers got the glory and the sponsorships. Now they are building their own brands and making first ascents without clients. The mountaineering industry built its mythology on erasing the people who made it possible. That is finally changing.