Miura becomes oldest person to reach Everest summit

He made it? Fantastic! Congrats to him. After 4 heart surgeries nontheless. Respect!

while Sudarshan Gautam, a 30-year-old Nepali-born Canadian who lost both arms in an accident, became the first double amputee to summit.

better not tell Mark Inglis that considering he lost both feet and climbed Everest in 2006. But never let facts get in the way of a story.

well done Mr Miura, safe travels home. Odd that he says he isn't worried about records but his press releases always start with the fact.

“The record is not so important to me,” Miura told Reuters in April, before setting off for Everest. “It is important to get to the top.”

It's more important to get back to the bottom.

...

I know, I know, that's not very rah-rah of me. But the dangers are very real - to his companions as well as himself I hope they all get back down safely.

Congratulations, this instills hope that I will at least be able to climb out of bed when I reach his age.

Congratulations Miura. Good luck to Sherchan on his climb.

Congrats. That's a great feat no matter what's your age.

wow !! CONGRATULATIONS to MIURA !!

and the mandatory retirement age is 60?!

Wow! That's great.

Is this what they call old news?

@ spud... I met Mark Inglis a couple of years ago - he is a very engaging person.

However, this vanity that propels people to be assisted up such a dangerous mountain cocooned in state-of-the-art technology frankly doesn't impress even the slightest. I have a friend who climbed Everest 4 or 5 years ago ( in his early 30s) the massive expense and support crew required were staggering.

These people are the antithesis of Edmund Hillary who took a massive step into the unknown with just the most basic of equipment ... Everest has become a place of sad, wasteful excess and egoism. Happy the old guy is okay... but it ranks to me alongside 'hot-dog eating contests' and "synchronised diving".

Congrats to the man, and hats off.

. Everest has become a place of sad, wasteful excess and egoism.

I agree. That becomes the thing to do, after safari to shoot the last koalas and elephants, going through jungles and protected nature in the funny mini-jeeps... The crowds going there increases every year and that becomes a garbage dump.

but it ranks to me alongside 'hot-dog eating contests' and "synchronised diving".

These two are not destructive for environment.

An 80-year-old Japanese mountain climber

Wisdom doesn't always come with age. That we knew.

who has had four heart surgeries reached the top of Mount Everest on Thursday becoming the oldest person to conquer the world’s highest mountain.

The first over 80 to be taken there. Great he and his suite didn't get killed.

Hold off on the congratulations, as someone already pointed out, the descent is just as dangerous as the ascent.

He was accompanied by three other Japanese, including his son, and six Nepali sherpas.

Thats a lot of lives put in danger for an 80 year-old's foolishness.

All of these "firsts" are starting to get moronic. "The first amputee", "first 80 yr old" "first american of south eastern descent" "first red head with freckles" "first person with a double last name that also likes cats". Seriously face-palm worthy.

Just to give an impressions on the difficulties: one has to literally climb over a number of dead corpses in order to reach the summit.Google Everest rainbow valley (called like this because of the multicolor clothes the death still wear) for a better impression about what to expect there.

Just to give an impressions on the difficulties: one has to literally climb over a number of dead corpses in order to reach the summit.

So pretty much your average office environment then?

Its a great effort ,hope he has many more climbs left in him .

Congrats and greetings from Italy. :)

@horsefella

Hold off on the congratulations, as someone already pointed out, the descent is just as dangerous as the ascent.

He was accompanied by three other Japanese, including his son, and six Nepali sherpas. Thats a lot of lives put in danger for an 80 year-old's foolishness.

But do read the story, this is what Miura said;

“It is important to get to the top.”

The achievement is what it is all about. If the party who went up with him were coerced into going then yes, they were put at risk. If they were willing to go, they probably knew the dangers. Once again though, it is the achievement that drive them,

your pple are proud of your effort, congratulations omedetou!

Omedetoo. If I run into him I will treat him to a Kirin Lager Beer and yakitori.

Good luck on the descend too.

Average males lifespan is 74 but this guy still doing vary well at 80.

@no miso - read my comment again. They were only halfway home. He still has to get down safely

waoooooooooooooooow god help him

@no miso - read my comment again. They were only halfway home. He still has to get down safely

For him the goal was to climb Mt Everest. He did that. If he died now, he'd (most likely) die happy. If he does get down safely , he'll be even happier, and can then enjoy the story with his family. He knew the risks, he knew he could be killed, he enjoyed the challenge. Sure beats sitting in a bath chair.

This guy is very inspiring to me. I am not looking for this kind of record when I will be of this age (neither now actually...). But this prove that if you have dreams and willing - and a bit of luck with mother nature - life does not end in the 70ish.

Thanks and congrats Miura-san!

Well done, old fella! Most of my uni students are flat out walking up a flight of stairs and prefer the elevator, let alone walking up a damn mountain. If he can inspire some of these couch-potatoes to get active - job done! Good luck to the even older Nepalese bloke - but Ive a suspicion we won't hear much in the media here when he reclaims the record in a few days!

Sure beats sitting in a bath chair.

so climb Everest risking the lives of your party, or sit in a bath chair. Are those the only 2 options he faced in old age?

Inspiring! Congratulations to him and his team!

hoserfella: I would usually not support these kind of extreme activity. But Miura-san knew what he was attempting, was apparently well prepared and made it. With his age and experience wisdom, I do not believe he created more risk to the accompanying sherpas than other expeditions.

Fantastic . . .

Good for him!

@hoserfella

"Thats a lot of lives put in danger for an 80 year-old's foolishness."

Sorry to tell you but these sherpas are not slaves, they make money doing this. They can refuse if they want to.

As always, I mean ALWAYS, thanks for your eternal negative comments about everything about everything.

A good news story for all us older folk! Congratulations Miura-san!

@hoserfella

Thats a lot of lives put in danger for an 80 year-old's foolishness.

If you did not know, they're paid for it, instead of respecting such a great performance you just give senseless comments, if he was an American then you would say " I'm proud to be an American, God bless you, God bless the USA"

so climb Everest risking the lives of your party, or sit in a bath chair. Are those the only 2 options he faced in old age?

They weren't novices, they've done it before, they know the risks, and seeing him on TV, hard to believe he is 60, let alone 80. Someone that fit should probably do it twice a week in order for it to be a challenge!

If you did not know, they're paid for it, instead of respecting such a great performance you just give senseless comments, if he was an American then you would say " I'm proud to be an American, God bless you, God bless the USA"

Minami Tamiyo - speaking of senseless comments, why would a Canadian say "God bless the USA"?

Hide - If pointing out the obvious fact that an 80 year-old's party is a 4 time operated on heartbeat away from danger is negative, you are being way too precious.

Hide - before you get your shorts in a knot, I'm happy he made it safe and sound. Do you think you can get through the weekend now?

Franck it's not courage it's stupidity. Courage means standing up against a force to help another or help oneself. Climbing a giant rock does neither and shows little regard for the value of human life in general...