Climbing Records Broken on Himalayan Giants by Elite Ultra Runner

After breaking a speed climbing record on Himalayan peak Manaslu, ultra runner Tyler Andrews breaks another climbing record on Ama Dablam.

Himalayan Peak Ama Dablam / Charlie Hammond on Unsplash

Climbing Record on Manaslu

Endurance athlete Tyler Andrews, 34, recently broke the Fastest Known Time (“FKT”) on the 8th highest mountain in the world – Manaslu. He accomplished this feat on September 19, 2024, in 9 hours and 52 minutes, crushing the previous record held by Nepalese climber Pembe Gelje Sherpa by over two hours.

Manaslu adds to the other 69 FKT’s currently credited to Andrews, placing him among legends including Kilian Jornet and Karl Igloff. Manaslu is located in the Mansiri Himal range of the Nepalese Himalayas, stands 26,781 ft., and is the 8th highest mountain in the world. Known as the "Mountain of the Spirit." Andrews also owns the speed records on Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua, among the others. (Related Article)

Climbing Record on Ama Dablam

Now, less than two months after the Manaslu speed record, Andrews tagged another 8,000-meter mountain summit FKT (base camp to the summit roundtrip) on Ama Dablam - the "Matterhorn of the Himalayas."

Located in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal, Ama Dablam stands 22,349 ft. Its name, Ama Dablam, translates to "Mother's Necklace" in Sherpa language, with "Ama" meaning mother and "Dablam" representing a pendant-like formation hanging from the mountain, resembling a traditional Sherpa double-pendant necklace containing pictures of the gods, worn by Sherpa women. The mountain serves as a cultural and spiritual symbol for the Sherpa people, who consider it sacred.

The first successful ascent of Ama Dablam was made in 1961 by a team of mountaineers from New Zealand and the United States. The climb requires a combination of technical rock climbing skills and high-altitude mountaineering expertise. Ama Dablam, situated near the Everest Base Camp, offers an excellent training and acclimatization climb for those seeking to later attempt Mt. Everest or Lhotse. The typical ascent and descent on Ama Dablam takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks.

AlpineMag – Alpine international Edition reported that Tyler Andrews made it from base camp to the summit of Ama Dablam , and back, in precisely 6-hours, 20-minutes and 30-seconds.The American outpaced Frenchman Mathéo Jacquemoud, who broke the record last year, by merely three minutes. “I wasn’t sure until the second I stopped the watch”, wrote the American ultra athlete after his record.

Andrews has proven ultra runners belong in the mountains, including the highest mountains in the world – the Himalaya. He earned an FKT on the same mountain, Ama Dablam, last year by running from the village of Pangboche to the summit -and-back in 13-hours and 18-minutes. (32km)

Ama Dablam / Jocelyn Chavy - @jocelyn

Climbing Record on Mera Peak

Andrews also set a record on Mera Peak  by running and climbing from the village of Lukla to Mera Peak’s summit- and-back in 16 hours. Mera Peak, 21,247 feet is a popular trekking peak in Nepal, located in the Khumbu region near Mount Everest. Renowned for its accessible yet rewarding climb, it offers stunning panoramic views of the Himalayan giants, including Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, and Kanchenjunga.

Andrews ran through diverse landscapes from lush forests to the glaciated alpine ascent. Tyler’s accomplishments over the past two years represent rare feats in the rarefied air of the Himalayas, especially for an endurance athlete primarily known for trail running. We look forward to more Himalayan climbing, running, and record-breaking from Tyler Andrews.

Tyler Andrews / Tyler Andrews - @Coll.Tyler Andrews