The youngest woman to climb all of the world's 14 tallest peaks calls for novices to be regulated

KATHMANDU, Nepal — A British mountaineer who set the record as the youngest female to climb all the 14 tallest mountains in the world said Thursday that inexperienced climbers should not be allowed to climb the highest peaks because they run the risk of endangering their lives and others.

Adriana Brownlee, 23, climbed Mount Everest at 20 in 2021 and earlier this month climbed Mount Shishapangma in China, completing her endeavor to scale all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) high.

She said she has seen numerous climbers who lack training in basic skills and in coping with the unpredictable slopes of the high peaks.

“I have seen many examples of people in the mountains that should not really be there, that should have more training beforehand,” Brownlee told The Associated Press on Thursday in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu. “We have had to support them and have had to help with like small things like how to put on crampons, how to put on harness.”

She said mountaineering authorities should ensure that climbers attempting to scale the highest peaks have at least climbed smaller mountains to ensure they can handle the altitude and have the proper skills.

Brownlee flew to Nepal this week alongside other climbers from Tibet including Nima Rinji Sherpa, who at age 18 is now the youngest person to climb the 14 peaks.

There are generally no rules besides age restrictions on people who want to climb mountains as long as they are able to pay their permit fees. In Nepal, climbers need to be at least 16 years old.

Brownlee said she was just 8 years old when she began dreaming of becoming a mountaineer like her father, who she said was her main inspiration.

She said she now wants to scale unclimbed peaks in Nepal and explore mountains in other parts of the world.

Brownlee and her partner have opened a mountaineering company in Nepal focusing on helping customers who are skilled and experienced enough to handle the harsh condition of the mountains.

She said she hopes to inspire other young people to pursue their dreams.

“For me the message is that in life ... you can take any path you like to reach your goal,” she said. “That goal might be totally unique to you and it's very important to keep at that and not to listen to rest of society what they have to say.”