A selfie of Luan Yukun on the summit of Mount Lhotse after completing a Mount Qomolangma-Lhotse consecutive climb. Photo: CCTV News

Luan Yukun, a 33-year-old climber from North China's Hebei Province, completed a consecutive climb of Mount Qomolangma and Mount Lhotse in less than 48 hours, becoming the first Chinese mountaineer to have accomplished both the Qomolangma-Lhotse consecutive climb and earlier ascents of Mount Qomolangma from its southern and northern routes, China Central Television News (CCTV) reported on Sunday.

According to CCTV, Luan reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma at 11:33 am on May 20 and, instead of descending from Camp 4, he continued toward Mount Lhotse, reaching its summit at 11:31 am on May 22, according to CCTV. He had previously summited Mount Qomolangma from the south face of the mountain (on the Nepalese side) in 2023 and from the northern slope of China's Xizang Autonomous Region, in 2024. 

In a close-up image of Luan posted by CCTV in its coverage, on the summit of Mount Lhotse, Luan looked weathered by the climb, with deep marks from his oxygen mask pressed into his face. He said one finger was badly frostbitten and had turned slightly dark, while his right hand and feet were also affected. "The frostbite was quite serious this time," Luan said. "It is a mark left by the climb, and in a way, also a gift."

After serving in the military, Luan carried that drive into work and mountaineering. He climbed the first high-altitude snow mountain of his life in 2017 and summited Muztagh Ata in 2022. A failed Qomolangma-Lhotse attempt in 2023 became "a regret and a motivation." In 2024, he summited Qomolangma from the tougher northern route.

After returning from more than 8,000-meter to lower altitudes, Luan is often asked why he keeps climbing, he says the feeling is hard to explain, but "everything feels worth it." Mountaineering may not always be enjoyable at the moment, he said, yet the happiness and growth it brings last far longer. "A ship is safest in harbor, but that is not what ships are built for," Luan said.


Global Times