The ultrarunner achieved the feat just four days after weather and logistical issues forced him to turn back near the summit
Credit: Tyler C. Andrews/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Tyler Andrews broke a longstanding Mount Everest speed record with a summit time of 9 hours, 55 minutes and 43 seconds
- The achievement came after years of training and multiple attempts across three climbing seasons
- Andrews said reaching the summit required “everything” to align, from weather conditions to crowd levels
After nearly six years of preparation and multiple attempts across three climbing seasons, Tyler Andrews finally achieved the goal he had been chasing on Mount Everest.
The American professional ultrarunner and high-altitude speed climber reached Everest's summit from Base Camp in 9 hours, 55 minutes and 43 seconds on May 28, setting a new officially ratified speed record on the world's highest mountain, according to a press release.
The feat came just four days after Andrews, 36, was forced to abandon a previous attempt due to logistical and weather issues despite being on record pace and only 400 meters below the summit, according to the release.
Credit: Tyler C. Andrews/Instagram
“This was the hardest thing I've ever done, mentally and physically. I've been preparing for this for almost six years, seven attempts over three seasons. I had no doubt that I was in the best physical shape of my life thanks to my preparation and guidance from my team at Human Power Health. But, you don't just need to be super fit, you need cooperation from the mountain, the weather, the crowds. Everything has to align,” Andrews said in the release.
Andrews says he departed Everest Base Camp at 7:11 p.m. on May 27 and reached the summit at 5:06 a.m. the following morning via the Southeast Ridge route.
His time surpassed the previous record of 10:56:46 set by Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa in 2003, according to Fastest Known Time Listing. Andrews also established a new round-trip record, returning to Base Camp in 16 hours and 32 minutes, nearly two hours faster than the previous mark of 18 hours and 30 minutes, according to the release.
Credit: Tyler C. Andrews/Substack
Both Andrews and Gelu Sherpa used supplemental oxygen during their record-setting ascents.
The climb covered approximately 18 miles and more than 12,467 feet of elevation gain and descent, a journey that typically takes expedition climbers between five and seven days, according to the release.
For those closest to Andrews, the successful attempt was hardly a surprise.
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"Ty came back from that first attempt and immediately asked when he could go back up. I've watched him develop as a Himalayan climber over the past few years and seen first-hand how tough he is and how hard he trains. He's the only person I've ever seen bring an exercise bike to Everest Base Camp,” Dawa Steven Sherpa, Andrews' friend and expedition organizer, said in the press release.
The achievement was later verified by Billi Bierling, managing director of the Himalayan Database, who confirmed Andrews' summit time following a post-expedition debrief in Kathmandu.
Andrews has built a career as a professional runner and mountaineer, amassing more than 100 world records across mountains, roads and trails. He is also a published writer, cancer survivor, advocate and speaker, according to his official website.
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Even after accomplishing a goal that took years to realize, Andrews said he is already thinking about what might come next.
“I'd still like to break the Everest record without supplemental oxygen, but I think I need a break from Everest for now. I've still got a lot of racing and other records I'd like to chase,” Andrews said in the press release.
Outside of competition, Andrews channels his passion for athletics into the Chaski Foundation, an organization that supports young athletes in Ecuador and Nepal. His recent Everest campaign has raised more than $40,000 to help further that mission, according to the official website.
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