Ammon News - Famed Sherpa guide Kami Rita reached the summit of Mount Everest for the 31st time Tuesday, breaking his own record for the most climbs to the top of the world’s highest mountain.

Kami Rita, 55, guided a group of clients reaching the summit in the early morning, according to Mingma Sherpa of the Kathmandu-based Seven Summits Treks. He was in good health and descending from the summit with other climbers to the base camp, he said.

Before heading to the mountain, Kami Rita had told The Associated Press he would try to climb to the top for the 31st or even possibly 32nd time. He made two successful climbs last year.

He had attempted to climb to the summit a few days ago but was forced to turn back due to bad weather.

Kami Rita, 55, first climbed Everest in 1994 and has been making the trip nearly every year since. He is one of many Sherpa guides whose expertise and skills are vital to the safety and success of foreign climbers aspiring to stand on top of the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) mountain each year.

Everest was first climbed in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepali Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. AP