US Climber Completes Record Mount Everest Ascent In 9 Hours 55 Minutes

US endurance athlete and cancer survivor Tyler Andrews has reportedly set a new speed record for summiting Mount Everest, reaching the 8,849-metre peak in 9 hours and 55 minutes with the use of supplementary oxygen. According to his support team, Andrews completed the ascent early Thursday, surpassing the previous benchmark set by Nepali climber Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa, who had long been regarded as the fastest known summiteer of the world’s highest mountain. While the achievement has been widely reported by his expedition team and shared through GPS tracking data, Nepal’s mountaineering authorities have not yet formally verified the timing or officially ratified the record.

Andrews’ climb was organised with logistical support from the Asian Trekking team, led by Dawa Steven Sherpa. Team members stated that while Andrews ascended independently, he was assisted remotely with supplementary oxygen, food, water, and route monitoring throughout the expedition. The use of oxygen places the attempt in a distinct category from fully unsupported speed records, which are considered more demanding in mountaineering classifications. The ascent was reportedly completed just before dawn, with live tracking data shared on Andrews’ social media accounts documenting his progress in real time. The climber’s team described the effort as a carefully planned push aimed at optimising weather windows and minimising exposure time in the “death zone,” where oxygen levels are critically low and risks of altitude-related complications increase sharply.

Andrews, 36, is also a cancer survivor and has spoken publicly about using endurance sports as part of his recovery journey and personal mission. He has said in earlier statements that his climbs are intended not only as athletic challenges but also as fundraising efforts to support young athletes in countries such as Ecuador and Nepal who lack access to professional training resources and equipment. This latest attempt follows an earlier expedition in May, when Andrews tried but failed to break a separate Everest speed record for an ascent without supplemental oxygen. That effort was abandoned due to challenging conditions on the mountain.

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Speed records on Everest remain a complex and often debated subject due to variations in definitions, including whether climbers use oxygen, guided support, or fixed route assistance. As a result, official recognition by Nepal’s Department of Tourism and international mountaineering bodies is typically required before records are universally accepted. If confirmed, Andrews’ climb would represent one of the fastest recorded ascents of Everest using supplementary oxygen, adding a new milestone to the evolving landscape of high-altitude endurance mountaineering.

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