“Eccentric Mountaineer” Li Xiaoshi Died on Lhotse After Allegedly Suffering from High-Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE); Nepalese Authorities Confirm He Will Be Laid to Rest on the Mountain

Li Xiaoshi, who once carried a statue of Mazu to successfully summit Mount Everest, set out again on April 8 with the same sacred statue to climb Lhotse. At 9 p.m. on May 17, he successfully reached the summit, becoming the first Taiwanese person to conquer Lhotse.

On his descent, Li Xiaoshi is believed to have collapsed from extreme exhaustion at Camp 4 and fell into a coma. Although he regained consciousness briefly after being treated by a doctor from an international climbing team on May 18, he passed away in the early hours of May 20.

His family obtained a document from Nepalese authorities detailing the moments before his death. The report was compiled by a man named Dawa Steven Sherpa, based on interviews with two Sherpa guides at the Everest-Lhotse Joint Base Camp (EBC).

According to Dawa Steven Sherpa, after reaching the summit of Lhotse at 8,516 meters, Li Xiaoshi told the two Sherpa guides, “I’m so tired, I want to sleep here.”

Li Xiaoshi’s close friend and recently retired former Deputy Director of the Chiayi City Health Bureau, Lü Hanyue, said today that the document clearly shows Li Xiaoshi was aware of his condition. He pushed forward despite the risks and knew he might not make it back down.

Lü Hanyue pointed out that after discussions between the family, the climbing company, and Nepalese authorities, it was confirmed that Li Xiaoshi could remain on Lhotse. This was his choice and his dream.

He added that Li Xiaoshi was fully aware of the outcome. He had summited—and he did so spectacularly in the dead of night. He didn’t give up, but he had exhausted all his strength. This was where he would rest, close to his hero, Kukuczka.

Polish climber Kukuczka is globally recognized as the second person to complete all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters. In 1987, after finishing his ascent of the 14 giants, Kukuczka attempted Lhotse again but died when his climbing rope snapped.

To date, only 21 climbers worldwide have completed all 14 peaks. 1020523

(CNA)