“Mountain-Climbing Maverick” Li Xiaoshi, who carried the Goddess Mazu to the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, in 2009, subsequently conquered the world’s tenth and third highest peaks. After a year of rigorous training, he is set to depart on April 8th once again with the Mazu statue on his back to challenge the fourth-highest peak, Lhotse, as he continues his quest to summit all fourteen of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks.
Lhotse stands at 8,516 meters above sea level, on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Li said he plans to spend two months reaching the summit, mainly because the weather becomes significantly harsher after May, increasing the risks of the climb. Especially on the southern face, within just 2.25 kilometers, the elevation rises sharply by as much as 3.4 kilometers — a physically exhausting and dangerous challenge for any climber. “Just driving in the pitons takes a lot of time,” he noted.
For this expedition, Li’s gear, equipment, and food alone weigh nearly 500 kilograms. Although two friends from Taiwan will accompany him, due to their lack of experience, they will serve as liaisons at base camp. Li will have to complete the entire climb on his own. In addition to requiring rock climbing and ice climbing skills, he must also endure the prolonged mental and physical hardships of isolation, extreme cold, and thin air.
At 58 years old, challenging the world’s fourth-highest peak, Li quipped, “I’m considered pretty old.” He emphasized that his dream is to summit all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, which he estimates will take about ten years — by which time he’ll be nearly 70.
“Since 1986, when the first person completed the feat of summiting all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, only 29 people have been officially certified — but hundreds have died trying,” Li stressed. “I hope to become the first person in Taiwan, and the oldest in the world, to achieve this remarkable accomplishment.”