At 7:30 AM Beijing Time on October 4, Luo Jing, a female mountaineer sponsored by KAILAS, successfully summited Cho Oyu, marking her tenth 8,000-meter-plus peak.
Luo Jing is one of the foremost female mountaineers in China’s civilian climbing community. In just a year and a half, she advanced from climbing peaks between 5,000 to 6,000 meters, and then up to 7,000 meters. KAILAS began sponsoring Luo Jing’s high-altitude climbing projects in 2015. To date, she has completed her plan to summit ten 8,000-meter-plus peaks, including Everest. She is the first Chinese woman to summit Makalu and Kangchenjunga, the first Chinese woman to summit Gasherbrum I and II consecutively, and the first Chinese woman to summit K2. Most importantly, she has had a groundbreaking impact in the international mountaineering community, especially among Chinese female climbers.
Every departure marks a fresh beginning
This year, Luo Jing has completed all her climbing plans. Next year, she aims to tackle the remaining four 8,000-meter peaks. Her preliminary schedule includes climbing Shishapangma (8,012m) in April, Lhotse (8,516m) next, Nanga Parbat (8,126m) in June, and Broad Peak (8,047m) in July, a peak she has attempted twice before. Luo Jing believes her mindset toward climbing has always been positive, emphasizing that the experience of each climb is what matters most. She has never forced herself to reach the summit and remains unfazed by failure. “Stay true to your heart, don’t be weighed down by fame. I may not give up easily, but I also won’t push unrealistically for the summit,” she said calmly during a sharing session.
When asked why she chose to partner with KAILAS among many sponsorship brands, Luo Jing explained: “Once you’re at high altitude, you truly realize how crucial gear becomes in such a harsh environment. A good piece of equipment must get every tiny detail right to maximize energy conservation and ensure climber safety. Mr. Zhong, the founder of KAILAS, has been committed to promoting civilian mountaineering and exploration in China, placing great emphasis on product functionality and quality. He truly invests money and effort into considering climbers’ needs. Since partnering with them, I’ve never had to worry about my gear.” She added with a smile, “My life was actually saved by KAILAS gloves. During my 2015 Broad Peak climb, there was an avalanche and I almost died. Luckily, I was wearing KAILAS’s bright orange gloves on my right hand, which helped my teammates spot me and dig me out of the snow.”