Lhakpa's introduction to mountaineering came when she was just 16 years old, working as a porter on an Everest expedition. Her first experience on the mountain sparked a fire within her, and she knew she wanted to pursue a career in mountaineering. With the support of her family and her own determination, Lhakpa began training and guiding trekkers and climbers in the Everest region.
If you are searching for the documentary, is available on Netflix globally (as of the Spring 2024 release schedule). It is also screening at select independent film festivals and mountaineering clubs. For those who cannot watch the film, Lhakpa herself is doing a limited speaking tour in the US and Europe—an experience that is as raw and unforgiving as the mountain itself. Mountain Queen- The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa 2024
Lhakpa dismantles this racism in the film. She points out that she climbs to survive, to bring money home, and to prove a point. In 2024, as the debate over "real climbing" versus "tourist climbing" intensifies, Lhakpa stands as the authentic voice—a woman who carries loads of gear for other expeditions and then turns around to summit for herself. Lhakpa's introduction to mountaineering came when she was
2024 marks a pivotal year for this living legend, not just for another ascent, but for the release of the documentary that finally translates her visceral, decades-long battle against gravity, poverty, and patriarchy to the global screen: . If you are searching for the documentary, is
Lhakpa's achievements have not gone unnoticed. She has received numerous awards and honors, including:
For young female climbers in 2024, Lhakpa Sherpa is the ultimate role model. She represents the antithesis of the curated Instagram influencer-climber. She is scarred, strong, and silent. The documentary shows her teaching her daughters how to wield an ice axe in the driveway of their suburban home, connecting the flatlands of America to the vertical ice of the Himalaya.
Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa a powerful Netflix documentary directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Lucy Walker . The "piece" centers on the life of Lhakpa Sherpa