Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa

Next time you are in the supermarket, have a look at the staff and imagine that one of them has climbed Mount Everest ten times! That's the story of this illiterate Nepali woman who has struggled to bring up her two daughters, hold together an increasingly violent marriage and then work with her brother at home in Nepal to lead teams of people to the top of the world's highest peak. What's clear from the outset here is she is an immensely grounded and humble woman who has a deep respect for the mountain: she even asks it's permission before ascending (and assumes force eight winds and avalanches is it saying no!). Using her latest attempt in 2018 as the starting point for the story, we are introduced to her daughters - Shiny, who is accompanying her mother on the trip, and the not so aptly named Sunny who, at 19, is staying at home. It's never been an easy ride for Lhakpa Sherpa. She couldn't even get a job as a porter when she started out - women weren't deemed to be strong enough, but her perseverance eventually convinced the then Prime Minister to encourage women to take a more active part in the business of the mountain. She meets and later marries Romanian climber George Dijmarescu and the pair become a formidable team as her summit's start to mount up, but he had baggage of his own stemming from a poverty-stricken youth in Romania and a dependency on the bottle which adds to the trauma for both and to her troubles at their home in Connecticut. The photography both current and archive is frankly quite breathtaking, illustrating the bleak hostility of the almost lunar terrain and by the end of this documentary, I thought she made it look almost straightforward (even if she does admit, in her mid-40s - to feeling "a little crappy" at 25,000 feet!). There's something engaging about Lhakpa Sherpa. A woman dedicated, respectful and loving who is certainly addicted to the outdoor life, but who is clearly motivated to do all she can to support and educate her daughters. It's hard to imagine that she will ever stop and it wouldn't surprise me if she were to inspire one of her daughters, and a great many Nepali women, to follow in her footsteps.

This is a beautiful, touching, very real story about a remarkably humble & determined woman. Her journey is often tough & calls for her to dig deep for the resources she needs for her & her family to survive; in doing so she discovers she thrives & conquers on those challenges. Her story is an inspiration for women of every circumstance, demonstrating that resourcefulness & sheer determination are necessary to transform one's existence. Lharkpa, you are amazing.🙏 The documentary itself, is excellently shot, in what must arguably be, the world's most beautiful location & is most sensitively allowed to unwind with her own personal narration. Inspirational story told excellently, job well done🙏

Such an inspiring story . Very well directed and a sensitive portrayal of Lakhpa and her family. You get drawn in to the story from the get go. Here is a woman who is transported to an Alien land and the way she picks herself up is amazing! I loved the way her relationship with her two girls and the manner in which this has been portrayed.

The majestic Everest and the influence this mountain has on the Sherpas is well depicted.

I truly hope that this documentary will bring her fame and fortune that she so richly deserves.

At the end you tear up and hope that she continues to Climb and inspires many women to do so in her footsteps.

I really enjoyed this documentary because it gave an experience from a native Sherpa point of view. Not only that but aI really enjoyed this documentary because it gave an experience from a native Sherpa point of view. Not only that but a native Sherpa woman! Her goals, her accomplishments in the face of extreme prejudice and adversity is a true testament to the strength and amazing gift of the Sherpa. I've always been amazed when watching documents on Everest of the endurance and loyalty of the Sherpa. This documentary helped me to understand the mindset and drive of this amazing people. A must see for Everest fans.

This is a documentary on Lhakpa Sherpa. At first glance, she is a lowly food worker in Hartford struggling to raise her kids as a single mom. It's 2022. She is returning to her Nepal to attempt her 10th Everest summit. She would be breaking her own record for the most Everest summit by a woman. She has brought one daughter while another daughter struggles to come to terms with the drunken abusive behavior of Lhakpa's ex-husband. This is an amazing life full of struggles and triumphs. The Everest views don't need me to sell them. I think I've heard about the Sherpa name although it is always shocking to be told again. I used to think that it's a job title.