Longwan resident reaches top of Everest, Lhotse in a row

Jin Xiangyang poses for a photo while mountain climbing. [Photo/tianmunews.com]

Jin Xiangyang, a 39-year-old from Longwan district, Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, became the first in the province to reach the summits of Qomolangma and Lhotse, the first and fourth highest mountains in the world, in a row this year.

He made it to the top of Qomolangma, also known as Mount Everest, at 4:03 am on May 18 Nepal Standard Time and then hit the peak of Lhotse at 9:11 am on May 20 local time.

Jin, who is currently running a valve company in Longwan, is a new climber. "I came up with the idea of climbing Everest when I was driving around Tibet with friends and found myself astounded by the mountains," he said. Jin then joined the Zhejiang Mountaineering Association in September 2022 and started a series of physical training exercises.

According to Jin, climbing mountains is about enjoying the process, not reaching the top. "I was heavy-hearted and sometimes afraid while climbing, as some of my companions didn't make it to the top or even died."