US citizens Harpreet and Navneet Cheema successfully reached the summit of Mt Everest on May 23, 2024.
“Mountain is so big, nature is so vast; you really feel the infinite.”
At the Everest
Harpreet and Navneet Cheema, at 7:30am on May 23rd, could feel the divinity. After all the effort and labour, they were at the summit.
“It was absolutely amazing. At one side we were seeing the sunrise and on the other the moon was setting. The pinks, yellows and golds in the sky…,” Navneet felt short of words to describe the sight at the Everest.
Harpreet, who works as a strategist in a leading US healthcare company in Michigan, forgot all the stresses in life. At that moment, it was only he and the mountain; a sense of spirituality engulfed him.
The couple, spent almost 45 minutes at the Everest summit. There was fulfilment and a quiet happiness but not before experiencing life and death.
Harpreet narrated, “Just 50m from the summit, we saw a Kenyan mountaineer collapse. We tried to reach him, but before that he died. It was a devastating feeling. We could not do anything for our fellow traveler, apart from offering prayer for his soul. We had to move on.”
How it all started…
Harpreet and Navneet always wanted to stay fit and healthy. Consequently, they started participating in bike rides and marathons. Small treks to hills were also a part of their recreational activity.
Machu Picchu
It was in 2018, the couple visited Machu Picchu, the mountain city situated at a height of 2,430 metres in Peru. The trek to the top not only gave them a spectacular view of the Inca Citadel but also helped them to introspect their love for the mountains. 
Mt Kiliminjaro
Both Harpreet and Navneet decided to scale more heights together. In 2019, they climbed Mt Kiliminjaro situated at 5,895m above sea level. After this success they decided to climb the Seven Summits of the World, with Kilimanjaro- the highest in Africa- already being conquered.
After Kilimanjaro- the Other Four
Mt Elbrus
In 2022, the couple climbed the highest peak of Europe-Mt Elbrus.With an elevation of 5,642m Elbrus stands in Southern Russia with two dormant volcanic domes.
It needed some advanced climbing skills to reach the summit of Elbrus. Fortunately, Harpreet and Navneet got all the right guidance to complete their climb successfully.
Mt Aconcagua
Next, it was Mt Aconcagua in Argentina. The highest mountain in South America, Aconcagua is at 6,961m. The couple had an exceptional journey crossing the glaciers and reaching the summit on January 14, 2023.
Mt Denali
Mt Denali, the highest mountain in North America situated in Alaska, was their toughest journey till that time. The couple dared to climb again, just 5-months after conquering Aconcagua, to reach the 6,194 high Mt Denali.
“We climbed on our own with fixed ropes. I fell in a crevasse; there was no one else and Navneet pulled me out from there. It was a great learning experience that boosted our confidence. And next we decided to scale the Everest,” expressed Harpreet.
Mt Everest
A year of preparation was done by the couple for their expedition to the Everest. Harpreet and Navneet decided to take the Nepal route. They reached Nepal in the month of April, as it was necessary to choose the right company and also acclimatize to the climate.
The route is quite engrossing. The couple started from Lukla and reached the Everest Base Camp through Tengboche, Lokuche and Gorak Shep. From the Base Camp, after crossing Khumbu Glacier and Khumbhu Ice Falls, they arrived at Camp 1.
“Everest is significantly taller. So we prepared ourselves mentally that it would be a long journey, longer than the other climbs we did. Day after day of travelling, and travelling for hours- that was what we were absolutely prepared for,” said Navneet while describing their route.
From Camp 1, they had to cross Western CWM to reach Camp 2 and subsequently Camp 3. And from there it was no looking back. Harpreet and Navneet, undertook the 18hr journey to the summit and back and that too at a stretch.
On reaching South Col, the lowest point between Mt Everest and Lhotse, they sensed victory. But they were still 1.6km from the summit.
The couple pushed themselves for the final rush and most exhausting one. It took around 6 hours to climb from South Col to the Everest and finally they were there, at the top.
The Peace at the Mountain
The mountains have enhanced their life. With ever climb, the couple has got new experience and broader vision that has strengthened their life. “Nature has so many offerings for us and to be with nature itself makes our mind peaceful,” said Navneet.
The couple now want to stay with their children for a couple of months and then have plans to return to mountaineering later this year. Next, for them, will be 4,892-m-high Mt Vinson in Antarctica and then Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia at 4,884m height.
Their only concern now is the increasing number of mountaineers who go for expeditions but do not follow simple rules of the mountains.
“What you bring, take it back….”
“We have seen so much of trash at Camp 1, 2 and 3 of the Everest. It should not always be enforced laws, but the people should be aware. We brought some kilos of trash back from the mountains. Requesting everyone to do so,” the couple unanimously declared.
Keep the mountains pristine- let the the message of Harpreet and Navneet Cheema reach far and wide!
Watch video on Youtube
