Hundreds of grieving family members, fellow mountaineers, and local residents crowded Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu to receive a fallen legend. The mortal remains of Pur Bahadur Gurung, universally known as Yukta, arrived home via a Qatar Airways flight from Pakistan.
At just 37 years old, Gurung's life was cut short by a devastating avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan's Karakoram range. For a country intimately tied to high-altitude heroism, his loss stings deeply. He wasn't just another commercial guide. He was a titan of the mountains who shattered records and inspired an entire generation of Nepali youth.
From Village Porter to Record Breaking Legend
Born in the remote village of Laprak within Nepal's Gorkha district, Gurung grew up surrounded by jagged peaks. Like many young men in his region, he entered the tourism industry from the ground up, starting as a porter and kitchen helper.
He didn't stay at the base of the mountain. By 2009, he was actively climbing, and in 2011, he stood atop Mount Everest for the first time at age 22. That initial summit opened the floodgates.
Gurung went on to summit Everest a staggering ten times, setting the record for the highest number of Everest ascents among members of the Gurung community. He also earned distinction as the non-Sherpa Nepali climber with the highest number of Everest summits globally.
The Unrelenting Drive of Yukta
Most climbers would find peace after conquering the world's highest peak a single time. Gurung made it an annual ritual. Since 2017, he scaled Everest year after year, supplementing those climbs with daring ascents across the globe.
His resume reads like an inventory of Earth's most dangerous vertical real estate. He successfully climbed 12 of the world's 14 mountains towering above 8,000 meters. His tactical speed stunned seasoned veterans, such as when he blasted up K2 in a punishing 24-hour push.
Beyond pure speed and records, Gurung possessed deep technical competence. Earlier in the year, he earned his official International Mountain Guide certification through the demanding IFMGA examination process via the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association. He wasn't just strong; he was certified elite.
He also used his immense skill to empower others. He guided disabled athletes to unimaginable heights, including helping climbers who had lost both legs reach the summits of Everest and Manaslu.
The Broad Peak Tragedy
The final chapter of his life unfolded rapidly in late July. Gurung had traveled to Pakistan with plans to tackle K2. When an injury sidelined a member of his original team, he joined Nirmal Purja's elite expedition team targeting Broad Peak instead.
On July 30, catastrophe struck. A massive avalanche hit the mountain, sweeping climbers nearly a thousand meters downhill and cutting off all communication. Search and rescue teams battled fierce winds, high-altitude hazards, and treacherous weather using army helicopters.
Days later, confirmation arrived that shattered the climbing community. Gurung was among those lost in the disaster, alongside expedition leader Nirmal Purja and several other elite Nepali mountain guides.
An Unfilled Dream and a Nation in Mourning
With his sights set firmly on completing all 14 of the world's eight-thousanders, Gurung only had two peaks left on his list: Cho Oyu and Shishapangma. Those final summits will now remain unclimbed.
When his casket arrived at Kathmandu airport, the atmosphere was thick with quiet devastation. His remains were processed through a formal tribute at the Nepal Mountaineering Association secretariat before final funeral rites.
Nepal has lost more than just a famous climber. The tragedy wiped out pillars of the high-altitude guiding community who carried the physical weight of international mountaineering on their shoulders.
Laprak village remains draped in grief, mourning a local boy who went out into the world and made history. Pur Bahadur Gurung's boots are empty, but his legacy carved into the ice and snow of the Himalayas remains permanent.
