American claims Everest record

First non-Sherpa to scale highest mountain 11 times

America's leading Himalayan mountain guide has summited Mount Everest for the 11th time, more than any non-Sherpa in history.

Dave Hahn was part of the 'Return to Everest' expedition which included Ed Viesturs, the only American to summit all fourteen 8,000-metre peaks without supplemental oxygen, and Peter Whittaker, whose uncle was the first American to summit Everest.

According to sponsors Eddie Bauer, high winds and snow troubled Hahn's summit bid after they left their tents at Camp 4 on May 22nd (Hahn said he didn't think he'd ever seen an Everest season end so early or so abruptly due to bad weather). A window of opportunity opened when winds dropped slightly. The team reached the summit the following morning at 6:45 a.m. and stayed there just a few minutes.

In a statement, Hahn said, "It was a tough one, but we had a really good team. Everyone was really highly motivated and we got it done."

The Return to Everest expedition introduced breakthrough video and audio production techniques, revolutionising the coverage of high-altitude mountaineering. Footage shows the climbers' approach, successful summit bids and the drama of massive avalanches.

Read more and watch the footage on the First Ascent blog here