On 10 May 1993, 18 days after she had disappeared on Chomolongma, the body of Pasang Lhamu Sherpa was found near the South Summit. She had perished while on descent, along with her companion Sonam Tshering Sherpa.
There was public outpouring of grief, most notably in Kathmandu, for the first Nepali and Sherpa woman on top of Chomolongma. In the face of growing criticism of the neglect of native Himalayan climbers (see Nov/Dec 1992 Himal, Mountaineering issue), the commemoration of Pasang Lhamu's achievement was significant. At the same time, however, it seemed that Kathmandu went overboard.
Tragic as her death was, there is general consensus among Nepali climbers that Pasang Lhamu was not a good climber. This was her fourth attempt on Chomolongma and the tenacity of purpose which eventually got her to top was to be admired. But as a climber, Pasang Lhamu's achievement was relatively modest. She was the seventeenth woman to climb Chomolongma, using the traditional South Col route.