In Pictures: Final rites of the 'Snow Leopard' - record-holding mountaineer Ang Rita Sherpa KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 23 Ang Rita Sherpa, popularly known as the ‘snow leopard’ in the mountaineering community, passed away on September 21. Sherpa was awarded with a Guinness World Record certificate for making the most number of successful ascents on Mt Everest without using the supplemental oxygen. Sherpa made it to the top of world for 10th time in 1996 without using the bottled oxygen. Read Also:Nepal's ‘Snow leopard’ Ang Rita Sherpa passes away at 72 Seen in the pictures are some moments from his final rites. Pictures taken by Naresh Shrestha for The Himalayan Times. Legendry mountaineer Ang Rita Sherpa, 72, the first man to climb Mount Everest 10 times without the use of supplemental oxygen.