Sherpa Dorje Gylgen and Kenton Cool in their tent during the night of high winds that led to a change of plan. Photo: Kenton Cool

Kenton Cool has reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain for the 11th time.

He summited Everest at 2am local time today with his climbing companion and friend Sherpa Dorje Gylgen.

The pair will now attempt to complete for the first time an Everest ‘Three Peaks’ by climbing Lhotse. They have already climbed Nuptse and a summit of the third peak, planned for the early hours of Monday, would set a new record.

Cool has already extended his own record as the Briton with the most Everest summits.

The pair of mountaineers are said by their London representatives to be in good spirits and pushing each other. They can communicate only by satellite phone, but their spokesman said Cool sounded strong – much better than in previous years.

He said Cool had told him the scene on the summit couldn’t have been dafter: “Two mates sitting in nothingness, having a giggle as they watched their head-torches bouncing pathetically around space.”

Gloucestershire-based Cool said he changed his plans and went for a rapid, early ascent of the mountain. “Dorje Gylgen and I took bare essentials and made it to roof of world in total darkness,” he said. “We challenged each other all the way and can’t say who won.

“The disappointment of being early and not seeing sunrise was made good with the privilege of sitting alone in absolute silence with my friend just as I’ve always thought Hillary and Tenzing did.”

Eight days ago, the pair had to replan their Everest Three Peaks venture after bad weather nearly destroyed their tent on the Nuptse face.