He began his career as a climber at the age of 16 when he procured a job as a trekking porter. On his first portering assignment he scaled the Ambhu Labtsa pass. He summited Mera Peak (6472 m) in four hours in 1985. Chiri eventually found work portering for Everest expeditions, and eventually reached the summit of Everest ten times. In May 1999, he spent a record 21 hours on the summit without supplementary oxygen, and without sleeping.