Dan McConnell, a publicist for many of the expeditions from Seattle to Everest and other mountains worldwide, said the couple reached the 29,028-foot summit via the South Col route at 10:20 a.m. Nepal time.

"They spoke to base camp from the summit and were very happy to have completed their Seven Summits Odyssey," McConnell said.

The Ershlers spent a few minutes taking photographs at the top before beginning the four- or five-hour descent to their highest camp, McConnell said.

Phil Ershler, 51, a professional guide who in 1984 became the first American to climb Everest via the North Wall through China, and Sue Ershler, 46, a former telecommunications executive, left Seattle in March.

They reached base camp in the Khumbu Valley on April 4 and headed to the upper slopes May 11, spending one day each in four camps before beginning the final ascent at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, McConnell said.

For a few days they had to hunker down in winds so fierce "they were just hoping that their tent didn't blow away with them in it," he said.

After the winds subsided they had clear weather and ideal climbing conditions for the last five or six days, McConnell said.

The Ershlers plan to remain on the mountain until other groups with them return safely, possibly until the end of the month, he said.

The couple got within 1,400 feet of the top of Everest in 2001 but turned back in near-whiteout conditions when, as Phil Ershler wrote in his online company newsletter, "my corneas started to freeze and I couldn't see worth a hoot."

As a partner and owner of International Mountain Guides, he has led thousands of clients on expeditions worldwide and completed his first seven summits tour in 1989.

He has climbed Mount McKinley in Alaska 20 times, Mount Rainier in Washington state more than 400 times and other major summits multiple times, starting with 14,411-foot Mount Rainier as a college student in 1971.

Sue Ershler, whose principal customers in her sales career were Internet service providers, began climbing after she met Phil and has scaled 11 peaks of 16,000 feet or higher.

They began their Seven Summits pursuit with an ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa in 1992 and made all of their ascents together, the last three or four after they were married, McConnell said.

After Kilimanjaro, they scaled Mount Elbrus in Russia in 1993, McKinley in 1995, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina in 1996, Mount Vinson in Antarctica in 1998 and Mount Kosciuszko in Australia in 1999.