Wanda Rutkiewicz
Encyclopedia
Wanda Rutkiewicz /ˈvanda rutˈkievitʂ/ (February 4, 1943 – May 12-13, 1992) was a Polish mountain climber. She was the first woman to successfully summit K2
.
, Lithuania. After World War II, her family chose to leave for Poland
, settling in Wrocław in southwestern Poland's Recovered Territories
, where she graduated from Wroclaw University of Technology
as an electrical engineer.
On 16 October 1978, she became the third woman, the first Pole and the first European woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest
. In 1986 she became the first woman to successfully climb and descend K2
(without supplemental oxygen) as part of a small expedition led by Lilliane and Maurice Barrard. Her triumph was marred when both the Barrards died on the descent, becoming two of thirteen climbers to die on K2 that summer.
She was last seen alive by Mexican climber Carlos Carsolio
(29 at that time), sheltering at high altitude on the north-west face of Kangchenjunga, during her attempted ascent of what would have been her ninth eight-thousander. At that moment Rutkiewicz was physically weakened and not able to make a rational decision that could have saved her life. Carsolio said that he didn't have the mental strength left to convince her to descend because he was weakened as well.
A body thought to be hers was found on the south-west face of the mountain in 1995 by Fausto de Stefani, Marco Galezzi and Silvio Mondinelli
, suggesting that she had climbed up the north-west ridge to a point very close to the summit before falling down the south-west side. However, more detailed analysis of findings of the Italian climbers, such as colour of clothing and presence of Bulgarian-made tablets with the body, indicate that most likely it was the body of Bulgarian climber Yordanka Dimitrova, who was killed by an avalanche
on the south-west face of Kangchenjunga in October 1994. No one will ever know whether Wanda Rutkiewicz summitted Kangchenjunga. If she did so, she would have been the first woman to reach the top of the world's three highest mountains.
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
.
Early life
Rutkiewicz was born in PlungėPlunge
Plungė is a city in Lithuania with 23,246 inhabitants. It has a crab stick factory which exports to many countries in Europe.Before World War II, Plunge had a large Jewish population.- History :...
, Lithuania. After World War II, her family chose to leave for Poland
Repatriation of Poles (1944–1946)
The Polish population transfers from the former eastern territories of Poland also known as the flight and expulsion of Poles towards the end – and in the aftermath – of World War II refer to the forced migration of Poles between 1944–1946...
, settling in Wrocław in southwestern Poland's Recovered Territories
Recovered Territories
Recovered or Regained Territories was an official term used by the People's Republic of Poland to describe those parts of pre-war Germany that became part of Poland after World War II...
, where she graduated from Wroclaw University of Technology
Wroclaw University of Technology
Wrocław University of Technology is an autonomous technical university in Wrocław, Poland. With buildings dispersed throughout the city, its main facilities are gathered at a central location near Plac Grunwaldzki, alongside the Oder River...
as an electrical engineer.
On 16 October 1978, she became the third woman, the first Pole and the first European woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
. In 1986 she became the first woman to successfully climb and descend K2
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
(without supplemental oxygen) as part of a small expedition led by Lilliane and Maurice Barrard. Her triumph was marred when both the Barrards died on the descent, becoming two of thirteen climbers to die on K2 that summer.
Death
Rutkiewicz's goal was to become the first woman to summit all fourteen of the eight-thousanders. During her climbing life she successfully summitted the following mountains:- 1978 - Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
- 1985 - Nanga ParbatNanga ParbatNanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters...
- 1986 - K2K2K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
- 1987 - Shisha Pangma
- 1989 - Gasherbrum IIGasherbrum IIGasherbrum II , also known as K4, is the 13th highest mountain on Earth, located on the border of Gilgit-Baltistan province, Pakistan and Xinjiang, China...
- 1990 - Gasherbrum IGasherbrum IGasherbrum I , also known as Hidden Peak or K5, is the 11th highest peak on Earth, located on the Pakistan-China border in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan and Xinjiang region of China. Gasherbrum I is part of the Gasherbrum massif, located in the Karakoram region of the Himalaya...
- 1991 - Cho OyuCho OyuCho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world at above sea level. Cho Oyu lies in the Himalayas and is 20 km west of Mount Everest, at the border between China and Nepal...
- 1991 - Annapurna I
- 1992 - KangchenjungaKangchenjungaKangchenjunga is the third highest mountain of the world with an elevation of and located along the India-Nepal border in the Himalayas.Kangchenjunga is also the name of the section of the Himalayas and means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over...
?
She was last seen alive by Mexican climber Carlos Carsolio
Carlos Carsolio
Carlos Carsolio Larrea is a Mexican mountain climber. Carsolio is known for being the fourth man and the second youngest to climb the world's 14 eight-thousander mountain peaks, all of them without supplementary oxygen .- Early years :Carsolio, the eldest of...
(29 at that time), sheltering at high altitude on the north-west face of Kangchenjunga, during her attempted ascent of what would have been her ninth eight-thousander. At that moment Rutkiewicz was physically weakened and not able to make a rational decision that could have saved her life. Carsolio said that he didn't have the mental strength left to convince her to descend because he was weakened as well.
A body thought to be hers was found on the south-west face of the mountain in 1995 by Fausto de Stefani, Marco Galezzi and Silvio Mondinelli
Silvio Mondinelli
Silvio Mondinelli , is an Italian mountaineer. In the year 2007, he became the 13th person to climb the 14 eight-thousanders. He is the 6th person to accomplish that feat without the use of supplementary oxygen...
, suggesting that she had climbed up the north-west ridge to a point very close to the summit before falling down the south-west side. However, more detailed analysis of findings of the Italian climbers, such as colour of clothing and presence of Bulgarian-made tablets with the body, indicate that most likely it was the body of Bulgarian climber Yordanka Dimitrova, who was killed by an avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
on the south-west face of Kangchenjunga in October 1994. No one will ever know whether Wanda Rutkiewicz summitted Kangchenjunga. If she did so, she would have been the first woman to reach the top of the world's three highest mountains.