24/06/2026
40 years ago today, Wanda Rutkiewicz became the first woman in history to stand on the 8,611-meter summit of K2.
On June 23, 1986, the Polish mountaineer reached the top of the world’s second-highest mountain, a peak known for steep terrain, violent weather, and extreme altitude. K2 had already built a reputation as one of the most serious challenges in high-altitude climbing.
A HISTORIC K2 ASCENT
Rutkiewicz made the ascent without supplemental oxygen, making the achievement even more remarkable. She was part of a small expedition led by French climbers Maurice and Liliane Barrard during K2’s deadly 1986 season.
Her summit was a major breakthrough for women’s mountaineering. Liliane Barrard also reached the summit that day, becoming the second woman to climb K2, but the success was followed by tragedy. Liliane and Maurice Barrard both died during the descent.
THE 1986 K2 SEASON
That summer became one of the deadliest seasons in K2’s history, with 13 climbers losing their lives on or around the mountain. Her summit remains a landmark in mountaineering history, but it was also tied to one of the deadliest seasons K2 had ever seen.
WANDA’S LEGACY
Rutkiewicz was already a major figure before K2. In 1978, she became the first Polish climber, the first European woman, and the third woman in history to summit Mount Everest.
Over her career, she climbed eight confirmed 8,000-meter peaks, including Everest, Nanga Parbat, K2, Shishapangma, Gasherbrum II, Gasherbrum I, Cho Oyu, and Annapurna.
In 1992, she disappeared high on Kangchenjunga while pursuing her dream of climbing all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks.
#𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗄𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀
