Romanian climber, Maria Dănilă, ascends K2 mountain, earning the distinction as the first woman from Romania to conquer this towering peak.
Romanian Mountaineer Maria Dănilă Conquers K2 but Finds Mixed Emotions
Maria Dănilă, a mountaineer from Constanta, Romania, has made history as the first woman from her country to climb K2, the second-highest peak in the world. At 8,611 meters, K2 is one of the most dangerous peaks due to thin air, steep slopes, and unpredictable weather.
In 2023, Maria Dănilă reached the summit of Annapurna, which stands at 8,091 meters. This climb consolidated her status as one of the most important Romanian female mountaineers. In 2024, she successfully climbed Chomolungma (Everest), making it the highest mountain she has conquered with an altitude of 8,848 meters.
For her climb of K2, Maria Dănilă was supported by the expedition organizers Imagine Nepal, Seven Summit Treks/14 Peaks Expedition, Elite Expeditions, and Alpinist Climber Expedition. However, her journey was not without its challenges. During the descent, her tentmate, Guan Jing, a Chinese mountaineer, died after being hit by a falling rock. A Nepalese Sherpa was sent to recover Guan Jing's body but was injured and remained stuck.
Maria Dănilă shared her experience on her social media page, where she expressed that she barely enjoyed the experience of climbing K2, despite achieving her objective. She compared her feelings about K2 to eating too much chocolate and never wanting any again. Despite the difficult conditions, dramatic moments, and physical and mental exhaustion she faced, Maria Dănilă found the landscapes, support from expedition organizers, and help from locals in Pakistan to be appreciable aspects of her K2 expedition.
The Nepalese Sherpa was later rescued by helicopter and transported to Skardu Hospital for medical care. The photo accompanying this article was sourced from Maria Danila's Facebook page. The article was published on radu@our website.
Maria Dănilă's climb of K2 marked the completion of her list of the highest peaks in the world. Despite the mixed emotions she felt, her achievement is a testament to her determination and perseverance as a mountaineer.
