Romanian mountaineer Maria Dănilă ascends K2 mountain, marking her as the first woman from Romania to reach its peak.

Maria Dănilaș, one of the most prominent Romanian female mountaineers, has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first woman from Romania to climb K2, the second-highest peak on the planet at 8,611 meters. However, her experience climbing K2 did not bring her the joy she expected due to physical and mental exhaustion, difficult conditions, and dramatic moments.

Accompanied by her trainer Dan Moldovan, Dănilaș embarked on this daunting journey. K2 is known for its thin air, steep slopes, and unpredictable weather, making it one of the most dangerous peaks to conquer.

During her ascent, Dănilaș shared her challenging journey on her social media page, @radu, providing a glimpse into the hardships she faced. Unfortunately, her tentmate, Guan Jing, a Chinese mountaineer, lost her life on the descent route from K2 due to a rock that went through her helmet. A Nepalese Sherpa was sent to recover Guan Jing's body, but he was injured and remained stuck. He was later rescued by helicopter and transported to Skardu Hospital.

Despite the unfortunate incident and the challenging conditions, Dănilaș appreciated the spectacular landscapes, support of the expedition organizers, and help of the locals in Pakistan during her K2 climb. However, she expressed that her experience climbing K2 was not enjoyable, despite the objective achieved.

Prior to her K2 expedition, Dănilaș had already conquered several of the highest peaks in the world, including Annapurna in 2023 at 8,091 meters, Chomolungma (Everest) in 2024 at 8,848 meters, and Kanchenjunga, which she favourably compared to her K2 experience.

A photo sourced from her Facebook page shows Dănilaș standing triumphantly on the peak of K2, a testament to her resilience and determination. With this achievement, Dănilaș has completed the list of the highest peaks in the world, making her a true inspiration for aspiring mountaineers worldwide.

Romanian mountaineer Maria Dănilă ascends K2 mountain, marking her as the first woman from Romania to reach its peak.