AbOUT
Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner’s interest in mountain climbing developed at a very young age. It was Reverend Dr. Erich Tischler, a youth group leader in her hometown of Spital am Pyhrn, Upper Austria, who introduced her to the fascinating world of mountains. After the dominical church service, he would take Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner along on numerous tours to the mountains surrounding her hometown. At the age of 13, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner ventured on her first easy climbing tours at the local „Sturzhahn“, which sparked off her enthusiasm for climbing and paved the road to alpinism.
During the following years, she never skipped an opportunity to go climbing. Ski, ice and climbing tours became her main fields of interest, which she enjoyed besides completing her nurse training in Upper Austria and Vienna. Her greatest dream – climbing an eight thousand peak – came true at the age of 23, when she succeeded in climbing the fore summit of Broad Peak in Pakistan, with a height of 8.027m.
During the following years, she put all money earned as a nurse into different trekking and climbing expeditions to the Himalaya. After climbing the Nanga Parbat – her fifth eight thousand peak – in 2003, she decided to finally become a professional mountain climber.
Today, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner has climbed all fourteen main peaks in the eight thousand series as well as two fore summits higher than eight thousand metres. By reaching the summit of K2 (8,611m), the second highest peak in the world, she has become the first woman to scale all 8,000m peaks without the use of supplementary oxygen. Her passion, however, are not solely the high mountains of the Himalaya Massive. It’s just as much the people, as well as their foreign culture and religion that touch and enchant her.
Expeditions
2023 November | Putha Hiunchuli - Nepal (7246 m)
2021 July | Great Trango Trango Tower – Pakistan (6287 m, Normal Route)
2021 July | Gasherbrum IV – Pakistan (Bonatti-Route to 7000m - abandoned due rockfall)
2019 November | Mera Peak – Nepal (6476 m)
2017 November | Kyajo Ri – Nepal (6186 m)
2014 March/April | Monte Sarmiento – Tierra del Fuego / Chile (abandoned due bad weather conditions)
2013 May | McKinley (Denali) – Alaska (6194 m)
2012 May | Nuptse – Nepal (7861 m, via North Pillar)
2011 August | K2 – China (8611 m, via North Pillar)
2010 April/May | Everest – Tibet (via North-East Ridge to summit)
2009 July/August | K2 – Pakistan (via Cesen Route to 8300 m)
2009 May | Lhotse – Nepal (8516 m)
2008 May | Dhaulagiri I – Nepal (8167 m)
2007 July/August | K2 – Pakistan (via Cesen Route to 8100 m)
2007 July/August | Broad Peak – Pakistan (8047 m)
2007 April/May | Dhaulagiri I – Nepal (abandoned at 7400 m)
2006 May | Lhotse – Nepal (abandoned at 8400 m)
2006 April/May | Kangchenjunga – Nepal (8595 m, South-West Ridge)
2005 June/July | Gasherbrum II – Pakistan (8035 m, SW Ridge)
2005 May/June | Everest – Tibet (Climb abandoned due to rescue)
2005 May | Shisha Pangma – Tibet (8013 m, via South Face)
2004 July | Gasherbrum I – Pakistan (8068 m, via Japanese Couloir)
2004 May | Annapurna I – Nepal (8091 m, via French Route)
2004 April | Xifeng Peak – Tibet (7221 m)
2003 June | Nanga Parbat – Pakistan (8125 m, via Diamir Route)
2003 April/May | Kangchenjunga – Nepal (to 7200 m, North Ridge)
2002 April/ May | Manaslu – Nepal (8163 m)
2001 April/May | Makalu – Nepal (8463 m)
2000 April/ May | Shisha Pangma – Tibet (Central Summit, 8008 m)
1999 Juni | Alpamayo – Peru (5947 m, Ferrari-Route )
1998 April/May | Cho Oyu – Tibet (8201 m)
1997 October | Ama Dablam – Nepal (6858 m SW Ridge)
1995 May | Muztagh Ata – China (to 6600 m)
1994 June/July | Broad Peak – Pakistan (False Summit 8027 m)
AWARDS
2010 Goldener King Albert Mountain Award
www.king-albert.ch
2011 Golden Medal of the Republic of Austria
2012 National Geographic „Explorer of the Year 2012“ Award
www.nationalgeographic.com
2016 Ispo Trophy "Sports Personality of the Year"
www.ispo.com