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RSS Feed Sports26. 08. 11. - 15:00
Kaltenbrunner had 'majestic moment' on K2
Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner has revealed she experienced "moments of doubt" climbing up K2.
The Upper Austrian alpinist from Spital am Pyhrn became the third woman in the world to scale the 14 highest mountains in the world. She returned from the peak of the 8,611-metre K2 to base camp yesterday (Thurs). Kaltenbrunner and her comrades are currently hiking into the valley. She is expected home next week.
The climber admitted yesterday she and the other members of her group – two Kazakhs and an alpinist from Poland – doubted whether they would be able to scale K2 because of the imminent danger of avalanches. Kaltenbrunner added that hiking through deep snow gave the team a tough time. She said: "Standing on the peak was a majestic, gripping moment. I was standing there for quarter of an hour, doing nothing but wondering. I had to cry."
Kaltenbrunner is the first female climber in the world to scale the 14 highest mountains on the globe without supplemental oxygen as used by Oh Eun-Sun from South Korea and Spain’s Edurne Pasaban. Upper Austrian alpinist Eduard Koblmüller explained earlier this week: "Kaltenbrunner opted to take the most difficult route up K2 and Mount Everest last year. This puts her on another level in comparison to other climbers."
The 40-year-old nurse, who lives in Germany with her German husband Ralf Dujmovits, also revealed yesterday she thought of late Swedish climbing comrade Fredrik Ericsson as she enjoyed the view on the peak of K2 which is the second-highest mountain in the world after 8,848-metre Mount Everest. Ericsson plunged over a cliff and died as he tried to scale K2 with Kaltenbrunner and other climbers last year. The group abandoned their bid after the incident.
Speaking about her successful bid to scale the peak this week, Kaltenbrunner explained: "I never lacked motivation. (...) K2 is very powerful with immense appeal."
She also pointed out how hard it was to reach the base camp afterwards. "The descent was very, very difficult. We knew it would get dark while we hiked down. We had to focus on every step."
Kaltenbrunner added: "Now I am looking forward to the three-day trip (into the valley) as it leads through a very beautiful landscape."
Asked whether she considered climbing up K2 ever again, the nurse – who started climbing aged 13 – said: "Rather not. I am grateful for having been up there. I never stopped loving K2."
Kaltenbrunner pointed out she had no fears about experiencing a personal downturn now she achieved her great target, highlighting she also had other goals as far as her climbing activities were concerned.
Austrian Times
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