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Edurne Pasaban

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Edurne Pasaban is a professional mountaineer from Spain.

Valla de Edurne Pasaban en la nueva campaña de Turismo de Euskadi
Valla de Edurne Pasaban en la nueva campaña de Turismo de Euskadi

She was born on August 1, 1973, in Tolosa. This town is in the province of Gipuzkoa. It is part of the Basque Autonomous Community. Pasaban is famous for her incredible climbing achievements. She is known for reaching the summits of the world's highest mountains. Her most significant achievement is completing the climb of all 14 eight-thousanders. These are the fourteen mountains on Earth that rise above 8,000 meters. By doing this, she became the first woman to reach this milestone.

To understand her journey, one must look at the specific mountains she climbed. Her career in high-altitude climbing began in earnest years ago. On May 23, 2001, she reached the summit of Mount Everest. This was her very first eight-thousander. Following this success, she climbed Lhotse and Cho Oyu in 2002. In 2003, she reached the tops of K2, Gasherbrum II, and Gasherbrum I. She continued her progress through the years. In 2004, she climbed Nanga Parbat. In 2005, she reached the summit of Broad Peak. In 2007, she climbed Broad Peak again with Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner. On May 1, 2008, she summited Dhaulagiri.

Pasaban's path to the record involved many different stages and challenges. On May 18, 2009, she climbed Kangchenjunga. She was accompanied by Juanito Oiarzabal and Kinga Baranowska. This specific climb was a major turning point. It made her the first woman to climb twelve eight-thousanders. This achievement placed her ahead of other climbers like Nives Meroi. Meroi had attempted Kangchenjunga but had to stop. Meroi's climbing partner, Romano Benet, suffered health problems during the ascent. Pasaban continued her momentum into the next year. On April 17, 2010, she climbed Annapurna. She then went directly to Shishapangma to complete her quest.

A complex dispute arose regarding the world record for women. In April 2010, reports suggested Korean climber Oh Eun-sun might have finished first. This created a debate among experts and mountaineers. Elizabeth Hawley, an important figure in Himalayan climbing, investigated the claims. Hawley spoke with Pasaban and Oh Eun-sun in Kathmandu. Hawley decided to mark Oh's climb of Kangchenjunga as "disputed." This meant the climb was recognized but not fully confirmed. The dispute centered on whether Oh actually reached the summit. Pasaban and others questioned the accuracy of Oh's account.

The resolution of this debate relied on testimony from Sherpas. Sherpas are people who provide essential support in the mountains. Pasaban named seven Sherpas involved in the discussion. These were Dawa Ongchu Sherpa, Pema Chiring Sherpa, and Chheji Nurbu Sherpa. They also included Dawa Sangge Sherpa, Ong Darchi Sherpa, Cuombi Sherpa, and Phurdorchi Sherpa. These Sherpas provided a different version of the climb. They stated that Oh Eun-sun could not finish the ascent. They cited bad weather conditions as the reason for stopping. Eventually, the South Korean Hiking Federation examined the proofs. They refused to acknowledge the Kangchenjunga ascent. Oh Eun-sun later admitted she stopped a few hundred meters below the summit.

On May 17, 2010, Pasaban officially completed her historic goal. She reached the summit of Shishapangma on that day. This success made her the first woman to climb all 14 eight-thousanders. She was also the 21st person in history to achieve this feat. Her list of summits is very long and impressive. It includes Makalu, Manaslu, and several Gasherbrum peaks. She has also completed the Seven Summits. The Seven Summits refers to climbing the highest peak on each of the seven continents. Her career shows extreme physical skill and mental strength.

Pasaban's work connects to the broader world of high-altitude exploration. Her climbs require navigating extreme environments and unpredictable weather. The debate over her record shows how important accuracy is in mountaineering. Experts use databases to track every successful ascent. These records help historians understand human achievement in the mountains. Pasaban's journey is a documented part of modern climbing history. She continues to be a significant figure in the sport. Her achievements inspire others to explore the world's highest places.

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