Rajan Pokhrel

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KATHMANDU: A 52-year-old mountaineer has scripted history by becoming the first American-British woman to successfully climb the world’s second highest peak on Friday afternoon.

The GPS tracker shows that American climber Vanessa O’Brien stood atop the Mt K2 (8,611 m) a few minutes ago. Kathmandu-based expedition handling agencies also confirmed that 12 climbers including seven Nepali Sherpas scaled the peak this afternoon.

With his successful ascent on Mt K2, John Snorri Sigurjonsson also created a history by becoming the first Icelander to reach the top of world’s second highest peak.

Chinese climber Zhang Liang has also completed his 14th mountain above 8,000 m by scaling Mt K2.

After two unsuccessful attempts to scale the mountain in successive years, Vanessa who is also the Honorary Ambassador of the US-Nepal Climbers Association Inc made it to the top of ‘the savage mountain’ this season.

According to the climbing records, only 18 women have survived the climb to the top of K2, also known among the climbers as the killer mountain.

The Guinness World Record holder for being the first woman to set a speed record to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peak on every continent, in 295 days, Vanessa successfully climbed Mt Everest in 2010.

According to her website, she is the first woman to set a speed record to complete the Explorers Grand Slam (Seven Summits plus skiing the last degree to the North and South Poles) in 11 months, and one of only nine women to do so in the world.

Owner of the Dreamers Destination Trek Mingma Gyalje Sherpa who is also a part of the expedition shared late this morning that they (12 people – five foreigners and seven Sherpas) – would reach the summit of Mt K2 within an hour.

Phurba Tenzing Sherpa, Director at the Dreamers Destination Trek, said that Vanessa, John Snorri, Zhang Liang, Jing Xue, Azong, Mingma Gyalje, Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, Tsering Pemba Sherpa, Nima Nuru Sherpa, Lakpa Nuru Sherpa, Nima Tshering Sherpa and Ang Tsering Sherpa scaled the peak.

Mingma also completed his 13th mountain above 8,000 m by scaling Mt K2 in the season. Sherpa had earlier climbed Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth tallest peak, last month, he added.

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