Young Romanian climber Dor Geta Popescu, aged 12, has summited Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, on May 18.

Located 345 km south of the Arctic Circle, in Alaska, Denali is the third highest peak of the 7 Summits circuit, after Everest and Aconcagua. It has an altitude of 6,190 meters. The 7 Summits are the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, the highest of which is the Everest.

“I’ve worked hard to reach this achievement, both in training and in climbing. It is something that I wanted very much and for which I was ready to spend 30 days on the mountain, the maximum physical limit in extreme climatic conditions, to reach the summit. Fortunately, it was not the case,” Dor Geta Popescu said in a Facebook post.

She needed 7 days to reach the summit, during which she had to pull a 20-kilogram sleigh with equipment and prepare shelters. Denali is one of the most difficult mountains to climb in the world because of the extremely cold weather. Only between a third and half of those who try to climb it manage to get to the summit.

For the young Romanian alpinist, Denali is the fourth peak from the 7 Summits circuit, after Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, and Aconcagua. By the age of 14, she wants to complete the 7 Volcanoes and 7 Summits circuits.

Dor Geta Popescu climbed Aconcagua in early February this year. Aconcagua is the highest mountain outside of Asia, at 6,961 meters, and the highest point in the Western and Southern Hemispheres.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Dor Geta Popescu on Facebook)