Romania's top high-altitude climber Horia Colibasanu reached the summit of Broad Peak (8,051 metres) this past weekend after a 12-hour climb without supplemental oxygen and Sherpa backup. This is Colibasanu's tenth peak above 8,000 metres, from a total of 14.

"I'm on the top at 8,051 meters. It was a grueling 12-hour ascent. A very long ridge, a challenging summit because I didn't know which of the ridge peaks was, in fact, the actual peak. I climbed, I'm tired, I want to start the descent as soon as possible, and I hope to reach the base camp soon," Colibasanu said right after the climb.

He later confirmed on social media that he safely made it back to base camp.

This recent expedition is part of Horia Colibasanu's mission to climb all 14 eight-thousanders. Previous summits include K2, Annapurna, and Dhaulagiri - three of the most dangerous mountains in the world.

Colibasanu's exceptional performance in high-altitude climbing has also been honored numerous times. He received the Sports Merit medal from the Government of Navarra (2008); the Spirit of Mountaineering, Piolets d'Or (2009) distinction from the British Alpine Club; and the Star of Romania National Order in 2019.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Horia Colibasanu)