Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner

At 23, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner left her job as a nurse to pursue her driving passion—becoming a professional mountaineer. In time, with iron-willed determination and unmatched skill, Gerlinde conquered all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks. By reaching the summit of the treacherous 8,611-meter-high K2, she became the first woman to scale all of these giants without the use of supplemental oxygen or high-altitude porters. In other words, she relied only on her own sheer will, training, remarkable athleticism, and determination. Gerlinde lives in Upper Austria, where she spends her time rock climbing, mountaineering in the Alps, going on expeditions, and mentoring other climbers.