Vanessa on K2 with Pakistani and American flag – 28 July 2017
She first attempted for K2 in 2015 and failed.She made a second attempt in 2016 and failed.
Vanessa O’Brien is an executive MBA from New York University who have 20+ years of executive experience in global Financial Services.The 52-year-old ex- banker on Friday afternoon, July 28 2017 , became the first American woman to summit K2, the world’s second highest mountain at 28,251 feet.
“It is said when you climb Everest, you are a mountaineer in the eyes of the world, but when you climb K2 you are a mountaineer in the eyes of other climbers,” said O’Brien before her climb. “K2 fascinates me because while it is not quite as high as Everest, it is technically more challenging with exposed rock, steeper terrain and higher avalanche risk.”
Prior to reaching K2 here are glimpses of few of her remarkable feats:-
- 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.
- 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 9 woman to do so in the world.
- Successfully completed the Boston Marathon in 5:16:00, helping the American Red Cross raise over $512,000.
- Summited two eight thousand meter peaks back-to-back with summits 8 days apart (Shishapangma and Cho Oyu).
- Board of Directors, American Pakistan Foundation
- Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Member of The Explorers Club.
- Honorary Ambassador of the US Nepal Climbers Association Inc. and Advisory Board Member for Thomson Safaris
Currently Vaneesa Obrein picture with Pakistani (and American) flag on K2 is being loved across Pakistan.
