Expeditions
Mountaineering expeditions
Seven Summits
Anja Blacha first started mountaineering in 2015 when she climbed Aconcagua. She then continued to climb all Seven Summits, scaling the highest mountain on each continent with 100% first-time success in just under three years. [7] At age 26, she became the youngest German woman to summit Mount Everest which she climbed via the North route from Tibet. [8] Later that year, at age 27, she became the youngest German to complete all Seven Summits.
| No | Year | Peak | Elevation | Continent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015 | Aconcagua | 6,962 m | South America |
| 2 | 2015 | Kilimanjaro | 5,895 m | Africa |
| 3 | 2016 | Denali | 6,194 m | North America |
| 4 | 2016 | Mount Elbrus | 5,642 m | Europe |
| 5 | 2016 | Carstensz Pyramid | 4,884 m | Australia |
| 6 | 2017 | Mount Everest | 8,848 m | Asia |
| 7 | 2017 | Mount Vinson | 4,892 m | Antarctica |
K2 expedition
In summer 2019, she embarked on a double expedition in Pakistan to climb Broad Peak and K2 in the same season. As part of the acclimatisation for K2, she first summited Broad Peak, the world's 12th highest mountain at 8,047 m, on July 4. Thereafter, she summited K2, the world's 2nd highest mountain at 8,611 m, on July 25, ascending via the Abruzzi Spur, descending via the Cesen route. She reached both summits without the use of supplemental oxygen. [9] [10] [1]
She is the first German woman to have summited K2 and the 8th German overall. [11]
Other 8,000er peaks
In 2021, she climbed Mount Everest a second time, now from the South Side using bottled oxygen above 8,400 m. [12]
In 2023, she climbed Nanga Parbat, [13] Gasherbrum I [14] and Gasherbrum II [15] without bottled oxygen. [16] She thus has scaled all of the five Pakistani 8,000 m peaks without bottled oxygen.
| No | Year | Peak | Elevation | Oxygen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017, 2021 | Mount Everest | 8,848 m | |
| 2 | 2019 | Broad Peak | 8,051 m | No O2 |
| 3 | 2019 | K2 | 8,611 m | No O2 |
| 4 | 2023 | Nanga Parbat | 8,125 m | No O2 |
| 5 | 2023 | Gasherbrum II | 8,034 m | No O2 |
| 6 | 2023 | Gasherbrum I | 8,080 m | No O2 |
Polar expeditions
Southern Solitaire
On 9 January 2020, she reached the South Pole after having skied for 57 days, 18 hours, and 50 minutes from the Northern end of Berkner Island to the South Pole. [17] She has started further North on Berkner Island than any other expedition before her, and set the record for the longest solo unsupported polar expedition by any woman at that time. [18] [2] Besides being the first woman to achieve this, she is also still the youngest person to ski solo unsupported to the South Pole from a coastal starting point. [19] [3]
Only five people in history have accomplished a journey from Berkner Island to the South Pole solo, unsupported, and unassisted before her. Amongst these are polar explorers Børge Ousland, Ben Saunders, and Henry Worsley who died shortly after being evacuated on a later part of his expedition. [20]
INTERSPORT has supported this expedition, and together they launched the campaign “Not bad for a girl” to inspire and encourage people to look beyond stereotypes. [18]
Other polar expeditions
- 2019, Greenland, ski crossing West to East, team, unsupported [21]
- 2023, Akshayuk Pass ski crossing, solo, unsupported [22]
- 2023, Northwest Passage ski crossing Cambridge Bay to Gjoa Haven, team, unsupported [23]
