Argentine Catalina Giusti, along with the 14 Peaks Expedition team, reached the summit of the eight-thousander, becoming the first Argentine woman to achieve this feat.
Catalina Giusti, a doctor working for 14 Peaks Expeditions and a member of Extreme Medicine, reached Makalu Base Camp on April 27th, after summiting Mera Peak. Yesterday morning, Saturday, May 9th, Catalina, along with the 14 Peaks team, reached the summit of Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world at 8,485 meters, becoming the first Argentinian to achieve such a feat.
This is what Catalina told Alpinismonline, exclusively, a few hours ago, upon arriving at Makalu Base Camp, overjoyed.
«I came here to work as a doctor for 14 Peaks! It was a wonderful experience. First, I was an expedition doctor acclimatizing with a group, and then I spent many days working at base camp. From the moment this opportunity arose, I expressed my desire to go up, and they finally gave me the chance. I’m truly grateful to 14 Peaks.»
«Summit day was insane! 22 hours from Camp 3 at 7400m, to the summit (8485m), and then back down to base camp at 5700m before the worst of it hit. It was a very different experience from what I’m used to: going to the mountains without friends, spending a lot of time alone. It was my first time using supplemental oxygen, and that was the thought that kept running through my head during those hours. Knowing that without that oxygen tank I had no chance of surviving had me doing mental calculations. Many people summited that same day, but the loneliness is still palpable; everyone is making a huge effort to survive.»
«I’m very lucky, I always say that. Makalu is a beautiful mountain; on the ridge leading to the summit, I truly felt like I was on another planet. We had a windless night with a light dusting of snow. It goes without saying that without Sherpa support, none of this would have been possible. These people fix ropes at the beginning of the season, paving the way to the summit. I’m also incredibly grateful to 14 Peaks, not only for the job opportunity but also for allowing me to push my limits athletically. The truth is, despite working on Aconcagua with the Extreme Medicine medical team, my relationship with the mountains is more about climbing. I enjoy climbing big, technical walls with good company. My dreams lie more in that direction: freeing El Capitan with my life partner and climbing partner, or making a belay on the Trango Towers. But well, I was already here; I couldn’t pass up such a tremendous opportunity.»
Of course, Cata, you can’t pass up such an opportunity, and you’ve certainly made the most of it. Finally, we would like to add that Carlos Hernán Wilke, on May 11, 2008, at 11:00 AM, became the first Argentinian to reach the summit of Makalu. Subsequently, Guillermo «Willie» Benegas, on May 25, 2014, achieved the second Argentinian summit of the world’s fifth highest mountain.
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