Romanian alpinist Horia Colibasanu to leave in 2 months for Himalaya summit

Romanian alpinist Horia Colibasanu will leave in 2 months for Himalaya summit, as he feels that he’s heading towards the peak of his career and is waiting for his permit for a new climb, announced the alpinist at RFI.

„A premiere would be the equivalent of an Olympic or Global record. Of course I want it,” says Colibasanu.

„I’m leaving for Himalaya summit in 2 months. We don’t know yet what we’ll do. We want to go on a new trek, but we don’t have yet permits for it. Our agency from Kathmandu, Nepal is negotiating with the Tourism Ministry and I hope I’ll find out as soon as possible where I can go. But for sure I have the flight ticket for Himalaya for this spring. I will go again with Peter Hamor, my usual expedition partner, with whom I have done a good job until now. We have prepared physically and technically for each trek…there are three treks that we aim. It’s the equivalent of an Olympic or Global record. I believe that any sportsman wants somewhere, at least towards the end of their career, to reach this kind of performance. To be honest, I want that too. I don’t know if we’ll achieve it fast, but I want it more than reach a collection of peaks. I think that towards the end of my career I can climb these mountains that are left, ” said Colibasanu at RFI.

Colibasanu succeeded in 2017 to reach Everest peak (8,848 meters), without additional oxygen and without sherpa. It was a performance for which he was rewarded with the National Order „Star of Romania”, Chevalier rank, the greatest award given by the Romanian President. He had prepared for 3 years and a half for the summit. Everest was the highest peak climbed by Colibasanu.

“It was very, very hard, and very, very cold,” said Colibasanu.

Up to now, Colibasanu has successfully climbed to the top of K2 (8,811 meters), Manaslu (8,163 meters), Dhaulagiri (8,167 meters), Shishapangma (8.027 meters), Annapurna (8.091 meters), Makalu (8.463 meters), and Lhotse (8.516 meters).