Google dedicated their homepage on Oct. 16 to Wanda Rutkiewicz, the first woman to reach the top of K2 back in 1986. The Polish climber was also the third woman to reach the summit of Everest 41 years prior to the day of the Google doodle.
Rutkiewicz climbed seven of the world’s 14 8,000-metre peaks. Born on Feb. 4 1943, she died in May 1992 while on Kangchenjunga. She was last seen alive by Mexican climber Carlos Carsolio while bivied at high altitude on the northwest face, during her attempt. Her body has never been found or identified with certainty.
Rutkiewicz’s 8,000-metre Peaks
1975 – Gasherbrum III
1978 – Mount Everest
1985 – Nanga Parbat
1986 – K2
1987 – Shishapangma
1989 – Gasherbrum II
1990 – Gasherbrum I
1991 – Cho Oyu
1991 – Annapurna I
1992 – Kangchenjunga (uncertain)
