Age, Biography and Wiki

Wanda Rutkiewicz (Wanda Błaszkiewicz) was born on 4 February, 1943 in Plungė, Lithuania, is a Polish mountain climber (1943–1992). Discover Wanda Rutkiewicz's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is she in this year and how she spends money? Also learn how she earned most of networth at the age of 49 years old?

Popular As Wanda Błaszkiewicz
Occupation Mountaineer
Age 49 years old
Zodiac Sign Aquarius
Born 4 February 1943
Birthday 4 February
Birthplace Plungė, Lithuania
Date of death 1992
Died Place Kangchenjunga, Nepal
Nationality Lithuania

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 4 February. She is a member of famous Mountaineer with the age 49 years old group.

Wanda Rutkiewicz Height, Weight & Measurements

At 49 years old, Wanda Rutkiewicz height not available right now. We will update Wanda Rutkiewicz's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
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Dating & Relationship status

She is currently single. She is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about She's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, She has no children.

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Wanda Rutkiewicz Net Worth

Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Wanda Rutkiewicz worth at the age of 49 years old? Wanda Rutkiewicz’s income source is mostly from being a successful Mountaineer. She is from Lithuania. We have estimated Wanda Rutkiewicz's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Mountaineer

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Timeline

1943

Wanda Rutkiewicz ( 4 February 1943 – 12–13 May 1992) was a Polish mountaineer and computer engineer.

She was the first woman to reach the summit of K2 and the third woman (first European woman) to summit Mount Everest.

Wanda Rutkiewicz was born into an educated Polish family in Plungė, Lithuania.

Her father, Zbigniew Błaszkiewicz, was an engineer for the Communal Building Projects Bureau (Biuro Projektów Budownictwa Komunalnego).

Zbigniew was also a passionate sportsman.

He excelled at swimming, shooting, and judo.

Maria, her mother, on the other hand, enjoyed reading about Western culture and traveling in the Himalayas.

After World War II, her family chose to leave for Poland, first moving to Łańcut before settling in Wrocław in southwestern Poland's Recovered Territories.

1949

She was initially homeschooled, but began attending 2nd grade in elementary school in 1949 and joined the 18 Scout Team of the “Zośka” Battalion.

When she was five, her seven-year-old brother, Jerzy, was killed after finding an unexploded bomb with his friends in post-war Wrocław.

Rutkiewicz was a multi-sport athlete.

While in the elementary school she would practice running with her school's coaches every day before classes started.

She trained long jump, discus throw, and high jump.

1961

In 1961 she won the gold medal in the Polish University Club Championships in the shot put.

As a student in the Politechnic institute, she joined the Academic Sports Union (AZS Wrocław), where she opted to play volleyball.

One summer's day in 1961 it ran out of fuel.

She started waving to people passing on the road to seek their assistance; a motorcyclist who stopped to help was travelling with a colleague, Bogdan Jankowski, who had been climbing for two years.

This chance meeting resulted in them climbing together near Janowice Wielkie in the Falcon Mountains (Góry Sokole).

Her first major expedition was to the Pamir Mountains with Andrzej Zawada, which she found unpleasant due to her difficult relationships with the male climbers.

After returning she began to lead her own expeditions, including a number of all-female ones, and became known for her blunt leadership style.

1964

Some speculated that Rutkiewicz might have been called up to the national team or even represent Poland in the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, but she chose to pursue climbing instead.

She graduated from Wroclaw University of Technology as an electrical engineer.

Rutkiewicz rode a Junak, the heaviest Polish motorcycle, which indirectly contributed to her interest in climbing.

1965

Despite standing at just 168 cm tall, she led AZS Wrocław to the 1965 Summer Universiade in Budapest.

1978

On 16 October 1978, she became the first Pole, the third woman (after Junko Tabei and Phantog in 1975), and the first European woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

She managed to accomplish this climb despite suffering from anemia.

In fact, she carried injections of iron with her, so she could raise her hemoglobin levels to remain conscious during the climb.

1979

She reached Mount Everest the same day that her compatriot, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, whom Rutkiewicz met in 1979, was announced Pope John Paul II.

The Pope said of their accomplishments, "The good Lord wanted this--that we rise so high on the same day."

1986

In 1986 she became the first woman to successfully climb K2, which she did without supplemental oxygen, as part of a small expedition led by Lilliane and Maurice Barrard.

Her triumph was marred when both the Barrards died during the descent, becoming two of 13 climbers to die on K2 that summer.

Rutkiewicz's goal was to become the first woman to reach the summits of all 14 of the eight-thousanders.

During her climbing career she successfully climbed the following mountains:

While climbing Kangchenjunga, 49-year-old Rutkiewicz was last seen alive by Mexican climber Carlos Carsolio.

She was sheltering at high altitude on the north-west face, during her attempted ascent of what would have been her ninth eight-thousander.

Despite being physically weakened she decided against descending.

Carsolio said he did not have the mental strength to convince her to descend because he was weakened as well.

1994

However, more detailed analysis of the findings by the Italian climbers, such as colour of clothing and presence of Bulgarian-made tablets with the body, indicate that it was probably the body of Bulgarian climber Yordanka Dimitrova, who was killed by an avalanche on the south-west face of Kangchenjunga in October 1994.

It is unknown if Rutkiewicz reached the summit of Kangchenjunga.

1995

It was thought that her body had been found on the south-west face of the mountain in 1995 by Fausto de Stefani, Marco Galezzi and Silvio Mondinelli, suggesting that she had climbed up the north-west ridge to a point very close to the summit before falling down the south-west side.