Juanito Oiarzabal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Eusebio Oiarzabal
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Juanito Oiarzabal in 2007
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| Born | March 30, 1956 |
| Nationality |  Spanish |
| Occupation | Mountaineer |
Juan Eusebio Oiarzabal Urteaga, known as Juanito Oiarzabal, is a famous Spanish Basque mountaineer. He was born on March 30, 1956. Juanito is known for his incredible climbing achievements. He has even written four books about his adventures in the mountains.
He was the sixth person ever to climb all 14 of the world's highest mountains, known as eight-thousanders. These are mountains over 8,000 meters (about 26,247 feet) tall. What's even more amazing is that he was the third person to do this without using extra oxygen! He was also the first person to climb the three highest mountains (Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga) twice. In 2004, after climbing K2, he suffered from frostbite and lost all his toes.
In 2009, Juanito announced a new goal: to be the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders twice! This is called a "double 14." By April 2010, he had climbed 24 eight-thousanders in total after reaching the top of Annapurna. This was a world record at the time. In 2011, he climbed Lhotse for a second time, making it his 25th eight-thousander summit. He is second only to Nepali climber Phurba Tashi Sherpa, who has 30 eight-thousander ascents.
Contents
Adventures in the Himalayas
Juanito Oiarzabal is very famous for his climbs in the Himalayas, which is a huge mountain range in Asia. But before he started climbing these giant peaks, he was already one of the best climbers in Spain. He had climbed many difficult routes on mountains all over Spain and even found some new paths.
He also has a lot of experience climbing in the Alps in Europe, where he enjoyed the technical challenges. Juanito has climbed on other continents too, including North America, South America, and Africa. He has been on 35 expeditions to the Himalayas over 23 years, showing how comfortable he is in these high mountains.
Amazing Mountain Climbs
Juanito Oiarzabal has climbed many incredible mountains around the world. Here are some of his most notable ascents:
North America
- 1984 – Denali (also known as McKinley) in Alaska, which is 6,194 meters (20,322 feet) high.
South America
- 1983 – Aconcagua in Argentina, standing at 6,957 meters (22,825 feet). He made the fifth winter ascent in the world and has guided many climbs there.
Africa
- 1988 – Mount Kenya in Kenya, climbing the challenging Diamond Corridor.
Nepal: Himalayan Peaks
Juanito has summited many of the world's highest peaks in Nepal:
- 1993 – Everest (8,848 meters or 29,029 feet), the world's highest mountain.
- 1995 – Makalu (8,465 meters or 27,772 feet).
- 1995 – Lhotse (8,516 meters or 27,940 feet).
- 1996 – Kangchenjunga (8,586 meters or 28,169 feet).
- 1997 – Manaslu (8,163 meters or 26,781 feet).
- 1998 – Dhaulagiri (8,167 meters or 26,795 feet).
- 1999 – Annapurna (8,091 meters or 26,545 feet).
- 2008 – Makalu (second summit).
- 2009 – Kangchenjunga (second summit).
- 2010 – Annapurna (second summit).
- 2011 – Lhotse (second summit).
- 2011 – Manaslu (second summit).
Pakistan: Karakoram Mountains
He has also conquered many giants in Pakistan's Karakoram range:
- 1987 – Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters or 26,362 feet).
- 1992 – Nanga Parbat (8,125 meters or 26,657 feet).
- 1994 – K2 - Chogori (8,611 meters or 28,251 feet), the world's second-highest mountain.
- 1995 – Broad Peak (8,047 meters or 26,401 feet).
- 1997 – Hidden Peak (8,068 meters or 26,470 feet).
- 2003 – Gasherbrum II (second summit).
- 2003 – Hidden Peak (second summit).
- 2004 – K2 - Chogori (second summit).
China: High Peaks and Deserts
Juanito's adventures in China include:
- 1985 – Cho-Oyu (8,201 meters or 26,906 feet).
- 1998 – Shisha Pangma (8,046 meters or 26,398 feet).
- 2001 – Everest (second summit, without extra oxygen).
- 2002 – Cho-Oyu (second summit).
- 2003 – Cho-Oyu (third and fourth summits, both in September and October).
- 2000 – He crossed the Taklamakan desert (800 kilometers or 497 miles) with only camels for help.
Other Unique Expeditions
Juanito's adventures aren't just about climbing:
- 2000 – He crossed 650 kilometers (404 miles) in Greenland on a sleigh pulled by a kite.
- 2001 – He climbed Mount Elbrus in Russia (5,642 meters or 18,510 feet), the highest mountain in Europe, during winter.
Awards and Recognitions
Juanito Oiarzabal has received many awards and honors for his amazing achievements:
- He has helped in mountain rescue missions and been recognized for his bravery.
- He is an honorary member of several mountaineering clubs.
- He is a climbing teacher and a guide for the International Union of Mountaineering Guide Associations.
- He received the Golden Insignia from the Basque Mountaineering Federation.
- He was nominated for the "Prince of Asturias" Award for Sports in 1999 and was a finalist in 2001.
- The Mundo Deportivo newspaper named him one of the top 20 most important Spanish sportsmen of the 20th century.
- In 1999, the Spanish government gave him the Golden Medal for Sports Merit.
- In 2000, the Basque Government honored him as a Universal Basque Citizen.
- He received the "Marca de Leyenda" (Legendary Mark) award from the sports newspaper Marca, a very special honor given to only a few elite athletes worldwide.
- Important officials, including the King of Spain, Juan Carlos de Borbón, have officially welcomed him to recognize his achievements.
- In 2005, he received the FCG International Award for Sports.
Books
Juanito Oiarzabal has shared his experiences by publishing four books about his mountaineering adventures.
Audiovisual Productions
Juanito has also been part of many TV shows and films that promote mountaineering:
- He has made 16 audiovisual productions that highlight the sport of mountaineering.
- He filmed his climb of Annapurna for the TVE program Al filo de lo imposible (On the Edge of the Impossible).
- He recorded a program about Everest, exploring the mystery of Mallory and Irvine, climbers who disappeared in 1924.
- He has been a team leader on the ETB2 TV show The conqueror of the world's end, an adventure reality show set in Patagonia, Argentina.
See also
In Spanish: Juanito Oiarzabal para niños
