Renan Öztürk facts for kids

Renan Öztürk (born April 7, 1980) is an American rock climber, mountaineer, artist, and filmmaker. He is famous for climbing a very difficult route called the Shark's Fin on Meru Peak in the Himalayas. He did this in 2011 with his climbing partners Jimmy Chin and Conrad Anker. Their amazing climb was shown in a movie called Meru.

Early Life and Learning

Renan Öztürk was born in Germany. When he was one year old, he moved to Rhode Island in the United States with his mother. He later went to college and studied biology, finishing in 2003.

Climbing Adventures

After college, Renan traveled all over the western United States, climbing in many famous spots like Yosemite and Joshua Tree National Park.

In 2004, while working on a film, Renan decided to try a type of climbing called free solo climbing. This means climbing without ropes or safety gear. He climbed North Sixshooter Peak by himself, and it was filmed for a climbing movie called Return 2 Sender.

Conquering Meru Peak

Renan first tried to climb the Shark's Fin route on Meru Peak in 2008 with Conrad Anker and Jimmy Chin. They spent 19 days on the mountain but had to turn back close to the top.

In 2011, Renan had a serious skiing accident. Many people thought he wouldn't be able to climb again. But he worked hard to recover, and that same year, he went back to Meru Peak. This time, he, Conrad Anker, and Jimmy Chin successfully reached the top of the Shark's Fin! It was a huge achievement.

Exploring Everest

In 2019, Renan joined an expedition to Mount Everest. He was part of a team looking for the body of a famous climber named Sandy Irvine. Renan also led a film crew from National Geographic to make a documentary about this trip, called Lost on Everest.

Life Beyond Climbing

Besides climbing, Renan Öztürk is also a talented artist. He enjoys painting, often using different materials he finds. He also loves photography and making films about his adventures.

Awards and Recognitions

Renan has received several awards for his climbing and adventurous spirit:

• 2011: Golden Piton Award for 'Big Wall' climbing.
• 2013: National Geographic 'Adventurer of the Year'.

Amazing Climbs

Here are some of Renan Öztürk's most notable climbs:

• 2011: First time anyone climbed the Shark’s Fin Route on Meru Peak in the Himalaya.
• 2012: First time anyone climbed The Tooth Traverse across the Moose's Tooth Skyline in Denali National Park.
• He free climbed Freerider on El Capitan, a very famous rock face.
• First time anyone climbed the SW Cat Ear Spire, Trango Towers, in the Himalaya.
• First time anyone climbed The Beholder on the Eye Tooth, Ruth Gorge, Denali National Park.
• First time anyone climbed the SW Buttress of Tawoche, Khumbu Himalaya.