On July 22, 2022 at 3:45 AM local time, Liliya Ianovskaia stood on the summit of K2 (8,611 m) — the second-highest mountain in the world and one of the most dangerous to climb. She was 62 years and 350 days old, becoming the oldest woman in history to summit K2.
The ascent — confirmed by Guinness World Records — also made her the first Belarusian-born woman and the first Canadian woman ever to summit the peak. She climbed with 8K Expeditions on a small, Sherpa-led team.
The summit was reached in a pitch-black night ascent through the Bottleneck couloir — a steep ice gully overhung by a massive serac that has been the site of many of K2's worst accidents. Also climbing on the mountain that season were Kristin Harila and Grace Tseng.
Liliya's K2 ascent was profiled by Toronto Life, CBC News, Gripped Magazine, and others.
Note: full article coming soon. Press enquiries.
