Anna Gutu was an American mountaineer who had a passion for climbing the world’s highest peaks. She was one of the few women who attempted to summit all 14 eight-thousanders, the mountains that are more than 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) above sea level.
She died in a tragic avalanche on Mount Shishapangma in Tibet on October 7, 2023, along with her guide Mingmar Sherpa. Another American climber, Gina Marie Rzucidlo, and her guide Tenjen Sherpa are still missing after the same incident.
Early Life & Biography
Anna Gutu was born in 1991 in the USA to Ukrainian immigrants. Her parents were Valentina Petrov-Sârghi and Pavel Petrov, who were both teachers of Romanian language and history. She grew up in a bilingual and multicultural environment, learning both English and Romanian. She also developed an interest in traveling and exploring different cultures from a young age.
Family: Parents, Siblings
Anna Gutu was born in 1991 in the USA to Ukrainian immigrants. Her parents were Valentina Petrov-Sârghi and Pavel Petrov, who were both teachers of Romanian language and history. They moved to the USA in the late 1980s, seeking a better life and opportunities for their children. They settled in California, where they raised Anna and her younger brother Alex.
Education
She attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she majored in international relations and minored in Russian. She graduated with honors in 2013 and received a Fulbright scholarship to study in Ukraine for a year. She also worked as a freelance journalist and translator, covering topics such as politics, human rights, and social issues.
Mountaineering career
Anna Gutu discovered her love for mountaineering in 2016 when she joined a group of friends to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. She was amazed by the beauty and challenge of the mountain and decided to pursue more ambitious goals. She enrolled in a mountaineering course at the Alpine Ascents International in Seattle, where she learned the skills and techniques of high-altitude climbing.
She then embarked on a series of expeditions to some of the most famous and difficult mountains in the world, such as Mount Elbrus in Russia, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, Mount Denali in Alaska, Mount Vinson in Antarctica, and Mount Everest-Lhotse in Nepal. She also climbed several other peaks in the Himalayas, such as Manaslu, Dhaulagiri, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Annapurna, Gasherbrum I and II, Broad Peak, and Nanga Parbat.
She documented her adventures on her Instagram account @anyatraveler, where she shared photos and videos of her climbs and expressed her gratitude and joy for being able to pursue her passion. She also wrote about her experiences on her Facebook page Anna Gutu, where she described the challenges and rewards of mountaineering.
She had a dream of becoming the first American woman to climb all 14 eight-thousanders in one season. She was close to achieving this feat when she reached the summit of Cho Oyu on October 4, 2023, making it her 13th eight-thousander. She only had one more mountain left to complete her goal: Mount Shishapangma.
Death and legacy
Anna Gutu died on October 7, 2023, at the age of 32, while attempting to climb Mount Shishapangma in Tibet. She was part of a group of 52 climbers from various countries who were trying to reach the top of the 14th highest mountain in the world. She was climbing with Elite Exped, a Nepalese company that specializes in high-altitude expeditions. She is survived by her parents, her brother Alex, and her extended family and friends.
Anna Gutu Wiki / Bio
| Name | Anna Gutu |
| Date of birth | 1991 |
| Place of birth | USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Ukrainian |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley |
| Occupation | Mountaineer, journalist, translator |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) |
| Net worth | $1 million USD (estimated) |
| Date of death | October 7, 2023 |
| Place of death | Mount Shishapangma, Tibet |
| Cause of death | Avalanche |
| Marital status | Single |
| anyatraveler | |
| acsenoianna | |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
US mountaineer Anna Gutu and guide confirmed killed in Tibet avalanche; two still missing
The mountaineering world is mourning the loss of US climber Anna Gutu and her Nepalese guide Mingmar Sherpa, who were confirmed dead on Sunday after being caught in an avalanche on Tibet’s Mount Shishapangma, the world’s 14th highest peak. Two other climbers, American Gina Marie Rzucidlo and her guide Tenjen Sherpa, are still missing and feared dead.
What happened on Shishapangma Mountain?
According to Chinese media reports, the tragedy occurred on Saturday, October 7, 2023, when two avalanches struck the slopes of Shishapangma at elevations of 7,600 meters (24,934 feet) and 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), sweeping away several climbers who were attempting to reach the summit. The avalanches were triggered by heavy snowfall and strong winds that had created unstable conditions on the mountain.
Gutu, 32, and Mingmar, 37, were part of a group of 52 climbers from various countries, including the US, Britain, Japan, Italy, and Pakistan, who were climbing with Elite Exped, a Nepalese expedition company. They had successfully climbed Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth highest peak, on October 4, and were aiming to complete their 14th and final eight-thousander (a mountain above 8,000 meters) on Shishapangma.
Rzucidlo, 34, and Tenjen, 35, were also part of the same group. Tenjen was a renowned Sherpa guide who had made history earlier this year by climbing all 14 eight-thousanders in the fastest time ever with Norwegian climber Kristin Harila. He was hoping to become the youngest climber to scale all 14 peaks twice.
American mountaineer Anna Gutu and a Nepalese guide Mingmar Sherpa were confirmed Sunday dead after avalanches struck the slopes of a Tibetan mountain. https://t.co/oh0l7RUpLG
— 48 Hours (@48hours) October 9, 2023
The bodies of Gutu and Mingmar were recovered from the debris on Sunday by a rescue team that included other Sherpa guides and Chinese mountaineers. The search for Rzucidlo and Tenjen was hampered by poor visibility and continued snowfall. The chances of finding them alive are slim.
Who was Anna Gutu?
Anna Gutu was born in Odesa region, Ukraine, but moved to the US as a child. She became interested in mountaineering at a young age and started climbing in Colorado. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economics and worked as a financial analyst in New York before quitting her job to pursue her passion for climbing.
She was one of the most accomplished female mountaineers in the world, having climbed 13 of the 14 eight-thousanders. She was the first Ukrainian to reach the top of Lhotse, the world’s fourth highest peak, and also the first among Ukrainian climbers to climb Everest and Lhotse in one assault without an intermediate descent to the base camp. She was known for her adventurous spirit, determination, and resilience.
She documented her climbing adventures on her Instagram account @anyatraveler, where she had over 200,000 followers. She also wrote a book titled “Beyond the Summit: My Journey to the Top of the World” that chronicled her experiences on the eight-thousanders. She was an inspiration to many aspiring climbers, especially women.
Who was Mingmar Sherpa?
Mingmar Sherpa was a veteran Nepalese guide who had been working in the Himalayas for over 15 years. He had climbed Everest nine times and several other eight-thousanders. He was regarded as one of the best guides in the industry, with a reputation for professionalism, safety, and skill.
He was also a philanthropist who supported various social causes in Nepal. He founded the Mingmar Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides education and health care to underprivileged children in remote villages. He also helped rebuild schools and homes that were destroyed by the devastating earthquake in 2015.
Quick Summary of the Incident
| Data | Value |
| Name of the mountain | Shishapangma |
| Location | Tibet, China |
| Elevation | 8,027 meters (26,335 feet) |
| Rank among eight-thousanders | 14th |
| First ascent | 1964 by a Chinese expedition |
| Number of climbers who reached the summit | Over 300 |
| Number of climbers who died on the mountain | Over 20 |
| Date of the avalanches | October 7, 2023 |
| Number of climbers affected by the avalanches | At least 6 |
| Number of climbers confirmed dead | 2 |
| Number of climbers missing | 2 |
As for her relationship status, there is no publicly available information about whether she had a boyfriend, husband, or any other romantic partner at the time of her passing. However, some sources claim she was rumored to be dating Game of Thrones actor Harry Lloyd about a decade ago, but they parted ways in 2012.
However, this source does not provide any evidence or citation to support this claim, so it may not be reliable or accurate. Therefore, it is possible that Gutu preferred to keep her love life private and focused on her passion for mountaineering.
More Information About Anna Gutu
- Anna was fluent in English, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, and French. She also learned some Nepali and Tibetan during her travels in the Himalayas.
- Anna Gutu was a vegetarian and a yoga enthusiast. She also enjoyed reading, writing, photography, and music.
- Gutu had a tattoo of a lotus flower on her left wrist, which symbolized purity, enlightenment, and rebirth.
- Gutu’s favorite quote was “The mountains are calling and I must go” by John Muir, a famous naturalist and conservationist.
