16th of October
TEDxBucharest 2009
Alex Gavan
Romanian High Altitude Mountaineer14 summits higher than 8000m. One dream. Continuous inner struggles. Dangerous conditions. True, amazing stories. Alex Gavan
Alex is one of Romania's leading high altitude mountaineers. In 2006, with the successful ascent of Cho Oyu (8201m), Alex became the youngest Romanian to have climbed an eight thousand meter peak and was among the few who freely spoke about the Tibetan shootings from the Nangpa La. In 2007 Alex made the First Romanian Ascent of Gasherbrum 1 (8068m) in Pakistan's Karakorum in one single push from base camp to the summit. For this success, he was awarded "The 2007 Romanian Sportsman of the Year in High Altitude Mountaineering" by the Romanian Federation of Alpinism and Sport Climbing. Last year year, on May 12th, Alex made the First Romanian Ascent of Makalu (8463m), summiting 20 days after reaching the base camp. In his ascents, Alex does not use supplementary oxygen nor sherpa support.
For him, success on the highest mountains means coming back down alive. Summiting is a tremendous experience but not a must. Saying to have conquered the mountain would just be a tremendous vanity. All that he can hope for is to have conquered one more of the mountains within himself; much higher, much harder from the ones in reality. Climbing mountains Outside isclimbing mountains Inside…
His amazing story, the difficulties in reaching a summit, the decision of continuing or not an expedition without his partner, his inner struggles, but also the feelings one has on 8000m, all will be heard at TEDxBucharest.
Website: www.cloudclimbing.ro