Denis Urubko

Who is Denis Urubko?

Denis Urubko is a mountaineer from Kazakhstan of Russian descent. In 2009, he became the 15th person to climb the 14 eight-thousanders.

In 2006 he won the Elbrus Speed Climbing competition which he did by setting a new speed record, climbing from Azau station to the summit in 3 hours, 55 minutes and 58 seconds. This climb represents a vertical rise of almost 3,250 metres or more than 10,600 feet and thus a speed of more than 800 vertical metres an hour. He summited almost 40 minutes ahead of the next finisher. He has also won the Khan Tengri Mountain Festival when he speed climbed the mountain from Base Camp at 4,200 metres to the summit at 7,010 metres and then back to Base Camp in 12 hours and 21 minutes, winning by over 3 hours.

He has climbed two 8,000 metre peaks in winter. Makalu in 2009 together with Simone Moro and Gasherbrum II in 2011 together with Cory Richards and again Simone Moro. He has also opened new routes on Cho Oyu, Manaslu and Broad Peak. All together he has 19 ascents of 8,000 metre peaks. He is also a "Snow Leopard" having summited the five 7,000 metre peaks of the former USSR in only 42 days in 1999. He climbs without additional oxygen.