17/06/2026
From the highest volcanoes to the highest continental peaks, Adrian Ahrițculesei has now completed both: the Seven Summits and the Seven Volcanic Summits.
On June 12, 2026, the 42-year-old Romanian mountaineer from Petroșani reached the summit of Denali / Mount McKinley in Alaska, the highest peak in North America at 6,190 meters / 20,310 feet.
His summit came around 4:00 a.m. Romanian time and completed his Seven Summits journey, the challenge of climbing the highest mountain on each continent.
THE FINAL SEVEN SUMMITS PEAK
Denali was the final mountain left on Ahrițculesei’s Seven Summits list. Known for its extreme cold, glacier travel, heavy loads, and fast-changing Alaska Range weather, it is one of the most demanding peaks in the Seven Summits challenge.
Before Alaska, he had already climbed the other six, including Mount Everest and Mount Vinson in Antarctica.
This was also a return after disappointment. In July 2025, Ahrițculesei attempted Denali but had to turn back because of high avalanche risk and severe weather.
He returned to Alaska in June 2026 for another attempt, this time climbing as an independent mountaineer. His June 12 summit completed the final peak of his Seven Summits journey.
A RARE DOUBLE ACHIEVEMENT
Denali also completed a bigger mountaineering chapter. In January 2023, Ahrițculesei had already finished the Seven Volcanic Summits after climbing Mount Sidley in Antarctica, becoming the first Romanian man to complete that volcanic circuit.
From Mount Sidley in Antarctica to Denali in Alaska, Ahrițculesei has now completed two major global summit challenges.
His achievement places him among the few climbers worldwide known to have completed both the Seven Summits and the Seven Volcanic Summits.
