Denis Urubko is an outstanding high-altitude climber, winner of many international awards, a conqueror of all 14 eight-thousanders (the main peaks of the world) without oxygen, the author of books and documentaries.
Road to success
Urubko Denis Viktorovich (born in 1973) spent his childhood in the city of Nevinnomyssk, Stavropol Territory. His family moved to Sakhalin in connection with the development of allergic asthma in a future climber when he was 14 years old. In a new place, Denis traveled a lot in the forests, gaining invaluable experience in camping life. Having caught fire in mountaineering in 1990, he conquered the highest point of Sakhalin with a height of 1609 m.
Urubko went alone to the Altai Mountains at the age of 18, where he climbed to the Eastern Belukha, whose height is more than 4.5 thousand meters. Studying at the Institute of Arts in Vladivostok, young Denis simultaneously studied at the city mountaineering club and successfully coped with the standards for receiving categories. In February 1992, he and his friend climbed Klyuchevaya Sopka (4750 m) in Kamchatka.
Going to work as an assistant in mountain climbing in the Pamir-Altai, Denis Urubko conquered his first five-thousandth peak - Aklyubek (5125 m). In 1993, he moved to Alma-Ata at the invitation of the head coach of the Central Army Sports Club, accepted Kazakhstani citizenship and completed military service. Since 2001, he studied in absentia at the Faculty of Journalism at a local university.
From 1993 to 2014, Denis made a large number of outstanding expeditions around the world, including ascents in the Pamir, Tien Shan, Karakorum and the Himalayas.
In 2013, Denis moved to Ryazan and took Russian citizenship. In February 2015, with the help of his friends - famous climbers, he was able to obtain Polish citizenship. Currently, Urubko spends a lot of time in Italy, and also often trains in the south of Poland and in the Basque country.
Records and Achievements
In 1999, Denis Urubko participated in the annual races dedicated to the memory of the famous Anatoly Bukreev. He overcame the distance and reached the peak with a height of 3970 m in record time - 1 hour 15 minutes.
At the competitions in the speed of ascent to Mount Khan Tengri in 2000, he got from the main camp, located at an altitude of 4000 m, to the summit (7010 m) in 7 hours 40 minutes.
In 2001, Denis was 2 hours ahead of the record holder Anatoly Bukreev in the speed of climbing the peak of Mount Gasherbrum (8035 m) from the base camp (5800 m). He coped with the task in 7.5 hours.
Urubko showed a stunning result in the annual races on the famous Elbrus in 2006. It took him less than 4 hours to get to the Western peak (5642 m), starting from Azau (2400 m).
In 2009, he was recognized as the eighth person in the world to conquer all 14 major peaks of the world (over 8000 m high) without using oxygen devices.
Climber identity
- Denis Urubko made a large number of ascents in conjunction with the famous Italian high-altitude climber Simone Moro. Together they realized projects and dreams, became the first in conquering the mountain peaks. Simone speaks of Denis as a person open and direct, considering him an excellent partner.
- Urubko periodically holds emotional meetings in different cities of Russia and the world, at which he gladly shares his experience and climbing stories with fans of mountains and sports tourism. His charisma and oratory talent make a great impression on the audience, so his lectures energize and desire to strive for new achievements.
- Denis has his own philosophical understanding of mountaineering. In his youth, he perceived the conquest of the mountain peaks as an adventure, the discovery of the world around with its diversity. Later, the time of sport came when he explored his own abilities in the mountains. Currently, Urubko considers mountain climbing an art in which the qualities of the human soul and creativity are recognized.
- Denis is a man indifferent to other people's troubles, so he participated in many rescue operations: he urgently drove Anna Chervinsk and Marchin Kachkan, Frenchman Jean-Christophe Lafay, Russian Boris Korshunov from the top of Polish climbers.
Bibliography
Fortunately, Denis Urubko is a mountain climber, who also has a literary talent. He independently describes his ascents and shares his future plans on his blog. In addition, he is the author of numerous articles and a number of books on mountaineering, including "Walking vertically", "Absurdity of Everest", "Pursuit of the Snow Leopard".
A family
The climber manages to devote time and effort not only to conquering the peaks, but also to the family. Denis is married to Olga Igorevna Kvashnina, supporting her husband in her endeavors not only in word but in deed. Spouse helps to resolve issues related to the publication and distribution of his books. Although it is not easy for Olga to let Denis go on extreme trips, she understands that without them he would lose the bright colors of his life.
Another life priority that Denis Urubko mentions in his interviews is children. He is the father of three daughters (Anna, Maria and Alexandra) and two sons (Stepan and Zakhar).
Denis Urubko is a man of tremendous willpower and energy, causing admiration. He is sincerely passionate about his business, uses his full potential and emerges victorious even from the most difficult situations!