Author Archive for: Vanessa

Vanessa O'Brien is a British and American mountaineer, explorer, aquanaut, author and former business executive. In June 2020, Vanessa became the first woman to reach Earth's highest and lowest points, receiving a Guinness World Record. Vanessa became the first American woman to climb K2 and the first British woman to climb K2 in July 2017. Vanessa is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) and a Member of The Scientific Exploration Society (SES). Vanessa climbed the highest peak on every continent, receiving a Guinness World Record setting a record for the fastest time a woman first achieved this goal (295 days). Vanessa skied the last 111 km to the South and North Poles completing the Explorers Grand Slam in 11 months, becoming the first woman to do so in under a year and the 8th woman in the world.