Garduci: Conqueror of the Seven Summits

SPORTS

Romeo Garduci (b. 1969, Mariveles, Bataan), popular among his friends as "Romi," started climbing for a cause in 1991 while a member of the University of the Philippines Mountaineers (UPM).

In 2002, Garduci conquered his first of the Seven Summits--the Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano in Tanzania (Kilimanjaro National Park, and also the highest mountain in Africa rising 5,895 meters above sea level.

In January 2005, he climbed Mount Aconcagua of Argentina (Mendoza City), the highest summit in South America with a height of 6,962 meters above sea level. It is also the highest peak in the Western and Southern Hemispheres.

On 26 September 2005, he scaled Cho Oyu (Tibetal: "Torquiose Goddess") of the Himalayas. It is the sixth highest mountain in the world, with its height at 8,201 meters above the sea. Then the summit was the highest mountain peak ever conquered by a Filipino mountaineer.

On 19 May 2006, Garduci reached Mount Everest, the highest mountain in Asia and on Earth, through South-Nepal. It rises 8,848 meters above sea level. He followed Leo Oracion, the first Filipino to conquer the summit, two days later.

On 25 August 2007, he made his second attempt at conquering Mount Elbrus of Russia (Caucasus), the highest peak in Europe. It is a dormant volcano in the Caucasus mountain range, rising 5,642 meters above sea level in the west summit.

On 6 June 2008, Garduci conquered Mount Dinali of Alaska (Denali National Park and Preserve), the highest summit in North America. Also known as Mount McKinley, it measures 6,194 meters above sea level.

In January 2009, he scaled Kosciusko of Australia, the highest peak in continental Australia. It rises 2,228 meters above sea level.

His ultimate climb to conquer the Seven Summits occurred on 6 January 2012. Garduci reached the summit of Mount Vinson, the highest in Antarctica, rising 4,892 meters above sea level.