Anna Gutu (1990/1991 – October 7, 2023) was a Ukrainian-American climber and high-altitude mountaineer. She is known for her pursuit to become the first American woman, and the third overall American climber, to climb all 14 of the eight-thousanders (which are peaks above 8,000 meters in elevation).
Climbing
In 2023, Gutu summited Dhaulagiri (June), Kangchenjunga (September), and Cho Oyu (October). In October, she was climbing her final ascent, Shishapangma in Tibet, with Mingma Sherpa, her Nepalese guide, when she was killed in an avalanche. Gina Marie Rzucidlo, who was also in the last leg of competing for the title of the first American woman to complete all 14 summits, died in the avalanche, as well.
Personal life
A U.S. citizen, Gutu was born in Odesa, Ukraine in 1990 or 1991. Gutu recorded many of her climbs on social media. Near the time of her death, she had 38 thousand followers on Instagram.