It’s October 16, 1986. A tired Italian climber stands on top of Lhotse, and when he comes down, he’s the first person known to have finished all fourteen eight thousanders. He did it without supplementary oxygen. That’s the start of a story that still has new chapters.

The page I read lays those chapters out in order. If you’ve ever wondered who has climbed all 14 8000m peaks, this walk through the us mountain ranges early finishers and the key firsts is a good place to begin.

Reinhold Messner, 1986

Messner finished on Lhotse and completed the collection without supplementary oxygen. That makes the first completion and the first legacy no oxygen completion the same achievement. The page calls it the foundational historical record.

Everything afterward is measured against that benchmark. Even the strict true summit system, which came much later, doesn’t erase it. The page keeps Messner as the first broadly recognized climber to complete all 14.

Jerzy Kukuczka, 1987

Kukuczka finished the next year, becoming the second. He’s remembered american peaks for winter ascents and new routes. He used oxygen on Everest, which keeps him out of the all 14 no oxygen category.

That’s a good reminder that style matters as much as count. Two climbers can finish all 14, and still sit in different record boxes because of how they climbed. The roster lists him as “O2 on Everest only.”

The Strict Pioneer: Ed Viesturs

Viesturs completed all 14 in 2005 without supplementary oxygen. After Guinness adopted the updated 8000ers.com standard in 2023, he’s recognized as the first true summit all 14 finisher. The page says Guinness reset affected record categories.

It’s an unusual situation. A record can change after the fact because research changed. Yet the climbing itself stays the same, so the story is about measurement, not the man.

The First Women

Edurne Pasaban finished in May 2010 on Shishapangma and became the first broadly recognized woman, after the dispute around Oh Eun sun’s Kangchenjunga claim. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner finished on K2 in August 2011 and was the first woman in the legacy record to complete all 14 without supplementary oxygen.

Under the strict standard, Dong Hong Juan is the first woman, finishing on April 26, 2023. Then He Jing’s Manaslu correction in September 2025 completed the strict cycle without oxygen.

Other Milestones

Sanu Sherpa was broadly reported as the first person to complete all 14 twice, finishing his second round on Gasherbrum II in July 2022. Nima Rinji Sherpa finished on Shishapangma in October 2024 at age 18, the youngest broad list finisher.

Kim Hong bin is listed as the first disabled climber broadly recognized with all 14, finishing in 2021. Naoko Watanabe is listed as the first Japanese woman. Each name adds a different dimension.

How to Read the Roster

If you want to see mountains in america in full, the page includes a searchable 77 name roster. You can filter by era, oxygen category or highlighted modern record entries.

Remember its caution: inclusion on the broad roster doesn’t automatically mean a climber is among the 39 strict finishers. Always check which list you’re reading. That small habit avoids most of the confusion around these records.

A Note on Respect

The page also includes Nirmal Purja’s story, including his death in the July 30, 2026 Broad Peak avalanche, confirmed on August 1. His records stay part of the chronology. It’s handled plainly, without drama, which is the right tone for a story like this.

Conclusion

From Messner to the newest strict finishers, the list of who has climbed all 14 8000m peaks keeps growing and keeps being refined. Pair names with dates, oxygen use and verification standard, and the record makes sense. It also answers how many people have climbed all 14 8000m peaks with context.

FAQs

Who has climbed all 14 8000m peaks first?
Reinhold Messner, in 1986, without supplementary oxygen.

Who was the second?
Jerzy Kukuczka, in 1987.

Who was the first woman?
Edurne Pasaban, broadly, in 2010. Dong Hong Juan under the strict standard, in 2023.

Who finished all 14 twice?
Sanu Sherpa, broadly reported, completing his second round in July 2022.