Constantin Lăcătușu

Constantin “Ticu” Lăcătușu is a Romanian mountaineer, geologist, and camera operator. He is the first Romanian to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Broad Peak, and Cho Oyu.

Biography

Lăcătușu was born in Piatra Neamț, Romania, on February 21, 1961. After secondary studies at Petru Rareș High School in Piatra Neamț, he enrolled at the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of the University of Bucharest, graduating in 1986. He is married to television personality and journalist Irina Păcurariu and has two daughters: Ana Carina and Iris Petra.

Lăcătușu is the first and only Romanian to finish the Seven Summits project. He completed in 8 years and 166 days.

June 1990: Mount Elbrus.
February 4, 1995: Mount Kilimanjaro - Marangu route
May 17, 1995: Mount Everest - first Romanian ascent, North Col-North ridge-NE ridge route.
February 16, 1996: Aconcagua - normal route.
June 4, 1997: Mount McKinley - first Romanian team ascent, West Buttress route.
April 25, 2000: Puncak Jaya - first Romanian ascent, Messner route.
December 10, 2001: Vinson Massif - normal route.

1992: Broad Peak - first Romanian 8,000 m ascent.
1995: Mount Everest - first Romanian ascent, North Col-North ridge-NE ridge route.
1998: Cho Oyu - the first Romanian successful self-supported 8,000m expedition, solo ascent, without bottled oxygen.

In Europe:

1990: Mount Elbrus East, Ushba North, Pic Sciurovski, Chatin-Tau W.
1991: Donguzorun - first Romanian ascent, solo; Ullu Tau W.
1993: Nakratau - first Romanian ascent; Keishi - first Romanian ascent; Nakratau-Donguzorun traverse - first Romanian ascent; Mount Elbrus ; Pic Sciurovski - the North wall, Herghiani route. All ascent were made with Lynx Piatra Neamț team.
1994: Monte Rosa - Vf. Dufourspitze - first Romanian team ascent; Breithorn – first Romanian ascent, NW wall, Welzenbach route; Matterhorn ; Rimpfischhorn - first Romanian ascent. All ascent were made with A. Beleaua, V. Tofan, and C. Vrabie.
2004: Castor - first Romanian ascent; Pollux - first Romanian ascent; Liskamm - new route on North face. All ascents were made with Cezar Cordun, Simion Poiană, and Robert Tutuianu.
2005: Weisshorn .
2006: Teide, Mont Blanc, Grossglockner, Zugspitze .

In Asia:

1994: Mount Everest - reached 8,100m on a new route, N-NE Face, Tibet.
1996: Dhaulagiri - stopped at approximately 7,800 m due to bad weather.
1998: Cho Oyu - on a new route he reached 7,500 m in bad, deteriorating weather.
1999: Dhaulagiri NE peak of the summit ridge - solo ascent.
2003: Machermo - virgin peak in Gokio zone, first team to ascent.
2004: Rifil Peak - virgin peak on Broken Glacier, first team to ascent; Tsisima Peak - virgin peak on Tsisima Glacier, first team to ascent; Janak Peak - virgin peak in Kangchenjunga region; reached 6,500 m on West face.
2006: Europa Peak - virgin peak in Tsartse massif, first person to ascent.
2008: Lhotse - solo ascent, without bottled oxygen, stopped at 8,300 m.

Elsewhere:

1996: Cerro Cuerno - first Romanian ascent, SW face.
2009: Gunnbjørn Fjeld - first Romanian ascent; Peak Capuccino ; Petra Peak - first person to ascent, solo; Cone - first Romanian ascent; Dome - first Romanian ascent.

He made several documentary films based on his mountain expedition:

Sports awards:

1994: “Fair-Play” award by Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee for his role in a rescue attempt in Everest.
1999: "Sportsman of the year"

TV awards:

1996: best documentary film at A.P.T.R. awards for "Alison Hargreaves - Regina Everestului".
1998: Grand Prize for “Alaska - Ultima Frontiera” documentary at A.P.T.R. awards.
2004: best ethnographic documentary for "Țara Șerpașilor - Lumea de dincolo de nori" at A.P.T.R. awards.