Tamara Lunger is an endurance athlete and one of the most accomplished high-altitude mountaineers. "I am a dreamer, in love with the mountains," says the South Tyrolean about herself. But Tamara doesn’t just dream—she achieves. She has celebrated international success in ski touring races, won the Pierra Menta and the GORE-TEX Transalpine Run, became the youngest Italian woman to climb Lhotse, and, in 2014, reached the summit of K2 without bottled oxygen or the support of high-altitude porters.
Tamara never takes the easy path. She seeks solitude, authentic experiences, and challenging goals where failure is always a possibility. This was evident in her attempt at the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat, where she turned back just shy of the summit while her three companions went on to make mountaineering history. Similarly, during her attempt on Kangchenjunga—the third-highest mountain in the world—unfavorable weather and her partner’s health issues thwarted their goal of a spectacular traverse of the entire massif. Later, K2 called to her again, this time as the last 8,000-meter peak to be climbed in winter. The expedition was marked by several tragedies that profoundly impacted Tamara’s perspective on the mountains and the way she values both achievements and the people around her.
As a long-standing brand ambassador for the GORE-TEX brand, Tamara continues to be an inspiring mountaineer personality.
I consider myself a soul mountaineer, completely in love with nature. Years ago, my greatest passion revolved around high-altitude mountaineering. However, a tragic expedition on K2 during the winter of 2021, in which I lost five friends, compelled me to rebuild from the ground up. It was the hardest, but maybe also the most beautiful journey of my life.
What do you love about GORE-TEX products?
It is the perfect partner for me in nature: light and efficient!
What is your favorite place and why?
I don't have just one place, but perhaps I can consider K2 the most significant place in my life, as it's where I healed, lost, and grew.
What are your hobbies, besides your main passion?
I love simply being in nature. In addition to all the mountain sports, I enjoy yoga, meditation, picking mushrooms ;), cooking and eating, spending time with my family, and working with my hands.
Many things, but I always need to wait for the right time.
What is your personal wisdom; what would you like to share with the world?
A truly free person is someone who never loses their childlike heart.
Which three words describe yourself?
Soul Mountaineer, Intuitive, Independent.
What one item should never be missing when you’re on top of a mountain?
My passion: to be grateful!
Adventure Awaits
I love running in the wind. It makes me feel alive and full of power. Sometimes, it tries to push me back, hard, but I move against it. If the wind is out of control that day, my GORE-TEX jacket keeps me protected. No matter how hard I’m pushing myself, or during breaks, I’m ready for what comes next. Forest paths, mountain trails, seawalls. I can take it just about anywhere—and it’s my style. I even wear it when I’m not training.
- Summited the 3,003m Gora Pobeda with Simone Moro, described as possibly the coldest mountain on the planet.
- Opened up a new mountaineering route on Island Peak during an attempt to climb Manaslu in Nepal. Elevation: 6,182m.
- Climbed Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, also known as “Killer Mountain.” 70 meters (300 feet) below the summit, she turned back to not put her partners at risk. Elevation: 8,126m.
- Second Italian woman to summit K2, also known as “Savage Mountain” on the Pakistan / China Border without using oxygen. Elevation: 8,611m.
- Winner of the GORE-TEX Transalpine-Run, an eight-day race across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy.
- Youngest woman to summit Lhotse in the Nepalese Himalayas. Elevation: 8, 516m.
