Jan 18, 2014 totally agree, and often they will have special editions of books that are autographed or other personal items from authors that are for sale too, of course, for a price. Ueli steck has yet again broken the record for a solo speed ascent of the north face of the eiger. Famous swiss climber ueli steck killed near mount everest in. Another milestone has now been entered into its timeline, as swiss mountaineer dani arnold has set a blazingly fast new record on the route, reaching the summit in only 1 hour 46 minutes, shaving. Next, he raised his sights to redefining what was possible in the himalaya. Ueli steck on his record breaking solo of the eiger north face. Jun 28, 2017 and that leads me to a third mountaineering story from this spring. This completed uelis longtime project, to climb all three big north faces in the alps.
After the previous two years events, steck decided to give annapurna a rest for a while, concentrating instead on more speed projects in the alps matterhorn north face solo in 1 hour 56 minutes, north face of the droites via the ginat solo in 2 hours, 8 minutes, in yosemite, and elsewhere in the himalayas south face of shishapangma. Swiss climbers feat honored despite lack of proof the. Mar 31, 2016 the swiss climber ueli steck has climbed the north face of the matterhorn by the schmid route in 1 hour 56 minutes. He was not only a talented mountaineer, he was a legendary person, who has set several climbing speed records. Grandes jorasses north face speed solo ueli steck duration. Ueli steck was one of the most polyvalent alpinists ever. May 01, 2017 ueli steck, famed swiss mountain climber, dead after plunging 3,280 feet near mount everest. Ueli steck interview after matterhorn solo in less than 2 hours 23. Kathmandu, nepal ueli steck, a renowned mountain climber nicknamed the swiss machine for his rapid ascents of some of the worlds most imposing peaks, died. Ueli steck, the swiss machine, has yet again broken the record for a solo speed ascent of the north face of the eiger.
This deeply personal and revealing memoir, ueli steck. Although the climbs were completed solo, a comical element was provided by uelis intended climbing. Hed been gunning for an ambitious climb of everests west ridge, then traversing to the summit of neighboring lhotse. At the moment i am interested in the big mountains. In 2014, ueli steck won his second piolet dor award for free soloing annapurna. Ueli steck found dead after an apparent fall on nuptse while. He beat the previous record held by compatriot dani arnold by over five minutes. Known as the swiss machine, stecks solo speedclimbing feats in the alps are the stuff of legend under three hours for the. Earlier in the year he attempted a difficult route on everest without oxygen but instead made headlines when a brawl broke out with sherpas. Steck set his first speed record on the north face of the eiger in 2007, climbing it in 3 hours and 54 minutes. Nobody climbs faster than swiss superman ueli steck, whose rapid ascents of classic. As the year grinds to a hold this entry will definitely be the best entry for best short alpine footage.
But steck returned in 20 and achieved the first solo climb of the annapurna south face. Achieving an uelistecklevel of mastery in climbing is a longterm commitment that requires a. He is best known for his solo speed climbs of the infamous eiger nordwand, the matterhorn and more. Ueli steck, after death and in his own words the climbers posthumously published autobiography gives an intimate look at a mountain legend and takes on new meaning after his death.
Ueli steck was completely in a league by himself, said webster, noting the swissborn star was as famous throughout europe as any of the nfls top quarterbacks in the united states. May 01, 2017 in 2007, after several attempts, ueli steck finally broke the speed record on the original route up the eiger north face, climbing solo and belaying himself only for three short sections. Steck fell and died april 30 during a solo training climb on nuptse, elevation 25,791 feet, a peak in the same neighborhood as everest. The mystery of ueli stecks last climb mark horrell. Dani arnold smashes ueli stecks matterhorn speed record. Steck is a true allarounder and has put up m11 mixed routes, free soloed 5. Apr 05, 2014 ueli steck climbed the 26,545foot annapurna last year on his own. Ueli steck, famed swiss mountain climber, dead after plunging. In 2010, bigwall climber alex honnold broke solo speedclimbing records on the. Ueli steck completed the first solo ascent of annapurnas south face in a record 28 hours last year. Legend ueli steck has solod annapurna, matterhorn in record. The swiss machines solo speed climbing feats in the alps are the stuff of legend under three hours for the north face of the eiger, and under two hours for the matterhorn. May 01, 2017 in november 2015, professional climber ueli steck turned the sport on its head when, all alone, he scaled the entire north face in two hours and 22 minutes, setting a record for the fastest time ever.
Jul 05, 2017 when i first heard about the death of the swiss mountaineer and speed climber ueli steck on everests west peak, nuptse, i was shocked and surprised, but there didnt seem to be anything mysterious about it. His books have been translated into many other languages. Ueli steck s latest project was maybe the most ambitious undertaking of his long climbing career. Uli steck eiger north face speed climbing record jaw on. Instead ueli concluded the lecture much more positively by describing his two great himalayan solo speed climbs, on shishapangma in 2011 and annapurna in 20. Are kilian jornets speed records too good to be true. Looking back on the life of ueli steck climbing magazine. All climbers and mountaineering communities will remember ueli.
But then an enlightening interview with the sherpa who found his body raised many questions, and turned a simple accident into a. In 2008 he set a record on the grandes jorasses at 2. Jan 02, 2012 he holds or held speedascent records on a number of the ranges mountains, including the north faces of the iconic matterhorn and eiger. Dani arnold smashes ueli steck s matterhorn speed record. With his solo speed climbs of the north face of the eiger and the. Then in 2015, ueli solidified his name in the history books by establishing a new record for soloing the north face of the eiger in 2 hours, 22 minutes and 50 seconds. In order to climb that fast, arnold had to free solo, with no ropes or other protection in case of a fall. A climber of incredible strength, ueli steck set climbing records for speed and. Like jornet, steck had encountered controversy around certain climbs, including what may have been his biggest achievement. The swiss machine mountaineer who set new standards for speed. Ueli steck, after death and in his own words outside online. My life in climbing, is the only one of his books to be published in english.
Ueli steck climbs the coltonmacintyre route via the alexis variant in 2 hours and 21 minutes. Daniel dani arnold on april 22 broke the speed climbing record for the matterhorn, ascending the north face of the iconic 14,692foot peak in one hour and 46 minutes. Worlds fastest person to climb the matterhorn youtube. My sponsors cover my daytoday costs, but the real money is in speaking tours and books. Ueli steck running on top of the world eiger north. Apr 30, 2017 kathmandu, nepal ueli steck, a renowned mountain climber nicknamed the swiss machine for his rapid ascents of some of the worlds most imposing peaks, died in an accident on sunday at. Dani arnolds speed ascent of the matterhorn north face beats ueli steck for a new world record. The ascent comes less than three weeks after steck soloed the north face of the grandes jorasses in 2 hours 21 minutes, via the coltonmacintyre route, and less than a year after he climbed the classic route on the north face of the eiger in 2 hours 47 minutes. The eiger is located above the lauterbrunnen valley to the west and grindelwald to the north in the bernese highlands of the canton of bern it forms a renowned mountain range of the bernese alps citation needed together with its two companions. Ueli steck was a swiss rock climber and mountaineer. Ueli steck has set a new solo speed for the eiger north face, reaching the summit on tuesday in two hours, 22 minutes and 50 seconds. I am sure the speed ascents will be a very important experience for me in the future, he told alpinist. The ascent comes less than three weeks after steck soloed the north face of the grandes jorasses in 2 hours 21 minutes. May 23, 2017 himalayan feat speed climber steck breaks annapurna record.
Legend ueli steck has solod annapurna, matterhorn in. People associated with the eiger people associated with the matterhorn people from. May 06, 2015 in order to climb that fast, arnold had to free solo, with no ropes or other protection in case of a fall. Steck holds numerous records in the alps and himalayas, he holds the solo speed record on the matterhorns north face, and three years ago he hiked to the summit of mount everest without. A brief glance at stecks eiger speed record provides us runner folk with an understanding that steck is as good as they get in speed alpinism. A climber of incredible strength, ueli steck set climbing records for speed and endurance that no one had previously thought possible. Interview with ueli steck from switzerland after his january speed climb of the matterhorn in a record 1 hour 56 minutes via the schmidt.
Ueli steck, swiss speed climber, presents mountaineering show. Ueli steck, north face eiger ohhhh dont slip climbing, ice. Jan 29, 2014 shishapangma in tibet, where ueli steck made a remarkable speed ascent in 2011. Steck hits his stride on the matterhorn north face. Ueli steck, 38, is perhaps todays most acclaimed alpinist. In 2007, after ueli steck broke the speed record for the eiger north face. Inside ueli stecks 82 summits project outside online. The record was lowered by steck himself to 2 hours 47 minutes 33 seconds. Known as the swiss machine, steck s solo speed climbing feats in the alps are the stuff of legend under three hours for the. Dani arnold breaks ueli stecks speed record on the matterhorn. Ueli steck, swiss speed climber, presents mountaineering show at university of portland. New speed record on eiger north face by ueli steck 3. Ueli steck has written 4 books with coauthors, which can be ordered in the german version via online form.
Mountain climbing on slippery slopes that stand at towering heights is nothing new for the brave and athletic ueli steck. Ueli steck, trailrunning speed alpinist, interviewed. On 19 january swissman ueli steck was up to his old tricks once again, climbing the classic ginat route on the north face of les droites 4001m in a mere two hours and eight minutes. He was the first to climb annapurna solo via its notoriously challenging south face, and set speed records on the. Instead, ueli decided to redefine what was possible at speed on what he called average technical terrain.
The last days of ueli steck how one of the worlds best mountaineers made a lastsecond decision that would take his life steck s decision to. On november 16, 2015, steck took advantage of good weather and climbing conditions and pushed for. Swiss climbers feat honored despite lack of proof the new. The most terrifying thing that happened to ueli steck was not the moment an avalanche caught him on. Ueli steck interview after matterhorn solo in less than 2 hours. Ueli steck climbed the 26,545foot annapurna last year on his own. Legendary mountain climber, ueli steck, died near everest on. Dec 09, 2014 ueli steck, 38, is perhaps todays most acclaimed alpinist. In remembrance of ueli steck, the swiss climber who pushed.
Swiss mountaineer, dani arnold, set a new speed record on the matterhorn north face with a time of 1 hour 46 minutesbreaking ueli stecks 2009 record by 10 minutes. This year i just want to enjoy a little bit of sun. Jun 28, 2017 steck fell and died april 30 during a solo training climb on nuptse, elevation 25,791 feet, a peak in the same neighborhood as everest. It was one of the boldest himalayan climbs in history. Apr 30, 2015 dani arnold set a new speed record on the matterhorn on wednesday, climbing the north face in 1 hour and 46 minutes. My life in climbing, is the only one of his books to be published in. From 20089 steck also broke solo speed records on the grandes jorasses 2hr20 and matterhorn 1hr56, completing a neat trilogy of notorious alpine north faces. After taking up the sport aged 18, he won awards for his innovative style and rescue attempts. The swiss climber ueli steck has climbed the north face of the matterhorn by the schmid route in 1 hour 56 minutes.
Steck was an athlete in the class of jornet and honnold, at least in his accomplishments. Legendary mountaineer ueli steck killed in the himalaya. Ueli steck eiger achieves the solo north face speed climbing record. Eiger north face, grandes jorasses and matterhorn all solo and in record times.