Benoît Chamoux

Benoît Chamoux ( born February 19, 1961 in La Roche- sur -Foron; † October 6, 1995 at Kangchenjunga ) was one of the most successful French mountaineer and one of the most powerful and fastest climbers at extreme heights at all. He died while trying to climb Kangchenjunga. By his own account he had thus climbed all 14 eight-thousanders. Some of his ascents, are contemplated by chroniclers in doubt.

Ascents

1982 Benoît Chamoux began his expedition activity with the ascent of the ' Diamond Couloir " on Mount Kenya, followed in 1983, the south face of Huascaran ( 6,768 m). In 1985 he ascended within just 8 days both Gasherbrum II, along with Eric Escoffier, as well as the Hidden Peak. A year later, he was standing by its own account on the summit of Broad Peak, he needed only 17 hours from base camp to the summit. But is recognized only the ascent of Vorgipfels. He also reached the same year from the base camp in just 23 hours to the summit of K2. In 1987 he ascended the Nanga Parbat, while he was 23 hours after departure from base camp already at the summit, which he reached by 19 clock, and in the late morning of the next day he was back. In 1988, he reached with Soro Dorotei the Annapurna, it was the first repetition of Bonington south face route. 1989 saw the Manaslu. In 1990, he first tried the ascent of Cho Oyu, which he also managed by its own account. Also, this climb is not recognized. Then he tried to climb Shishapangma, the secondary summit he reached. Here Chamoux also stated to have reached the highest point ( central peak ). Two years later, in 1992, he reached the summit of Mount Everest, where he was a member of a surveying expedition in the mountains. Here, a summit elevation of 8846 m was determined. The following year he reached the Dhaulagiri. In 1994 the ascent of Lhotse. In spring 1995, he stood on the summit of Makalu. In the autumn of the same year Chamoux wanted to climb Kangchenjunga, his information according to the last him missing eight-thousanders. At the same time Erhard Loretan was also on the mountain, the climb was also his fourteenth eight-thousanders. Thus ensued a kind of " race " to the summit, the Erhard Loretan eventually won. This is said to have said about Chamoux: "It 's not possible that someone like Chamoux, who has made a name by its speed is so slow! " Probably Chamoux suffered a stroke due to excessive fluid loss. He finally gave up in the summit area and bivouacked in the storm to more than 8400 meters. The following morning, he was still able to contact the base camp despite severe frostbite. Hillside also a commercial French expedition was traveling with mountain guides in the higher camps, but no one offered assistance. Benoît Chamoux remained missing.

After independent count Benoît Chamoux was ten times on the main summit of an eight -thousand-meter.