Mountaineering

Mountain climbing is a form of mountaineering and includes various activities in rock ( alpine climbing ), firn and ice ( high way), or a combination thereof, to the so-called high-altitude mountaineering in the oxygen- poor regions of the seven- and eight-thousanders. For winter climbing are about ski touring, snowshoeing or ice climbing. Mountain climbing in high altitudes and remote regions are called expedition mountaineering. In general, people living in the mountains leads her profession ( hunter, mule trains ), not designated as a mountaineer.

In a broader sense mountaineering is also known as alpinism and includes activities such as hiking, alpine hiking and trekking, exploring and mapping an unknown mountain areas, as well as conservation and mountain guide nature.

Birth

As the birth of mountain climbing the first ascent of Mont Ventoux on the one hand (1912 m) on April 26, 1336 by Francesco Petrarch, on the other hand, in 1492 the ascent of Mont Aiguille ( 2085 m ) by a band of mercenaries commanded, as seen from Charles VIII. Since these two first ascents were included in the literature, they were far better known than the already successful 1358 ascent of the 3538 meter high Rocciamelone by Bonifacio Rotario d' Asti.

Important events

Until 1900

1901-2000

After 2000

• 2001 - Alexander Huber opened its route Bella Vista on the Western pinnacle in the Dolomites the first XI. Degree in an alpine route.
• 2001 - Erik Weihenmayer climbs the first blind man to summit Mount Everest.
• 2005 - In February, the Styrian Christian Stangl climbs ten 6000 in seven days ( Ojos del Salado, inter alia, Tres Cruces) - in the years before he ascended the Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro in record time.
• 2007 - The Tyrolean Hansjörg Auer by increases in free solo the way through the fish (9 - ) in the Marmolada south face in the Dolomites.

Famous mountaineer and climber

Great climber always gained their fame through special mountaineering achievements such as first ascents.

• Jacques Balmat and Michel -Gabriel Paccard climbed the Mont Blanc for the first time on August 8, 1786
• Edward Whymper in 1865 famous for the first ascent of the Matterhorn.
• Heinrich Harrer and Anderl Heckmair were (together with Fritz Kasparek and Ludwig Vörg ) 1938 with the first ascent of the Eiger north face suddenly famous. The former was later followed also the first ascent of the Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea.
• Edmund Hillary climbed in 1953 along with Tenzing Norgay first Everest.
• Walter Bonatti was involved in the 50 's and 60's instrumental rock climbing heaviest in the western Alps; he is known primarily for his solo ascent of the Bonatti Pillar named after him in 1955 at the Petit Dru.
• Reinhold Messner, one of the world's most famous mountaineer, made ​​in the 60's not only in the Alps by bold climbing sensation; 1970 to 1986 he was the first to climb all 14 eight-thousanders.
• Under Charles Kircher, it managed to climb the two highest eight-thousanders ( Mount Everest and K2) in 2004 within 63 days and was thus entered in the Guinness Book of World Records
• Ueli Steck, one of the best solo climber climbed the Eiger North Face at the age of 18 years. On 13 February 2008, he set a new speed record here. He climbed the 1800 meter high wall in a time of 2:47:33 hours on classical Heckmair route.
• Oh Eun -sun, one of the most successful in the world altitude mountaineers. It is probably the first woman who has climbed all 14 eight-thousanders and is furthermore the first woman who has climbed four eight thousand within a year. One of their top hits ( on Kangchenjunga ), however, doubted.

For a detailed list of many famous mountaineers see the list of famous mountaineers.

Clubs and organizations

• Alpine clubs
• Union Internationale des Associations d' Alpinisme ( UIAA )
• International Commission for Alpine Rescue ( ICAR )