Reinhold Messner is a living legend in the mountaineering world that needs no introduction, but it doesn’t come easy, without…wait for it….controversy. First, let us give this alpinist from Italy his due by mentioning all the titles he holds under his belt. He is the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders, the first human to climb all 14 eight thousanders without supplemental oxygen, and the first to climb Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen.
Today 20th, August 2024 marks exactly 24 years since Reinhold Messner summite Everest, solo (alone) without using bottled oxygen assistance. Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler made history on May 8, 1978, by summiting Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, a feat that was once thought impossible due to the extreme altitude.
In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay from Nepal achieved the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest, navigating the mountain without the aid of fixed ropes or supplemental oxygen. This feat was groundbreaking, yet it was not until 1978 that the notion of climbing Everest without oxygen was truly redefined by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler.
At the time, climbing Everest at 29,029 feet without oxygen was considered by many experts to be a physiological impossibility, akin to a suicide mission. These critics were unaware that as early as 1924, during the third British expedition, Colonel Edward Norton had ascended to within 900 feet of the summit without oxygen, dressed in tweed, no less.
Messner, not content with this achievement, went on to solo the mountain without oxygen in 1980, and in 1986, he completed his quest to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks without using supplemental oxygen, a feat unmatched in its purity. That same year, Swiss climbers Jean Troillet and Erhard Loretan pushed the boundaries further by climbing the north face of Everest without ropes or oxygen in under 48 hours, a record still unbroken.
The debate over the use of supplemental oxygen has simmered since. Some purists argue that the first “true” ascent of Everest should be attributed to Messner and Habeler, not Hillary and Norgay, applying contemporary standards to historical achievements.
In 2004, Sharon Arnot became the first American woman to summit Everest and return safely without using oxygen, following in the footsteps of Ecuadorian climber Carla Perez, who summited just before her. Both women joined an elite group, with New Zealander Lydia Bradey having set the precedent in 1988.
Arnot’s ascent was particularly harrowing; after reaching the summit, she and her partner Tyler Reed, who did use oxygen, were forced to spend the night at 27,000 feet in a tent battered by winds, enduring over 30 hours in the death zone without oxygen. This ordeal underscored the extreme conditions climbers face on Everest, highlighting the incredible physical and mental endurance required to survive at such altitudes without the aid of oxygen.
Their climb was not just a physical challenge but a psychological barrier they broke through, proving that humans could adapt to the thin air at 8,849 meters. However, contrary to what one might expect, their pioneering effort did not lead to a widespread shift towards climbing Everest without oxygen. Instead, the trend has moved in the opposite direction.
The commercialization of Everest has significantly influenced climbing practices. Over the years, the number of climbers using bottled oxygen has dramatically increased, overshadowing those who attempt the summit without it. According to the Himalayan Database:
- In the first 50 years after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s first ascent in 1953, about 6% of climbers summited without oxygen.
- This figure dropped to approximately 1% in the subsequent two decades (2004-2022).
Recent data further illustrates this trend:
- In spring 2022, only 0.6% of summiteers did so without oxygen (4 out of 672).
- In 2021, no one summited without oxygen (0 out of 461).
- Before the COVID-19 disruptions, the figures were similarly low: 0.35% in 2019 (3 out of 872) and 0.12% in 2018 (1 out of 820).
This shift can be attributed to several factors:
- Safety: Oxygen canisters provide a safety net, reducing the risk of altitude sickness and improving climbers’ chances of survival in emergencies.
- Commercialization: With the rise of guided expeditions, companies often include oxygen as part of their package to ensure higher success rates and client safety, which in turn drives demand.
- Accessibility: More climbers, including those less experienced or acclimatized, attempt Everest, relying on oxygen to compensate for their physical limitations.
- Perception of Achievement: The use of oxygen has become so normalized that climbing without it is seen as an additional challenge rather than the standard.
Messner and Habeler’s climb remains a landmark in mountaineering history, not just for their physical achievement but for what it represents about human potential and the purity of climbing. However, their approach has not become the norm on Everest, where the mountain’s commercialization has led to a different kind of climbing culture, one where oxygen is almost a given. This trend underscores a broader debate within the climbing community about the essence of mountaineering: whether it’s about reaching the summit at any cost or about the journey, the challenge, and the personal limits one pushes in the process.
Who was Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer, explorer, and author from South Tyrol, born on September 17, 1944. Known for his groundbreaking achievements in mountaineering, Messner has been dubbed one of the greatest mountaineers of all time. Here’s a summary of his illustrious career:
Reinhold Messner is renowned for being the first person to climb all fourteen of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks, achieving this remarkable feat without the use of supplemental oxygen. His ascents were pioneering and often among the earliest for each peak, showcasing his unparalleled skill and determination in high-altitude mountaineering. Below is a summary of his ascents:
1970: Nanga Parbat (8,125 m / 26,657 feet)
- Remarkable Feat: First ascent of the unclimbed Rupal Face.
- First Traverse: Successfully traversed the mountain, descending the unexplored Diamir Face.
- Significance: This was Messner’s first expedition in the Greater Ranges, marking a significant milestone in his career.
1972: Manaslu (8,163 m / 26,781 feet)
- Firsts: First ascent of the unclimbed South-West Face and first ascent of Manaslu without supplemental oxygen.
1975: Gasherbrum I (8,080 m / 26,510 feet)
- Without Oxygen: Achieved the first ascent without supplemental oxygen, along with Peter Habeler.
1978: Mount Everest (8,848 m / 29,029 feet) and Nanga Parbat (8,125 m / 26,657 feet)
- Everest: First ascent of Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen, with Peter Habeler.
- Nanga Parbat: Completed the first solo ascent of an eight-thousander from base camp, establishing a new route on the Diamir Face, which remains unrepeated.
1979: K2 (8,611 m / 28,251 feet)
- Alpine Style: Climbed partially in alpine style with Michael Dacher on the Abruzzi Spur.
1980: Mount Everest (8,848 m / 29,029 feet)
- First Solo Ascent: Became the first person to ascend Everest alone and without supplementary oxygen, establishing a new route on the North Face during the monsoon season.
1981: Shishapangma (8,027 m / 26,335 feet)
- Ascended With: Achieved with Friedl Mutschlechner.
1982: Kangchenjunga (8,586 m / 28,169 feet), Gasherbrum II (8,034 m / 26,358 feet), and Broad Peak (8,051 m / 26,414 feet)
- Kangchenjunga: New route on the North Face, climbed partially in alpine style with Friedl Mutschlechner.
- Gasherbrum II and Broad Peak: Ascended with Sher Khan and Nazir Sabir.
- Historic Feat: Became the first person to climb three 8,000-meter peaks in one season. Also attempted Cho Oyu in winter but did not summit.
1983: Cho Oyu (8,188 m / 26,864 feet)
- Partially New Route: Ascended with Hans Kammerlander and Michael Dacher.
1984: Gasherbrum I (8,080 m / 26,510 feet) and Gasherbrum II (8,034 m / 26,358 feet)
- Historic Traverse: First traverse of two eight-thousanders without returning to base camp, with Hans Kammerlander.
1985: Annapurna (8,091 m / 26,545 feet) and Dhaulagiri (8,167 m / 26,795 feet)
- New Route: First ascent of Annapurna’s unclimbed North-West Face.
- Both Ascents: Completed with Hans Kammerlander.
1986: Makalu (8,485 m / 27,838 feet) and Lhotse (8,516 m / 27,940 feet)
- Makalu: Climbed with Hans Kammerlander and Friedl Mutschlechner.
- Lhotse: Ascended with Hans Kammerlander.
- Historic Achievement: Became the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders.
- Exploration:
- Crossed Antarctica and Greenland on foot, without using snowmobiles or dog sleds.
- Solo crossing of the Gobi Desert.
- Public Life and Writing:
- Served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2004 for the Federation of the Greens in Italy.
- Has authored over 80 books on his climbing and exploration experiences.
- Awards and Recognition:
- Received the Piolet d’Or Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
- In 2018, jointly awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports with Krzysztof Wielicki.
- Early Life:
- Born in St. Peter, Villnöß, Messner grew up in a large family in modest circumstances.
- Began climbing at a very young age, inspired by his father and later with his brother Günther, with whom he shared many early climbs.
- Career Highlights:
- Before his Himalayan expeditions, Messner was already renowned for his Alpine climbs, including new routes and first ascents in the Dolomites and the Alps.
- His ascent of Nanga Parbat’s Rupal Face in 1970 was tragic, leading to the death of his brother Günther, but it marked a significant chapter in his climbing career.
Messner’s approach to climbing emphasized minimalism and respect for nature, advocating for alpine-style ascents over the traditional expedition style. His life’s work not only redefined what was possible in mountaineering but also contributed to the broader understanding of human endurance and the natural world.
Was Messner the first first to summit all 14 8,000-meter peaks?
In the shadow of an impending storm in 1985, Italian mountaineers Reinhold Messner and Hans Kammerlander embarked on a daring ascent up the icy Northwest Face of Annapurna, standing at 25,545 feet. They became the first to conquer this formidable peak in alpine style, without the aid of supplemental oxygen. This climb marked a monumental achievement for Messner, who, after 16 years, had summited all 14 peaks over 8,000 meters.
Fast forward to 2023, and the climbing world was rocked by a decision from the Guinness Book of World Records. They stripped Messner of his title as the first to summit all 14 8,000-meter peaks, following the advice of Eberhard Jurgalski, a German mountaineering consultant who has never climbed these peaks himself but has meticulously documented them using GPS data and photographs. Jurgalski argued that Messner, among others, had not reached the true summits of several peaks, including Annapurna, due to the ambiguity of where the highest point lies, especially on a ridge as extensive as Annapurna’s.
Messner’s response was characteristically blunt, dismissing Jurgalski’s claims as a mix-up between the east and main summits, and criticizing his lack of climbing experience. Messner emphasized his climbing philosophy, which values experience over records.
The controversy has sparked a debate within the climbing community. American mountaineer Ed Viesturs, now recognized by Guinness as the first to complete the 14 peaks, supports Messner’s original achievement. “Messner paved the way,” Viesturs said, highlighting the pioneering spirit and style of Messner’s climbs.
Other climbers like Graham Zimmerman and Freddie Wilkinson have echoed similar sentiments, questioning the relevance of Guinness in alpine climbing and emphasizing the importance of climbing ethics over record-keeping. They argue that the essence of mountaineering lies in the journey, the style, and the truthfulness of the climb, not in the validation by a record book.
The debate touches on broader themes in mountaineering: the shift towards more verifiable achievements, the impact of modern technology on climbing records, and the commercialization of peaks like Everest. While speed records and guided climbs are becoming more common, there’s a growing appreciation for climbs done in the traditional, minimalist style, where the climber’s skill and decision-making are paramount.
Messner’s legacy, therefore, isn’t just about reaching summits but about redefining how we approach these monumental challenges. His climbs, especially on Annapurna, were not just feats of physical endurance but of strategic brilliance, navigating the mountain’s unpredictable weather and terrain with minimal equipment.
As the climbing community looks to the future, there’s a call for a nuanced understanding of records. Perhaps, alongside the new standards set by GPS and photographic evidence, there should be room for the old records to stand as a testament to the spirit of adventure and the art of climbing in its purest form.
A world of many “firsts”
- Tenzing Norgay, the first sherpa to summit Mt. Everest
- Michael Groom, the first Australian to climb Kangchenjunga, world’s third highest mountain and 1996 Everest tragedy survivor
- Frank Smythe – The first professional mountaineer’s secret from 1936 Everest Expedition
- Sheikha Asma Al Thani, First Qatari Woman to Summit the Everest
- Assault on Everest: How rich nations assembled massive assaults on Everest to reach the top first.
- Remembering Richard Bass, first person to climb highest peak on each continent
- Lhakpa Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to successfully climb and survive Everest.
- Hristo Prodanov, the first Bulgarian to climb Everest and the first climber to scale West Ridge solo without the use of supplementary oxygen
- Al Rouse: the first British climber to reach the summit of the second highest mountain in the world, K2
- WANDA RUTKIEWICZ ; First woman to summit K2 and first European woman to climb Everest ; The first Polish citizen to climb Mount Everest and K2
- Hermann Buhl, the first person to summit of Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain in the world
- Remembering Sue Fear, the first Australian-born female to summit Mt Everest, 1963-2006
- Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mt. Everest, on May 1, 1963
- Marty Hoey Might Have Been First American Woman to Climb Everest. Then She Fell to Her Death
- Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first persons to climb to the summit of Mount Everest
- Johannes Rebmann the first European to discover or see Mount Kilimanjaro
- Was Hans Meyer the first person to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to the summit?
- First woman to climb Mount Kilimanjaro – Sheila McDonald from London
- How Gertrude Emily Benham’s climb has been overlooked in the history books as the first woman to climb Kilimanjaro
- The First Ascent of Mount Kenya by Halford John Mackinder
- Prof. Fritz Jaeger, the first recorded person to summit Mount Meru
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