Famous climbers in history wikipedia [3][4] His father was among the first professional Sherpa guides Magnus Rognan Midtbø (born 18 September 1988) [5] is a Norwegian rock climber, former competition climber, and YouTube video blogger. In 1956 Brown and Ian McNaught-Davis made the first ascent of the west summit of the Muztagh Tower Brown, who was known as "The Master" and "The Human Fly", became famous for climbing during the 1950s. [2] Nearby boulders have long been used for bouldering, including the Chris Sharma Chris Omprakash Sharma (born 23 April 1981) is an American rock climber who is considered one of the greatest and most influential climbers in the history of the sport. Pages in category "British mountain climbers" The following 90 pages are in this category, out of 90 total. Because of its position on the main Alpine watershed and its great height, the Matterhorn is exposed to rapid weather changes. Others seek to set speed climbing records on routes. He had over 40 years' experience climbing in the Himalayas at the time of his death on K2. It remains today a prime climbing location. 86 metres (29,031. He made the first free ascents of many routes around the world, including his historic first free ascent with Paul Piana in 1988 of the Salathe Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite; it was one of the first-ever big wall Traditional climbing is a form of rock climbing that uses no artificial aids (and is thus free climbing) but unlike sport climbing, the climbers place removable protection such as SCLDs and nuts while ascending that are removed by the second climber; has many famous routes (e. To ascend, the ice climber uses specialist equipment, particularly double ice axes (or the more modern ice tools) and rigid crampons. He made the first solo ascent of Mount Everest and, along with Peter Habeler, the first ascent of Everest without supplementary oxygen. The eight-thousanders are the 14 mountains that rise more than 8,000 metres (26,247 ft) above sea level. [3] It lies in the Karakoram range, partially in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan -administered Kashmir and partially in the China -administered Trans-Karakoram Tract in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous Phyllis Beatrice Munday CM (née James; 24 September 1894 – 11 April 1990) was a Canadian mountaineer, explorer, naturalist and humanitarian. French alpine climbers practiced bouldering there since the 19th century. From 2015 to 2016, a film crew followed Leclerc as he solo climbed some of the most difficult and dangerous alpine climbing routes in the world. 86 m (29,031 ft 81⁄2 in), is Earth's highest mountain and a particularly desirable peak for mountaineers. Free solo climbing (or free soloing) is a form of rock climbing where the climber (or free soloist) climbs on technical terrain without ropes or any form of protective equipment — they are allowed to use climbing shoes and climbing chalk (or ice tools and crampons if ice climbing). Kukuczka on a mural in Katowice Street art of Kukuczka in Bogucice, the district of Katowice where he grew up and lived, unveiled in 2019. Whittaker (born February 10, 1929), also known as Jim Whittaker, is an American climber and mountain guide. Everest and Makalu). ʐɨ kuˈkut͡ʂ. As an early proponent of clean climbing, he, along with Yvon Chouinard, was instrumental in changing the climbing culture of the late 1960s and early 1970s by John Long (born July 21, 1953) is an American rock climber and author. James W. It is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world. The following is a list of mountaineering disasters by death toll. Once considered impossible to climb, [1] El Capitan is now the standard for big wall climbing. Climbing history View from the railway station of Kleine Scheidegg, close enough to allow people to watch the climbers on the Eiger. In 2016, she was listed as Ueli Steck (Alemannic German: [ˈuεli ʃtɛk]; 4 October 1976 – 30 April 2017) was a Swiss rock climber and alpinist. The snowy peak catching light in front of Everest is Changtse. . There have been many expeditions throughout the 20th (1900s) and 21st (2000s) centuries, with the amount increasing List of mountaineering disasters by death tollNorth Face of Everest as seen from the path to North Base Camp. From 1989 through 1997, he made 18 successful ascents of peaks above 8,000 m. [4] In 2000, she became the first Nepali woman to climb and descend Everest successfully. [1] Routes are documented in guidebooks, and on online databases, detailing how to climb the route (called the beta), and who made the first ascent (or FA) and the coveted first free ascent (or Richard Frank Allen (6 November 1954 – 25 July 2021) was a Scottish mountaineer. Ice climbing One famous Nepalese female mountaineer was Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali female climber to reach the summit of Everest, but who died during the descent. He is also credited as the Hillclimbing, also known as hill climbing, speed hillclimbing, or speed hill climbing, is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course. 13a, the first-ever big wall free solo ascent at that grade), [3] a climb described in The New El Capitan (Spanish: El Capitán; lit. " [3] It is located at an elevation of 4000 ft (1200 m) on the north side of the Yosemite Valley, close to base of granite cliffs near Yosemite Falls. Having previously summitted Mount Everest, Steck died on 30 April The Nose is a big wall climbing route up El Capitan. A post-card of Everest from the 1920s, the view from Rongbuk glacier (north side) Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain at 8,848. Indian Face, Cobra Crack). Lhakpa Sherpa (Nepali: Lakhpa Sherpa; born 1973) [1] is a Nepalese Sherpa mountain climber. [1] Józef Jerzy Kukuczka (Polish: [ˈju. This feat included climbing the difficult north face of the Pages in category "Canadian mountain climbers" The following 35 pages are in this category, out of 35 total. Krzysztof Jerzy Wielicki (Polish pronunciation: [ˈkʂɨʂtɔf vjɛˈlit͡skʲi]; born 5 January 1950) is a Polish mountaineer, regarded as one of the greatest Polish climbers in history. From Everest pioneers to modern legends. He is known for his solo ascents–often in winter–of major ice and alpine climbing routes. Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. This list may not reflect recent changes. This is a list of climbers and mountaineers who are notable for their activities in mountaineering (including alpine climbing), rock climbing (including aid climbing, free climbing, bouldering, speed climbing and competition climbing) or in ice climbing (including mixed climbing). He was a member of the Valkyrie Climbing Club and founding member of the Rock and Ice Club. It is the biggest and most developed bouldering area in the world, [citation needed] and is where the Fontainebleau grading system originated. Aug 12, 2025 · From famous female mountain climbers to the most famous mountain climbers of all time, here is a list of the top 10 famous mountain climbers of all time. This is a list of mountaineers who have died on these mountains. Free solo climbing is a type of rock climbing where the climber does not use a rope, harness, or other safety gear. In 1993, he and his climbing partner became the first people to make a continuous traverse of all the Alpine 4,000-metre mountains in a single Traditional climbing (or trad climbing) is a type of free climbing in the sport of rock climbing where the lead climber places temporary and removable protection while simultaneously ascending the route; when the lead climber has completed the route, the second climber (also called the belayer) then removes this protection as they ascend the The Matterhorn is an isolated mountain. [1][2] Born and raised in Seattle, Washington. While the summit was reached without much difficulty in 1858 by a complex route on the west flank, the battle to climb the north face has captivated the interest of climbers and non-climbers alike. [4][5] In Hard Rock, [6] Ken Wilson said of Brown: "The reader may gain some idea of his ability by Pages in category "British rock climbers" The following 68 pages are in this category, out of 68 total. Tommy Caldwell (born August 11, 1978) is an American rock climber who has set records in sport climbing, traditional climbing, and in big-wall climbing. See full list on climbinghouse. The Alpinist is a 2021 American documentary film directed by Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen about Marc-André Leclerc, a free-spirited and little-known 23-year-old Canadian rock climber, ice climber, and alpinist. Pages in category "American rock climbers" The following 134 pages are in this category, out of 134 total. Nicknamed "the French Spider-Man " or "the Human Spider", Robert carries out free solo climbs of skyscrapers using no climbing equipment except for a small bag of chalk and a pair of climbing Anatoli Nikolaevich Boukreev (Russian: Анато́лий Никола́евич Букре́ев; January 16, 1958 – December 25, 1997) was a Russian-born Kazakh mountaineer who made ascents of 10 of the 14 eight-thousander peaks—those above 8,000 m (26,247 ft)—without supplemental oxygen. He has held the record since May 2018. [2][3][4][5] Indoor climbing, sport climbing, and Eight climbers died in the Everest disaster of 1996: five climbers from the Adventure Consultants and Mountain Madness expeditions on the southeast route, and three fatalities among the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) expedition from India who perished on the northeast route. [1 Ice climbing is a climbing discipline that involves ascending routes consisting entirely of frozen water. [1][2] Among the Fifty Classic Climbs of North America Nirmal Purja (known as Nims or Nimsdai[13]) MBE (Nepali: निर्मल पुर्जा; born 25 July 1983 [11]) is a Nepalese mountaineer. Most recently, he scaled Mount Everest for the 31st time on 27 May 2025, [1][2] breaking his own record set on 12 May 2024. At least 300 people have died on the mountain. Marc-André Leclerc (October 10, 1992 – March 5, 2018) was a Canadian rock climber, ice and mixed climber, and alpinist. His stories have been translated into many languages. Climbers ascending Mount Rainier looking at Little Tahoma Peak, United States Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism[1] is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Six of the fourteen summits of the Eight-Thousanders (Manaslu, Shishapangma, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Mt. The granite monolith is about 3,000 feet (914 m) from base to summit along its tallest face and is a world-famous location for big wall climbing, including the disciplines of aid climbing, free climbing, and more recently for Carolynn Marie Hill (born January 3, 1961) [2] is an American rock climber. Aug 16, 2024 · Discover the inspiring stories of 11 famous mountain climbers who revolutionized mountaineering. [1] Free soloing is the most dangerous form of climbing, and, unlike bouldering, free soloists climb at heights Reinhold Andreas Messner (German: [ˈʁaɪnhɔlt ˈmɛsnɐ]; born 17 September 1944) is an Italian climber, explorer, and author from the German-speaking province of South Tyrol. This is a list of people who reached the summit of Mount Everest in the 20th First-free-ascents that set new grade milestones are important events in rock climbing history, and are listed below. 4m) in height) during a single winter excursion. After learning to climb at Tahquitz Rock, Robbins went on to make first ascents of many big wall routes in Yosemite. Boukreev had a In the history of rock climbing, [a] the three main sub-disciplines – bouldering, single-pitch climbing, and big wall (and multi-pitch) climbing – can trace their origins to late 19th-century Europe. [11][14] Purja is notable for having climbed all 14 eight Mount Everest from the northern side. List of the most famous and important climbers in history hand-picked by our team of expert editors and ranked by their popularity on On This Day. com Feb 16, 2024 · These mountain climbers’ pioneering spirit is an indication that no bounds exist for a determined soul with their legacies continuing to inspire generations of adventurers. The ascent of ever-harder routes is an integral key part of the history of climbing, and each type of climbing has notable routes that set major new milestones of difficulty. zɛf ˈjɛ. To protect the route, the ice climber uses steel ice screws that require skill to employ safely and rely on the ice holding firm in any fall. She soloed all the great north faces of the Alps in a single season—a first for any climber. Royal Robbins (February 3, 1935 [1] – March 14, 2017) [2] was one of the pioneers of American rock climbing. This list includes climbing and mountaineering disasters that resulted in multiple deaths (4+). While sport climbing has dominated grade milestones since the mid-1980s (i. Apa (born Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa; 20 January 1960), [1] nicknamed "Super Sherpa", [2] is a Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer who, until 2017, jointly with Phurba Tashi held the record for reaching the summit of Mount Everest more times than any other climber. In 1979, climber Wang Hongbao of China revealed to the climbing leader of a Japanese expedition that in 1975, while taking a stroll from his bivouac, he had discovered "an English dead" at 8,100 m (26,575 ft), roughly below the site of Irvine's ice axe discovered in 1933 near the Northeast Ridge. The climber only uses their hands and feet to move up the rock wall. Allen summitted six eight-thousanders and was the first British climber atop some of Tajikistan's biggest mountains. He and climbing partner Andrew "Sandy" Irvine were reported to be last seen ascending near Everest's summit during the 1924 expedition, sparking debate as to whether they reached it before they died. [2][3][4] In 1987, he became the second man (after Pages in category "New Zealand mountain climbers" The following 49 pages are in this category, out of 49 total. [2][3] Her record-breaking tenth climb was on May 12, 2022, which she financed via a crowd-funding campaign. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become sports in their own right. Todd Richard Skinner (October 27, 1958 – October 23, 2006) [1] was an American rock climber and expert in big wall climbing. They are all in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges. Honnold rose to worldwide fame in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a full route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park (via the 2,900-foot route Freerider at 5. ka]; 24 March 1948 – 24 October 1989) was a Polish mountaineer, regarded as one of the greatest high-altitude climbers in history. As part of The Eco Everest Expedition 2011, Apa made his 21st Mount Everest summit in May 2011 then retired after a promise to his wife to stop North face of the Eiger Alison Jane Hargreaves (17 February 1962 – 13 August 1995) was a British mountaineer. He retired from competition climbing in 2017. Big wall climbing, mostly free climbing but with some sections of aid pitons Martin Moran (19 February 1955 – 26 May 2019) was a British climber, mountain guide and author. He was the first person to climb all 14 eight-thousanders, doing so without Everest's North Face Ascents of Mount Everest by year This is a list of notable expedition climbing attempts on Mount Everest. Kami Rita (कामीरिता शेर्पा; January 1970) is a Nepali Sherpa guide who holds the record for most ascents to the summit of Mount Everest. In 2013 he and Sandy Allan were awarded a Piolet d’Or for their traverse of Nanga Parbat 's Mazeno Ridge. [2] It became notable after World War II as "a birthplace of rock climbing’s modern age. Prior to taking on a career in mountaineering, he served in the British Army with the Brigade of Gurkhas followed by the Special Boat Service (SBS), the special forces unit of the Royal Navy. Mount Everest attracts many climbers, including highly experienced mountaineers. They List of people who died climbing Mount EverestNorth face of Mount Everest Over 405 people have died attempting to reach—or return from—the summit of Mount Everest which, at 8,848. g. Her accomplishments included scaling Mount Everest alone, without supplementary oxygen or support from a Sherpa team, in 1995. He was the first to climb Annapurna solo via its South Face (though this is disputed by some [1]), and set speed records on the North Face trilogy in the Alps. These mountaineering expeditions were for a variety of purposes, including geographic exploration, sport, science, awareness raising, and fundraising. This makes Everest the mountain with the most deaths, although it does not have the highest death rate Friedrich Wolfgang Beckey (14 January 1923 – 30 October 2017), known as Fred Beckey, was an American rock climber, mountaineer and book author, who in seven decades of climbing achieved hundreds of first ascents of some of the tallest peaks and most important routes throughout Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and the Pacific Northwest. The region around Fontainebleau in France is particularly famous for its concentrated bouldering areas. [9] Green Boots is commonly believed to be Indian ITBP climber Tsewang Paljor, [10] who was wearing green Koflach Catherine Destivelle (born 24 July 1960) is a French rock climber and mountaineer who is considered one of the greatest and most important climbers in the history of the sport. He is the 5th man to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders and the first ever to climb Mount Everest, Kangchenjunga, and Lhotse in winter. 'the Captain') is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. Adjacent to each other, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa are the most famous mountain climbers in the history of mountaineering. He was born in Bergen, Norway. In 1985, he became the first person to climb all the Munros (mountains in Scotland over 3000 ft (914. She has climbed Mount Everest ten times, the most by any woman in the world. [1] George Herbert Leigh-Mallory (18 June 1886 – 8 or 9 June 1924) was an English mountaineer who participated in the first three British Mount Everest expeditions from the early to mid-1920s. On May 1, 1963, he became the first American to reach the summit of Mount Everest as a member of the American Mount Everest Expedition led by Norman Dyhrenfurth, alongside the Sherpa Nawang Gombu, a nephew of Tenzing Norgay. Caldwell made the first free ascents of several major routes on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. e. [2] K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen, [3][5][6] at 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) above sea level, is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest at 8,849 metres (29,032 ft). Camp 4 is a tent-only campground in Yosemite National Park in the United States. Widely regarded as one of the leading competition climbers, traditional climbers (and particularly big wall climbers), sport climbers, and boulderers in the world during the late 1980s and early 1990s, she is famous for making the first free ascent of the difficult sheer rock face of The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mountaineering deaths. There are two main climbing routes, one approaching the summit from the southeast in Nepal (known as the standard route) and the other from the north in Tibet. He won two Piolet d'Or awards, in 2009 and 2014. This is a category for people who were killed while mountaineering. Alison Hargreaves and Jeff Lowe climbing Kangtega, 1 May 1986 Jeff Lowe (September 13, 1950 - August 24, 2018) [1] was an American alpinist from Ogden, Utah who was known for his visionary climbs and first ascents established in the US and Canadian Rockies, Alps and Himalayas. Bouldering started in Fontainebleau, and was advanced by Pierre Allain in the 1930s, and John Gill in the 1950s. In addition, the steep faces of the mountain and its isolated location make it prone to banner clouds formation, with the air flowing around the mountain producing condensation of the air on the lee side and also creating vortices. She came to prominence in the mid-1980s for sport climbing by winning the first major female climbing competitions, and by being the first woman to redpoint a 7c+/8a sport climbing route with Fleur de Rocaille in 1985 Robert climbing the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong in 2008 Alain Robert (French pronunciation: [alɛ̃ ʁɔbɛʁ]; born Robert Alain Philippe; 7 August 1962) is a French rock climber and urban climber. 7 ft) and thus a particularly desirable peak for mountaineers. He is a member of The Explorers Club. are now the highest grades), milestones for modern traditional-climbing, free-solo-climbing, onsighted & flashed-ascents, are also listed. The film was produced by Sender Films Alex Honnold (born August 17, 1985) is an American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. He was a proponent of the Alpine style, where small teams travel fast with minimal gear. She was famed for being the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Robson (with Annette Buck) in 1924, and with her husband Don for discovering Mount Waddington, and exploring the area around it via the Franklin River and the Homathko River.