RIP Ueli Steck, the Swiss Machine
April 30, 2017 8:47 AM Subscribe
Renowned speed climber Ueli Steck has died at the age of 41 after falling from the Nuptse face of Mt. Everest. The Swiss Machine is most well known for solo climbing the north face of the Eiger without ropes in 2 hours 47 minutes, and for climbing all 82 peaks over 4,000m in the Alps in 62 days, choosing to bike and walk between each peak. Video series.
The climber reached Mount Everest's summit without oxygen in 2012, and in 2015 climbed all 82 Alpine peaks over 4,000m (13,100ft) in 62 days.
That's incredible.
posted by chavenet at 9:04 AM on April 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
That's incredible.
posted by chavenet at 9:04 AM on April 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
.
Official statement from his family (primarily asking media not to speculate until the exact details are known).
That's incredible.
British climbers Moran and Jenkins climbed all peaks in 52 days in 1993. But their list was a bit shorter (the official list with 82 peaks didn't exist back then).
(Miha Valič mentioned in the BBC article did the current list in winter.)
posted by effbot at 9:45 AM on April 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
Official statement from his family (primarily asking media not to speculate until the exact details are known).
That's incredible.
British climbers Moran and Jenkins climbed all peaks in 52 days in 1993. But their list was a bit shorter (the official list with 82 peaks didn't exist back then).
(Miha Valič mentioned in the BBC article did the current list in winter.)
posted by effbot at 9:45 AM on April 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
.
I'm not sure what to think. Ueli was well aware of the risks he took. He lived only half as long as many of us will. But he lived more than twice as hard.
posted by michaelhoney at 11:00 AM on April 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm not sure what to think. Ueli was well aware of the risks he took. He lived only half as long as many of us will. But he lived more than twice as hard.
posted by michaelhoney at 11:00 AM on April 30, 2017 [2 favorites]
climbed all 82 Alpine peaks over 4,000m (13,100ft) in 62 days.
And cycled or walked from mountain to mountain. It was essentially a hiking/cycling tour for him.
posted by pracowity at 12:12 PM on April 30, 2017
And cycled or walked from mountain to mountain. It was essentially a hiking/cycling tour for him.
posted by pracowity at 12:12 PM on April 30, 2017
.
posted by Sphinx at 12:37 PM on April 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Sphinx at 12:37 PM on April 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
^
posted by vorpal bunny at 1:31 PM on April 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by vorpal bunny at 1:31 PM on April 30, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was puzzled by the tone of the family's statement as echoed in The Guardian:
Until I followed a link further down in a description of Ueli's last previous trip to Everest: "He suffered a setback during his last trip to Everest, in 2013, when he became involved in a violent altercation with a group of local guides."
I thought one of the comments below the altercation story made some very interesting points:
posted by jamjam at 3:33 PM on April 30, 2017
In a statement, the climber’s family said the circumstances surrounding his death were still unclear. “The family is infinitely sad and asks that the media refrain from speculating about his death out of respect for Ueli,” they said. “As soon as reliable information becomes available, the media will be informed.”
Until I followed a link further down in a description of Ueli's last previous trip to Everest: "He suffered a setback during his last trip to Everest, in 2013, when he became involved in a violent altercation with a group of local guides."
He said: "Melissa was a real heroine. She saved Ueli's life. Without her, he'd be dead. She explained to us in our tent that there was a big mob out looking for us. She said something terrible must have happened. We explained that words had been exchanged but that was it. She stepped out of the tent for a moment and then shouted: 'They're coming, get out of here.'"Perhaps that rock in the face explains the side by side chips in Ueli's front teeth; I was imagining a blow from a rock, but not an intentional one.
Griffith said that with the protection of Arnot and other western climbers they edged backwards. "We were terrified but we knew if we ran they would be after us. We got kicks and punches and Ueli got a rock in the face. One of the Sherpas pulled a knife on Simone, but he managed to turn and the knife hit his hip belt.
"There was a 50-minute period where we all thought we were going to get stoned to death. I kept saying I don't understand what's happening. When we explain the whole story it sounds like a Hollywood exaggeration."
I thought one of the comments below the altercation story made some very interesting points:
At all, the idea of conquering/climbing a mountain is utterly alien to sherpa culture ... for the sherpas mountains are gods ... to be revered. One climbs a mountain as a pilgrim ... with humility and awe ... not an abstract awe for nature, but a concrete awe for the divine in the mountain ... one does not climb as a sportsman/woman, seeking to conquer the mountain.Speed climbing as an athletic achievement seems antithetical to this.
posted by jamjam at 3:33 PM on April 30, 2017
He was going to do the ascent up Everest via the Hornbein Couloir.
Such a mysterious part of the mountain.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 7:52 PM on April 30, 2017
Such a mysterious part of the mountain.
posted by Heywood Mogroot III at 7:52 PM on April 30, 2017
I was puzzled by the tone of the family's statement as echoed in The Guardian:
You see this kind of thing often, though. Lots of people seem to feel that reporting on the details of a loved one's death is a violation of privacy. I don't agree that speculation, if that's what your comment is, that he was what, killed in another fight with Sherpas, is warranted, especially since there are so many other ways to die doing what he was doing.
posted by thelonius at 5:06 PM on May 1, 2017
You see this kind of thing often, though. Lots of people seem to feel that reporting on the details of a loved one's death is a violation of privacy. I don't agree that speculation, if that's what your comment is, that he was what, killed in another fight with Sherpas, is warranted, especially since there are so many other ways to die doing what he was doing.
posted by thelonius at 5:06 PM on May 1, 2017
His family has posted an update after today's funeral, with some additional details about the accident.
posted by effbot at 2:44 PM on May 4, 2017
posted by effbot at 2:44 PM on May 4, 2017
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I'm especially sorry for his wife and kids.
An amazing climber.
posted by From Bklyn at 8:59 AM on April 30, 2017