Lakbay LENTE: World's Fastest Climber / Mountaineer: Ueli Steck

World's Fastest Climber / Mountaineer: Ueli Steck

Ueli Steck was born on 1976 in Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland. He is a skilled carpenter, a Swiss climber and lives in Ringgenberg in Interlaken.

At the age of 17, Steck achieved the 9th difficulty rating (UIAA) in climbing. As an 18-year-old he climbed the north face of the Eiger, and the Bonatti Pillar in the Mont Blanc massif. In June 2004, he climbed the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau within 25 hours with Stephan Siegrist. Another success was the so-called Khumbu-Express in 2005, for which the climbing magazineClimb named him one of the three best alpinists in Europe.[citation needed] The project consisted of the first solo-climb of the north wall of Cholatse (6440 m) and the east wall of Taboche (6505 m).

In 2007, whilst climbing up the direct line on the southern flank to the summit of Annapurna in the Himalayas, he was hit by a falling rock which smashed his helmet. He was knocked unconscious, slipped more than 200 feet, but survived with only bruises and a concussion. In May 2008, again climbing Annapurna, he broke off his ascent due to an avalanche threat, but the next week climbed to assist a Spanish climber Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, who had collapsed. Medical help was slow in coming and the Spanish climber died despite Steck's help.

In 2008, Steck was the first recipient of the Eiger Award for his mountaineering achievements.

For more updates and information visit http://www.himalayaspeed.com.

Climbing Achievements:

1995

Eiger north face, Heckmair route (1800m AS)

1998

Haston couloir Mönch, solo in 3.5 hours (AS-1000m)

1999

Eiger Lauper route solo in 5 hours (AS-1800m)

2000

Eiger north face, Yetiroute Zweitbegehung (7c/A0)
Mönch north face, Direttissima, first ascent (1000m M5/Wi5)
Erstbegehungsroute, Pumori - west side of Buhler

2001

Grandes Jorasses Walker Spur, winter ascent (1200m AS)
Pumori , first ascent of West Route (1400m M4/80 degree ice) with Ueli Buhler
First ascent "The Young Spider", Eiger North Face (1800m M7/Wi6; 7a/A2)

2002

Mount Dickey , Alaska, first ascent (1700m M7 + AI6 5.9/A1)

2002/03

Two attempts at Jannu north face (7710m) Nepal, along with Erhard Loretan

2003

Punta Heron (Patagonia)
Redpointed La vida es Silbar (Eiger north face 900m 7c)

2004

Trilogy Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau (north faces) in 25 hours

2005

(Khumbu-Express) First solo ascent of Taboche east face (6515m) and Cholatse north face (6440 meters)

2006

Solo ascent of the Matterhorn north face
"The Young Spider" Eiger north face, winter solo ascent of "The Young Spider"
First ascent of the north face of Gasherbrum II
Summit of success on Gasherbrum II East (7772 m)

2007

Eiger north face, Heckmair route, speed record in 3:54 hours, solo

2008

Eiger north face, Heckmair route, speed record in 2:47:33 hours, solo
Grand Jorasses north face, Colton–McIntyre speed-record route in 2:21 hours, solo
Tengkampoche north face (6500m, Nepal) with Simon Anthamatten first ascent in alpine style (no bolts, no fixed ropes, four days for the ascent and descent), winner of the Piolet d'Or.

2009